Natchitoches spectator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1867-18??, 1867-12-05

very the four millions of blacks in our
Southern country would now be, if they
existed at all, inst so many pagan saya-
ges. The bitterness of their cup has not
been altogether unmitigated. Through
the wrong inflicted upon their ancestors
many blessings have been conferred
upon them. They enjoy the light and
hope of Christianity, the advantages of
at least partial civilization, an immu-
nifty from the horrors of cannibalism, of
continual brutal warfare, and OF. Ill those
wretched conditions to which. by remains.
ing in Africa, they wOuid have been sub
.jected. Now, quite apart from the NOR
al aspect of slavery, or the imputed
guilt of those who upheld it. when we
come to estimate the pecuniary cOmpes-
saton to he awarded to those who suit
fered from it, we are hound to cast up
both sides of tie ledger. 1t is certain
that but tor sIatery these negroes would
not now he here. The mere partially
Tor their society professed by the most
enthusiastic among their friends would
scarcely have led to more than a sparse
and infrequent immigration. The race
is therefore indebted to slavery for what
ever distinguishes it's condition in Amer
lea from its condition i'm Africa; and this
is to be credited against its claims for
damages. The plea that the kidnapped
individuals. the original progenitors of
our American negroes, might, if left ut
home, have made some calcuable pro-
gress, is entirely worthless. The snffi-
cient reply is to he found in the cOndi-
tioD of the parent race at the present
day throughout Africa. Equally con
cluSive is the comparative survey of the
two branches against the charge that
slavery has impedpd the mora! and in
tellectual growth of the negro, and that
on this ground he h rs a legitimate claim
for recOmpense. A claim on the part of
the lately slave-holding whites present
ed on the opposite basis could be mnch
better sustained. There are plausible
reasons for contendiRg.that in the con-
tact of superior and an inferior race
what one gains the other must lose.
Whatever the force of these reasons they
should rneasurably offset the negro claim
for compensation.
But the great argument against the
project in question, the argument which
should have the most weight with those
who claim to be in so exceptional a de-
gree the black mans friends. consists i'm
the certainty of deadly strife which it
would sooner or later involve, aud the
ultimate consequences to the entire COL
ored race. 1t is easy to say that tue ne
groes are sufficiently numerous and that
they can take care of themselves. The
suggestion is, however. more cynical
chan wise, since it implies that those who
use it hate the Southern white rather
moro than they love the Southern black
No one who knows anything of either
has the remotest doubt of what the re-
suit of war of races must be or how it
would end. The fighting qualities OF
the Southern whites are tOlerably well
known They are Practically disposed
at present, and, despite the persistent
efforts which have been made to effect
such an end, they do not vet hate the
blacks, their late slaves. But if they are
driven like rats into corner they will
fight again, and if need be fighting die.
If the real object of the humanitarian
extremists is the determination of the
Southern whites, their scheme becomes
Ineligible upon a theory which need not
include cynical indifference to the future
welfare of the negroes. We think, how
ever, that the theory is q mistaken one.
We believe that the contemplated issue
would be reversed, and that war of
races thus crafty precipitated by those
who profess themselves the black mans
best friends would end by proving that
they had been in truth his worst enc
mics. The best possible sequel for this
last aud most insane device of the eX-
trenIsts, whose proposal would seem
ludicrous were it not for its menacing
contingencies, will be for the tempest of
reaction which is now hurtling through
the country to sweep it out of sight and
bury it forever in Oblivion.