The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1867-04-18
The Negro North and South.


The Cleveland Herald says: When
the emancipation of the negroes Of the
South was proposed, it was objected
that such apolicy would result in the
North being overrun with the freedman,
crowding out white labor and entailing
universal pauperism on tie laboring
classes in those States where slavery
had been unknown. We dissented
from that idea, holding that the South
was the natural home of the negro, and
that if colored emigration from one
section to the other. took place in con
sequence of emancipation, it would
probably be from the North to the
South We argued thus because the
South offered the attractions OF climate
and early asso Citations, and, the disabil-
tiles Of slave code once removed, the
.gregarious habits Of the negro in gen
eral would lead him where the largest
bodies of his brethren could be found.
Events proved the justice Of the pre-
diction We are satisfied, from such
information as we possess, that fewer
negroes came North last year than in
any year of the decade preceding the
abolition of slavery There was no
necessity Of crossing the Ohio in search
of freedom The coveted prize had
been brought to their own doors.
But the events have gone beyond our
expectations He would have been
secuted as madlnan or fool, who in
1861 had dared predict that within six
| years the leading men of the South,
even the very quintessence Of slavery
loving chivalry in South Carolina,
would be counting the good will ftheir
former slavery, and stand with anxious
men begging for the "most sweet
voices" Of Quashee and Cufee; nay
more, would seek the privilege of sit
ting by the side ola ''nigger'' in Con
vention and Legislature, to join with
him in nominating officers and mrking
laws for the State And yet this is ac
tually what has come to pass. ......
The political condition Of the col
ored men to day in the South is better
than in the North, and every year will
make that advantage greater. BY Fed
eral law, the black man in-South Caro-
lima is equal in political privileges with
the most favored white man. In Ohio
he is shut out from office, and even from
the ballot box. In South Carolina he
has the power Of numbers on his side
In Ohio he is in q hopeless. minority
In South Carolina there is no disqual
lifying condition to prevent his reach
ing the highest office in the State. II
Ohio he cannot be a township constable
Not only is his statutory condition
better in South Carolina than in Ohio
but in few years popular prejudice
!. against the negro will be less in th'
former State than in the latter, even
j that point has not been already reach
{ ed. In South Carolina his number
make it important to secure his goot
will, and self-interest will soon rub ou
) caste distinctions Were all the NAL
inhabitants of South Carolina to vote
the negro would at least be the whit
mans equal in influence; with larg
, proportion of the white population dis
t franchised, the negro is, if he combine
r his power, the white mans MASTER
| In Ohio, on the, contrary, the negr
element Is 10y sllali w Oe Cou bcu' itu
z were the. disqualifications now attach
!, ing to color removed, he would still b
: with no hope Of political preferment,-
t In most. Of the New England State
his condition is still worse, the propol
. ton Of colorcd to white population be
/ ing smaller; am tr....e - -lr.5 G,a5tees
t There is no reasonable excuse fo
s denying the ballot to the compare
e lively few blacks in the Northern State
J when it is given to the tens of thous
: apds in the South But when til
e privilege is accorded him, the negro
b the North will still be at q great disat
q vantage socially and politically,
!, comparison with his brother at tt
South. This will hold good in 1861
slrit ~Ili he more markedly evident, Ii,
I years hence.