New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1867-05-31
AN ORDERLY PEOPLE,


The procession Of colored men on Wednes-
day night seems to us to have upset some
deep-rooted preiudices of long standing
which have existed in all the slave States
for time out of mind. For years the negroes
have been looked upon and treated as a
race prone to disorder and violence, with
out moral restraint of any kind, and only
curbed in their vicious propensities by
stringent laws and the presence Of force.
There have from time to time been put in
circulation rumors of contemplated risings
of the blacks that never took place. Laws
have existed in all the slave States forbid
ding more than a prescribed numbers of
colored people from assembling together
without a stated number Of white men being
present to act as balance. All slaves
found walking the streets after nine o'clock
at night without pass were arrested and
locked up. Every rule and regulation and
practice adopted in reference to the colored
man seems to have been based upon the as.
sumption that he was prone to riot and dis
order, infammable and dangerous unless
constantly watched and controlled by the
socalled superior race. These laws were
founded upon the opinions of white men
who claimed to have a peculiar knowledge
OF the negro character, who could tell to a
hairs breath exactly what he would or
would not do under certain circumstances,
how much he knew, and how much he was
capable of learning. Learned doctors have
examined his Uranium and his shinbone,
and found unquestionablc anatomical evil
dence that there is a marked difference in
the construction of these members in the
two races. Hence there must be a moral
difference, amounting almost to one of
species.
But ifthese learned bloekheads and preiu-
diced lawmakers could have seen
some five or six thousand full-grown
men in procession in tho streets
of New Orleans on Wednesday night,
with their banners flying, their
torches cleaning, their transparencies re.
yolying, and music playing, and observed,
as we did, that from beginning to end there
was no man intoxicated. no insult offered
TO any one, no quarrel nor even ill-feeling,
no man belonging to the procession taken
to the lookup, and what is more, none who
deserved 1t, they might If they were
honest, have suspected that all their pet
theories had been completely upset, and
begun to believe themselves fools.
We hardly believe that SO greaFa number
of white men OF mixed nationalities would
have performed so creditably under similar
circumstances. Even the German, the
most peaceable, orderly, and patient OF
white men, sometimes gets too much or too
little lager, and becomes belligerent; the
American is quick in his temper and of a jeal-
Gus disposition; the Anglo.saxon is dogged
and demonstrative, while the Irishman can
not possibly enjoy himself unless he has
periodical scrimmage. We never heard Of
similar turn out Of white men without
learning the next morning that . large per
centage had taken up in the calaboose.
Honor, then, TO whom honor is due.
While the superior race has been indule- |
ing in all manner Of violence, rioting,
drunkenness, and uproar, the Lawmakers
Of the Southern States have been entirely
In preventing breaches Of the |
peace by race that seldom or never breaks |
Z. We have now demonstrated to us what |
We have believed for long time: that the !
,olored man is by nature the most peace.
bile, the politest, and the best natured of |
my Of the fye races into which mankind Is /
Usually divided; that consideration for the
'cmfort and happiness Of others is lead-
ng trait in his character. and that he has
i last aised down the unjust aspersions
hat have been cast upon him through long
'sars 81 wrong sud Oppression.