The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-07-20
[coMMuRicATEp.l
Shall fhc Ncgrp be n Lnndholdcr

Mn. EDITOR There is no question now ugitat-
ing tho public mind, from tho Potomac to tho Rio
Grando, which can compare in Importance as far
as tho truo interests OF tho Southern people nre
concerned, with tho ono which heads our commu-
nication. In tho correct answer to this question
lies tho solution of tho difficulties which onyolop
tho population Of many rich and powerful com
monwoalths. Decide this wisely, and tho otsta-
clcs which now bcsot our steps will DO removed,
and tho high road to S,nto and national prosperity
will be apparent. Whcre all is now 10 dark then,
booyo, tho path for oach OF us will DO 40 plain
TINT tho wayfaring man, though fool, can scarce
~ fail to follow it.
Wo confidently assert TINT beyond the roach Of
successful controversy il is tho truo policy Of tho
South that this question should be answered in
tho affirmative. And first, will nslt why SHOULD
it not bo SO why should not the negro bo land
holdcr2 Can n good reason DO given why ho
should not be? somo perhaps, will say that ho
istoo indocnt, md will not work land IL ho should
got it. Tho same persons asserted TINT llo would
mover work if c got his freedom. But tlerc is NO
doubt now That great many Of tho freedmen do
work, and work well too. We do not propuso to
fcnt on sell land to all Tho negroes, per capita but
only to such ma arc deserving, and they can DO
readily discovered. Tho undosorvng arc not very
likely to hore tho means eithor to buy land or to
rcnt It. Their ability to do either viii 10 d pretty
good test Of tloir fitness for tho work which they
propose to undertake.
Tho Southern landholders now possess tho po-
ouliar advantage Of being vol acquainted with the
only persons who, as general thing, will propose
to buy or ront land from them. They can accom-
modnto tho deserving aud rofusc tho unworthy.
But some ioraooth, aro much too proud to stoop
10 such dealings ns thcso, and consider it nm in
dignity to soil or rent land to ncgrocs-thoir for
NOR slaves. Wo hoped that tho day for this
drirolng had passed. All this sort OF stuff would
be simply absurd wcro it not wicked. Humilia-
ton in selling or renting land to thoHe who havo
faithfully worked it for a their lives for bare
support Humiliation for too, who at tho licta-
ton Of ,ohae people, those who but yesterday woro
proud to call us fcow-citizens, have now to avail
low 10 many, and such unpalatablc doses, and to
bury pride deep that for it, nj Ioast, there
would appear to be no resurrection. In tho nnmo
Of Heaven and Of our dearest interests lot stop
this strnining nt gnats and swallowing camels.
And now we will briefly consider why tho negro
should bo landholdor, either as proprietor or
tennnt. IIo should bo so because without his
employment in ono or other OF these copacitgs,
our lands would go to wnsto and oursolyos to pow
orty and ruin. For years to como wo will havo
mono but HIM to Till tho soil. Foreigners prefer
peoplcd, need hopo for no extensive additions
10 our laboring forco from abroad. It 10 ido to
argue that this should not DO so; thnt tho South
offors greater Inducements to emgrants than my
other section. What 40 have to doal with in this
entirely practical question facts, and tho fact
is hero just what sc state It to be. What supreme
folly thon il IL not TO avail ourselves Of tho only
means within reach to build up our waste pIa ces
and repair shattered fortunes And that folly
reaches to pure insanity, whom it is remembered
That wo arc rejecting tho very means that best
adapted 10 secure the ends wo have in Wow, and
which would appear TO hayo been created for the
worry accomplishment Of our objects.
In political point OF view, also, how necessary,
Of what vital importance is it that thcre should
be entire accord between all classes OF tho COM
munity in our distracted country. What o snd
picture s that which presents itaelf to tho patriots
eye OF half continont in which labor is sullcnly
arTayed against capital, tho tiller Of tho soil
against tho proprietor, tho poor against the rich
What house divided against itauif will no: fil
Il A. .-vv 10 Ar~~L. and v~-y -..uon Zoo
lightly, too, Of tho conflict of races which, it is as-
suncd, is certain to take place at tho South.
conflict Of races Mcrciful Heavenl Can it DO
understood whnt an unspeakable calamity this
would be2 With two rnces Of men pretty nearly
equally divided in number, is it proposed to
set ono against tho othor In deadly conaict2 Has
tho weaker raco no powerful allat its back in the
shape OF tho countless and meroilcss fanatics who
swarm at the North 2 And suppose tho negro
raco hero should be exterminntcd as the result OF
such o conflict, with what untold horror would this
victory bo purchased Is it supposed that nearly
million Of men will not exact fearful price for
thoir lives before thoy lay them DOWN. Witness
our wars with tho rowing savage, who took no
root in tho soil, doeing at our approach, but who
turned his tracks nnd struck III as lie fell Ere
the. horculean task wo speak Of ia accomplished,
rivers Of Caucasian blood will water agnin this
desolated land. =,
But let us not picture aucli "wocH unnumbcr-
od.f This conflict Of racGs, this fresh calamity,
is but tho chimcrn of diseased BRAIN Of dis
ordered fancy. Lot it bo tho province of wise
stateamnhship, Of enlarged benovoence, to bring
together in tho bonds Of friendly feeling the differ
ent casscs in onr midst, and to amoliorato and
elevate as far as pcssiblo, tho condition Of tho
poor and dependent. In no other way wo main
tain can this be done 30 effectuany as by making
our deserving negroes proprio!ors and tenants Of
land. II they can pay for land, let thom have it.
II they wish to rent let thom try it. Tho ar
rpngoment will dffer very littlo from tho present
ono Of working for portion Of the crop. If it
does not turn out we'll tho proprietor can resume
possession Of his land. In this manner wo will
invest tho negro with tho Same interests which
we posseas ourselves VIC will render his attach
mont to tho soil, strong and permanent and will
sevor his connection with foreign elements, which
association is detrimental in the eItiome both to
him and to us. Tho occupation OF tho low white
domagoguo, now fitting about tho country, breed
ing mischief among the negroes, will thon bo
gone, and the discomfort and trouble which fol-
lowed in his train will vanish into empty air. A
largo and contented peasantry will then oxist in
each Of the Southern States, contributing to thoir
support nnd defonco, whilo will be
can tho clouds that 1owerd upon our horoes
In The deep bosom OF the ocean buriod."
PRO PATRIA.