Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-04-23
An Example of a Negro stare.

- Professor H. E. Peck, of Oberlin, Ohio, a
distinguished Radical in our State politics.
and who was always great advocate for
the doctrine of negro equality, is the ac-
credited United States Minister at the negro
State of Hayti. This fine West India is
land is second in extent to Cuba, and has
been free and Independent from all white
control for nearly seventy years. Before
that time it was French colony, and was
one of the most hourishing and wealthy
spots on the globe. AS is we'll known, the
negroes rose in insurrection, and after the
most horrible massacre of the whites, in
which they spared neither age, sex or con-
dition, they obtained full and complete con-
troll of the country. Here, then, was
brilliant opportunity for the negro to real
ize all the anticipations which are now in
dulged in as regards his capacity for politi-
cal and social progress He has had the
island all to himself for several gen.
eratiOnS, and what has he made of
It From being the most wealthy, it has
become a miserably poor State. Squalor
and wretchedness have taken the place of
wealth and refinement, and barbarism of
civilization. In Government, it has Vacil-
lated between chronic and revolutionary
anarchy on the one hand. and sanguinary-
and brutal despotism on the other. Re
publican institutions it has not only not
maintained, but it has beeu gross carica-
ture upon an established and respectable
monarchy. With this interesting State,
springing into existence by the blood of
white women and infants, the United States
had no diplomatic intercourse until the
late lamented Lincoln, when, in accordance
with the wishes of Radicalism, as repres-
ented by Sumner and others, our Govern
ment took this negro State by the hand,
and sent, and received Ministers. The
Government selected Professor Peck, and,
considering the country to which he was
sent, how admirably it harmonized with
his political sentiments, it was a fit and ap
propriate selection. He has been there for
some time, and thus writes home to his
friends in Ohio letter, giving his imp1es-
sions of this negro dynasty. We find it in
the CLeUeLGnd Leader. He says: 80
PoRT-AU-PRINCE, HAYTI, March 81, 1867.
At my last writing to friends in Oberlin
(Feb. 24) we had just had an outbreak in
this city. The attempt at revolution had
caused fearful excitement and the loss of
much property and some lives, but had at
last been put down by the Government
exciting and trying scenes. The attempt
at revolution was put down only in appear
ance, not in fact. 1t soon came to be clear
to the President that if he persisted in
holding his Office he and his family would
be assassinated and anarchy would get the
upper hand. So he abdicated and went on
a French man-of-war, to Jamaica. A Pro-
was government so full of contrarieties
and opposite views that it hardly amounted
to a government. For a week we hung
over the brink of horrors of all kinds, but
events have at length composed themselves.
We have now a temporary, Government
which, although it is thoroughly revolu-
tionary in its ideas, will probably keep
order. ~
The month which has passed has been one
of the most trying ones of my life. have
a thousand times wished that my dear ones
were out of the country. But God has
brought us through in safety. My wife
has been perfectly cool and courageous
throughout the whole. A woman could
not have behaved better, and few men
would have done so we'll. The change in
political affairs may materially change my
plans about going home, and | do not
know when either Mrs. Peck or will see
Oberlin.
This needs but little comment. The Pro-
fessor has seen Africa as it really is, and not
through the humanitarian and fanatical
spectacles with which he formerly surveyed
it. The result is that he wishes his dear
ones were out of the country" and speaks
of the month lately passed as being the
most trying of his life. When he foreign
Minister, representing our Radical, negro
loving Government, is not safe with his
family, we can form pretty correct esti-
mate of the state of anarchy prevailing
there, and the kind of society that exists.
There is no better way to convert a Radical
from the error of his opinion than to send
him to Hayti.-Cincinnatt Enquirer.