Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1867-05-16
Coming Collision of Races.

The events which are transpiring aroundus'
indicate situation of peculiar delicacy and IN
vest the future with anxious apprehensions.
The times require Of usgreat prudence and self
command, in the presence Of the irritating
questions that are thrust upon us.
The tendency at this time seems very DIS
tinctly towards conflict of races. Ii Is EVIL
IDENTIFY the anxious effort of the agltators oil the
day, to bring about this result. The negroes
are piled with incendiary harangues and are IN
stigated TO throw themselves in collision With
the whites, in every possible way. They are
urged not merely to insist on equal accommo-
dation. but to- demand indiscriminate accom-
mediation; to be rode in The same cars to be
seated in the same schools to beaccommocated
in the same hotels, &c.
Where alldhis will end, no map can doubt;
and least of al is it doubted by the instigators.
1t is their manifest purpose to bring about
conflict of raees-in order to make party use
of the disorders to which it would give rise.
1t shouid,be the earnest effort Of the white
race of the South, to disappoint this diabolical
scheme. Let US bear ourselves with the most
conspicuous prudence and the most exhaustless
patience. And still more vital is it to the col
ored people to shrink from the encounter OF
races to which they are urged, and to withdraw
themselves from the counsels of the bad men
who would engage them in that fatal step
Let them deude themselves by no absurd cal
culations. If war of races should be joined,
let them not suppose that they will receive any
white support When once the cry Of black
man against white man is raised, lit will quick
" be the blacks on one side against the whites
on the other. The very white men who are
now leading them TO ruin, will desert them
when the storm bursts. How was it in the late
war? There were men at the North who en-
couraged the South to assert independence, with
promise of support. But when war came, and
| when it became q struggle of North against
| South, these men deserted US, and took sides
with their own section and people. Daniel Il.
Sickles, for example, who was one of these,
even set himself to raise troops, and lost leg
in battle while fighting US and now even after
peace has come, be is tyrannizing in Charleston.
| We might mention many other examples, all
going to show that when it became a struggle
of North against South the North united. So
did the South. The former Union men"
when it became distinctly marked sectional
contest, stood by their homes and their people,
and united TO present an unbr0ken front.
| II lnlS McIc 81 III a GUILTY. vi octttVNSs--hhb
it was obliged to be so,-still more will il prove
true in conflict Of races; for the predjudices
ofraces are infinitely stronger than the prejudice
Of sections. Blood is thicker than water. Wo,
then. 10 the black man when the country is d.
vided into white mans party and q black
mans party In the country at large 1t will
be contest Of thirty millions against four; in
the South, contest of eight millions against
less than four It would require only short
sum in arithmetic to calculate how soon the
contest would end in black determination.
And vet this is the contest on which the vast
majority Of the blacks in the cities and towns,
have been induced TO enter. by the malignant
leaders who foment public disorders as a source
of party capital Hence already, the struggle
to enter the white mans cars, and even the cars
reserved for ladies' Hence the attempt to take
the seats of the whites in the theatres. Hence
the demand for a confscation Of the white mans
property, that it may be shared among them.
Ii is obvious that peace between the two
races, demands that, while recognizing equality
of privilege, there shall be social separation
To set aside this principle is to declare war;
and a war in which, while the whites will suf-
fer, the negroes will perish. If the latter are
wise, they will unite with the whites in even
demanding this social separation. This dissinc-
ton Of the two races would by no means pre-
vent friendly relations or the interchange of
kind offices. 1t would promote them, by rem
dering them possible and easy. II would es-
tabliSh peace and amity between the races, in
stead of collision and war, in which the weaker
would perish We trust pains will be taken
to explain these truths TO the colored people
1t will be much better to deal thus frankly
and nationally with them, than to encourage
decisions and errors, by vainly bidding against
the bad and reckless agitators who are nislead-
ing them. The well-disposed can he won by
what is reasonable, while those whose thoughts
have been flied with mischief, and their hearts
with hostility, cannot be conciliated by any
thing, and must needs go on 10 their ruin
Richmond Enquirer.