The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-08-24
WAR OF THE RACES.

Concerning a war of the races the
Albany Erening Journal has the fol-
lowing sensible remarks:
Gov. Orr, of South Carolina, is said
to be full of gloomy forebodings, and
to anticipate war Of races. 1t may
be we'll now to consider the causes
which might produce the realization Of
the Governors fears, and, if possible,
find some method of avoiding such
catastrophe. Resistance to the right
and struggling against the inevitable,
will necessarily provoke conflict. The
close of the late war was gladly well
coined by the people. Their desire for
peace was only exceeded by their de-
termination that the Union should be
made secure on the foundations of free
dom. All irregularities were submitted
to, provided they thought concord and
liberty would follow. The usurpations
of Johnson, in displacing the rebel gov
mental machinery by officers of his
own creation, were not at first objected
to, in the hope that they would result
in cementing the Union and securing
equal rights. But Johnsonian recon-
pressive laws. Under the plea of pre-
venting vagrancy, regulating industry
and furnishing crime, it was attempted
to reduce the freedmen to state of
slavery worse even than that from
which they had been disenthralled.-
Here was the beginning of a new con-
fict. 1t originated in desire on the
part of the late masters to reduce to
subsection their recent servants. The
movement which followed was wrong
AGAINST the freedmen. To submit to
the accomplishment Of that wrong
when there was remedy, would have
been worse than the crime itself. The
responsibility for the conflict, therefore,
rests with the originators of it.
Congress, in the exercise Of its right
ful powers, interfered to prevent the
success of the outrage. 1t could have
done no less, under its bounden duty,
to secure justice to all within its juris-
diction, and especially to those who
have suffered in the nations behalf
The most certain method of thwarting
the oppressor, was to deprive the most
prominent of the nations enemies OF
political power, and invest the perse-
cuted race with the sure weapon of de-
fence. This the nation was 10th to do
The force Of the argument, based on the
ignorance of the mass of the freedmen,
was felt, and the strength Of prejudice
was appreciated. But ignorance, even
in negro, is not crime. There are
none so low but that, if they need the
ballot for their protection, they have
the right to demand it. Had the South
been faithful to its wards, and enacted
laws looking to their elevation and
providing for their rights, political in
vestiture would have been left entirely
to their own decision. But they chose
\the opposite course, and they must as
sumo the responsibility for any hui
initiation they may feel from its re-
suits.
The cause originated with the South.
The effect is unavoidable. They assail-
ed race, all the more entitled to JUS
tice because of it's lowly state. That
race has been invested with power to
defend itself. And that power cannot
be taken from them.
The conflict, thus far, has been moral
and political. Gov. Orr seems to antic-
ipate physical collision. That is easy
enough of avoidance. The freedman
has the right to equality before the
law, and the only method left open to
secure it has been irrevocably adopted.
And it is no: such fearful thing to
award justice. A war Of races can be
easily prevented. Let the proud lift
their hand from the lowly, and the
thing is done. If the arrogant race,
lately so dominant, will cease to per
secute the race recently liberated from
their expressions, there will be no war
between them. If they will but accept
!he situation, by simply awarding
justice pnni! and conceding adequate security,
Sonlslon ;n;ln will be prevented. If they
"nl not, but are determined OH further
oppresslons Sas and disturbance, the con-
'o4oehces will be theirs.