The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1867-01-24

non-slaveholding states. These agitators
were told that, if they continued their inter
ference with the lawful rights of the slave.
holding states they would rivet still tighter
the chains of the slave and deprive the free
colored men of the south of the rights they
then enioved.
These arch agitators saw, one by one
the slave-holding states pursue the very
course predicted, but that did not cause them
to cease their hurtfnl meddling; and at last,
the southern states cut off the colored man
from the right of suffrage. Then followed
| the great war of the radical agitators upon
the constitutional rights Of the south, in
which the democracy stood firmly by the
south in all their rights, under the constitu-
ton. In doing this, many democrats carried
their prejudices. against the abolitionists to
such an extent that, unconsciously, perhaps,
to them, certainly unfortunately for the party
with which they were associated, they be-
came the tools of the southern fre-eaters in
every pestiferous scheme they hatched.-
Prominent among the democrats who helped
lead the democratic party beyond the limits
they could reasonably 60 in defence of con-
statutioadt rights, were such men as Ben. But
ier,who with small gang of northern demo
Gratis helped divide the party, in the Charles
ton convention, and thus paved the way for
our defeat and the election of Lincoln. 1t
is not necessary to extend this article by
naming scores of that sort of men. who
played into the hands of the southern trail
tors. They caused the southern leaders to
think that the great democratic party of the
north would stand by them in their secession
movement, and thus encouraged them to
take the fatal step which crushed them into
the dust, as people, and destroyed the in
stitution of slavery in the land.
This is, in brief, q history of the position
of the negro race in the southern states, up
to the day of their freedom. And now,when
slavery is abolished, there are 9stin found
some democrats who cannot realize the won
derful change which has taken place. and
who are still clinging to their old preiudices,
and advancing the old arguments which were
right, and proper, and applicable, to the state
Of affairs before the war, but which are
wholly out Of place now. s
When slavery existed it was right to stand
blythe people ofthe south in unfolding the con-
stltutlon which guaranteed them the labor of
their slaves, and their return to service If
they escaped. But slavery has been abol-
lshed There are no slaves to return to SER
wee, now, and the colored man is en-.
titled to protection and encouragement.
Once, it was unlawful for colored men to
'eside in Illinois. Then, we were as decid
ID as any man in enforcing the law. But
he law which excluded them from the state
las been repealed, and there is now no stat
lie IN existence under which they can be !
to leave the state. 1al
Things have changed, and men must now
dapt themselves to the altered condition of |
he country; throw away their old preju-i
ices; consider the state of things which now |
xists, and act for the present, and the fu-
IRE, and not for the past. Let the dead past
axe care of itself, and let us act with regard |
o the future. .a@v-iIa&s 4