The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-09-05
"NEGRO sUPI,EeIACY,p

in their TRADES. First, thcy say, the Congress
sional Reconstruction plan must "negroize"
(a word OF latest ooinagc) the South. Tho
Radicals foster negro supremacy" Negroes
will fill I'LL the otlices," etc., etc.. and leaders,
long and learned, arc launched forth 10 prove
these propositions Strange 10 sny, however,
these poli,icnl philosophers fail TO be convinced
by their own logic; at least so il would ap-
| pear, for every few days these same writer's
| deem il necessary TO minister IL few words of
| comfort 10 their readers, 10 demonstrate by
figures "thnt cannot lie," that tho white pco-
pie OF tho Southern StuLrs ore to the negroes
as ten to seven; TINT tho former possess all
the intelligence, education, refinement, and
property, and oil the influence these possess
sions can confer-a proposition We arc not
disposed TO deny, as we believe il to be en-
tirely in accordance with fact. But We can
not help being somewhat surprised at this
curious nlternntiou of argument. 1t does not
secm altogether fair to us that tho same advo-
Gates should monopoizo the whole question,
md nrgue both sides ut once oven though it
is done on alternate days. Tho Reconstruct
Act either raises the negro, civlizes and en-
|
arm Ct strength in the land, or Il does not.
If it dues, let us acknowledge the fact, and tnke
our measures accordingly. If It does not,
why the ncver-ending refrain of "negro su-
premacy ?"
What are the facts Of the case We find,
according to the most authentic figures, in the
ten Southern States under consideration, n
white voting population Of l,01O,6l0, asninst
I41.3i5 male blacks of voting ago. Putting
tho number Of the disfranchised a, about TO-
0o0-scven per cent. Of the number of voters,
which, in our opinion, is considerably over the
mark, we still hsvo 100000, or majority of
whites of about 100000 :.
South Carolina and Mississippi arc the only
two States in which the negroes ut present
have majority in South Carolina majority
of 1887 and in Mississippi l4,GGl. If wo de-
duet seven per cent from the aggregate of
white voters, we have in South Carolina, c.
$40, less 4slG, equals G3,994 whites, against
SG,GS7 blacks. giving the latter majority of
a2,G9S and in Mississippi, by similar calcu-
lyi9a sA&s leiH 5S aySr0BhsSYs, sfHf,s siiins
the latter majority of 20,555.
Al the very worst then-supposing all the
negroes TO vote, and the present disabilities to
remain unrepealed, there would in South Caro-
lima be majority of negro voters of 22,Ga3.
Nov surely our friends place low estimate on
the intelligence, wealth, education, knowledge
oi affairs, and every other advantage conferred
upon the whites BY long years of civilization
and free government, if they consider, that all
these resources are inadequate 10 count erbal-
nnce the votes of 22,693 iguorunt negroes.
Moreover, il should be remembered, that the
white population constantly increases, first
hy natural growth, secondly by immigration
rom the North and thirdly by immigration
rom Europe. Besides, it may be mentioned,
hat with every year the number of the dis
irnnchscd will diminish, and that of the en-
frnnchised increase. The blacks on the other
hand, It is nscertaincd, arc decreasing in num-
brrs ]. The mortuary reports from oyerv
secllon OF the country, since the close of the
war, have shown that the mortality among
tho colored race is larger than among the
whites. .. No incrcnss of negroes is TO be
anticipated, certainly not in South Carolina.
from immigration; while 8, we NAV conf
dcntly count upon steady tide of emigration
OF coiored people from this State to otber
States, further South and West. Two wears
perhaps will suffice, TO restore the numerical
equality of the two races in this State. Tbsn
why oil this outcry about negro supremacy
Tho preponderanee Of the coored element is,
however, even now moro apparent than real.
There is no reason whatever for assuming that
tho colored vote will be unit ON any ouea-
ton at issue, or on any candidate On the con-
trary, ny one, possessing a full knowledge
OF all the facts Of the situation, will be con-
strained to come to a conclusion directly Oh.
positc. 'li.b ~
Much also has been said nbout colored men
Tor 'offcc." few nesrophilist Radicals,
with more zeal than either brains or principle.
following the lead Of WENDELL Phillips. have
been talking Of the "claims" of tho negro for
the office of Vice-Presdent; some also have
spoken of voting for negroes for Congress-, and |
for other positions Of honor. Upon careful
examination, however, Of these reports, we
generally trace them not to Radicals or to ne
groes, but to the anti-reconsruation press,
both North and South. we have seen many
reports Of negroes announcing themselves as |
candidates for Congress, but in nearly every
instance the rumor has proved false. Our
readers may remember a report Of this ohsrac-
ter gaining currency here some two months.
ago, about ono "sweat," oolored man of
Marlboro, who was said to be running for
Congress-. lie promptly oontradicted the re-
port, and we heard nothing moro of him, until
few dnys ago we found in tho Natioao, Intel.
hyeneer tho following sensation paragraph in
reference 10 this topic: "The friends Of e Mr..
smead (black many are actively pressing his
claims for Congress in South Carolina. Every
day he is said to be gaining strength" This
goes forth TO the world as IN authorit.,,vo
statement of the Nahonnl fntlfgtnee,, md will
serve ills purpose, viz: keep alive azitation.
and prove tho "negroizing" Of the South. wo
have no doubt whatever that were this story
thoroughly sifted, il would be found that Il
originated in joke, was taken up, either
through ignorance or mischief, by some news.
paper quidnunc, and then event the round"
Tho same number Of tho Enftliigtnctr also has
an address 'to tho First Congressional District
of-Georgia," copied from the Quitm.n (da.) |,
Bdnntr, by James Patrick Fickling, colored,
who aspiren to a seat by the side Of BENJAMIN
F. BUftfn and THApprus SrRyrss Thia ed.