Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1867-08-21
The Dangers of Negro Rule--another
Significant Article.

The Dangers of Negro Rule--Another
Significant Article.
The following leading article appears in the
New York Herald of Sunday. 1t expresses
the opinions of paper which cares nothing
for consistency, but always endeavours to re-
feet public opinion. The Herald would not
have taken SO bold stand, had it not felt
sure that its views would meet with the sup.
port of the majority of the Northern people;
The scornful manner in which the negro
President of the South Carolina Radical Con-
yention accepted the resignation of white
delegate, who could not subscribe TO the plat
form adopted, was most significant evidence
of the course about to be adopted by the ne
gro majority in the South. The intentions of
the Radicals in Congress, or rather their an
ticipation that the colored voters would be
ruled by mere handful of adventurers, prom
ise to be rudey thwarted even while the ex.
pertinent of negro suffrage is still in its in
cipiency. There are none so blind as those
who will not see, and it is utter folly for any
one to pretend that Mr.. Sambo Jefferson, of
Rutland district will quietly submit to having
| all lQS OluCCS uCl4 W q lCW nuliC iICuS uSu
he and his dusky coinpeers are the voting
majority. Tie desire for political elevation,
F., beyond the nero privilege OF casting vote,
is made palpa5e by the fact of there being
several colored candidate, already in the
field, while one aspiraut for seat in Congress
is even now stumpng the State of South
c. ,iina.
Has not this experiment of negro caG!1ar-
chisement aud white dislyauchisement gone
quite far enough: and is there not material
danger to the United States, in permitting
ten States to be ruled by an ignorant race,
aided by few unprinciped white men =?
This question must rot be regarded IN the
light OF present political necessity. We
| must look to the future, and reflect whether
good can come from our present policy. In
the State of louisiana there are in round
numbers one hundred thousand white men
above the age of twenty years. OF this mum.
Der not fory-three thousand have been per-
mtted to register. On the other hand the
male negroes of the same age, who number
barely ninety-six thousand have registered
fully eighty thousand votes These figures
are appalling, although they can be easily ex
paiucd. No white mau was permitted to
register who held the petty Office of parish
constable, city policeman, notary public Ia
purely business oilice), or village alderman.
And.while this rigorous system was pursued
towards the whites, untutored negroes aud
even coloured minors, it has been asserted,
were permitted to register without question.
The result, then, of the Reconstruction law.
in one of the richest States Of the Union will
be the Inauguration of a State government
filled with negro officials, and counterpart
prcsentmeuts, Of Parson Brownlow and the
Radical Hunnicutt. Nay, more: we learn
that negro members of the New Orleans city
government have been demanded by the Re-
publican leaders and already appointed by
General Sheridan. Wethus perceive the nat
nral result of a policy of repression on the
part of the government
What has been said of Louisiana must be
applied to all of the other Southern States,
excepting, perhaps, Mississippi and Arkansas,
where the law has been literally construed
by General Ord. The sum total, however,
will be the same. Now, the question is,
whether the whites Of the eS-rcbcl States will
consent to be ruled by negroes, and whsther
the people of the North will compel such con.
sent. In the first instance it would be well
10 reflect that no case can he cited where
superior race eyer submitted to the rule Of
an inferior one. But placing aside this point,
which is, after all, but question Of opinion,
SO far as it relates to superiority and inferior
ity, let rs take the question in another sense.
The relative position Of the whites and ne
groes in the South is and will be that Of tag
payer and voter. This is the whole point in
nut shell. VIII the ruling negro be rrovi-
dent of the money that he has not to supply,
or will he, confident in his numerical superi
ority, vote Just such taxes as his fancy or ca
price shall dictate? This is point that can
not be overlooked. We very much fear that
a most unhappy state of affairs will be the
logical consequence Of negro domination.
Will the WITHSTAND owners, Taxpayers and
sole dependence of the States for their raate.
| rial p7osperity-quietly submit to the rule OF
an ignorant and poverty stricken majority,
headed by men whose desire for office is
prompted solely by their impecuniosity If
| regarded purely as political move, We still
perceive danger in this placing white men un.
der the heels of negroes. Look at the policy
through any light, and evils ever appear. The
aggressive spirit Of the blacks, and the impla.
cable hostility Of the Southern whites towards
them as pOutlcal equalS, axe uoSI poteiC d. Su-
ments against persistence i'll g Course which
must inevitably lead to collision between
the two races of most dangerous character.
We do not believe that the people Of the
North are ready or willing to subscribe to
negro rule The day when they will welcome
Fred Douglass as Vice-Presidont of the Uni
ted States, and John NJ. Langston as Senator
from Virginia has not yet come, nor is it
likely to come Tor long number of years.
The negro must, therefore, be made to under
stand that although he will never again be
reduced to slavery, he must rest content with
his personal freedom, and not aspire to that
political and social equality which cannot fail
in the end to bring him more blows than hon.
ours Werepeat that the people of the North
| are not ready for negro rule. and if the old
copperhead leaders could be induced to retire
from the arena aud leave the field clear for
fresh ideas, new organization, headed by
Grant, and having for its platform the supre
macy of the white man in the affairs Of this
government, would, at the Presidential cleo
ton next year, sweep the Radical party from
existence, and restore the country to peace
! and prosperity. The dangers are many, but
until the Democracy cast aside their present
leaders we eau hope for no change from the
erieyous errors which have been made by
radcalism.
L