Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1868-05-13
From the Banner of the South.
What Will Become of the Negro :?

From the Banner of the South.
What Will Become of the Negro 7?
If through his ignorance and credulity
he becomes the servile dupe of the fanat-
les of the North or the base place-seekers
of the South, he is ruined and lost.
If he is taught that it is his religious
duty, as we'll as his political interest, to
hate the Southern people, he is ruined
and lost.
if his ferocious instincts which are
strong, and which lie very near the sur
face Of u. apparently. gentle and docile
nature, are aroused by white men who
are not his equals, he is ruined and lost.
If his passions are lashed into fury by
false teachings of demagogues-and if
these passions incite him to outrage and
insult, he is ruined and lost.
If he is reduced to absolute political
slavery by those who desire only to use
him as a tool in the making of their own
political fortunes-and if, to serve their
temporary interests, he is utterly regard.
less of the real, permanent interests of
the country and of the majority of the
people among whom his lot is cast, he is
ruined and lost.
If he continues to be willing actor in
such scenes as have characterized all the
late, infamous elections-and if, relying
on the bayonets, which point his way to
the polls, and which are used more to
insult and overawe the whites than to
protect him, he oversteps that line when
patience ends and violence hegins-he is
ruined and lost.
If he becomes and remains the bribed
enemy of every Southern household, and
provokcs the terrible cnmity of Southern
men, he is ruined and lost.
If, not satisfied with full possession
and unrestrained exercise of all the rights
which (whether for good or evil, the fu.
ture only can tell, he has received, he
nsanely strives to rob the Southern peo-
pie of the few rights which their mag.
unanimous conquerors have not taken
away, he is ruined and lost.
For, if he pursues any such course as
these, then will and must come war of
races-and if it comes, his race dies. If
the lines are drawn and remain soon
the one side nearly all the white people
of the South, on The the other those who
have been born colored and those few
who, though white, ought to have been
born extra. .co.ored; and if these two
political forces stand solid against one
another in every contest, it requires no
prophets eye to see blood in the future
May merciful Providence save US from
such horrors! 1t is too terrible picture
to contemplate. But there is no use in
Disgusting the fact. By keeping conse-
quences before our eyes, we may save
ourselves from ever meeting them.
IT, on the other hand. the negro popula.
ton will listen to reason, and not to pas.
sion; if they will learn to trust us, who
are Obliged to feel IN interest in their
welfare, if for no other reason, for this at
least, that our welfare is more or less in.
volved in theirs; if they will enter into
relations Of harmony with US and 60 back
to their old love for those who were once
their m.sters and now would be their
friends; if they would learn to feel that
living in the same country their interests
and ours are identical, and being such.
should not be divided if, understanding
that We and they must live here together,
they would strive to aid us as we would
aid them, and thus bring back something
like the old peace and prosperity to the
South, then, indeed, would their race reap
the real fruits of freedom, and make pro
gress according to their capacity. The
Southern man, though once their master.
is not their enemy. He remembers with
gratitude that Icy were 10 be relied on
during our war-that they. as Il people,
were true and faithful that though orr
enemies hoped they might rise in revolt.
and spread havoc through The unprotected |
portions Of the South, they deceived such
Infamous hopes. He remembers how il
was expected by the men of the North
hat the slave would wage merciIess war
IN the defenceless women and children
whom they were left to rro ecl; and
low, when they were too faithful 10 do
50, the soldiers of Sherman and Sheridan
showed how fitted they were for work
which slaves would not do; and rcmem-
,ering all this, the Southern man looks
with kindIiest feelings ON his formcl
slaves; and when b. bad men they arr
n2ited to hatred against h!;n, he pilies
hem far more than he Lamcs.
But not only are political dcmagogucs
uining the negro population-religious ia.
a;icisn is riu,ing in their emotional ia
ures. They, as all ether men. need
!rnng religious restraints. They must
ave clear i, eas Of duty. Virtue to then
must mean not mere feeling, bnt obiisa
ion. They must be taught to understand
moral responsibility and only religion
an so teach ald train them:
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