The Waynesburg Republican. [volume] (Waynesburg, Pa.) 1867-18??, 1868-01-08
ANALGAMATIoN-soCIAL Equality

hot SD hiuch OH wnat party is IN pow
er, as it does on the removal of all
disabilities they weigh down its peo-
pie. Then and not until then, will
the country have peace. We don't
ask for social equality. 1 never saw
the white woman yet that looked 50
well, in my eyes, as a good brown col
ored woman. And if it wasn't 80 we
don't need their social equality, be-
cause our friends the white folks, have
kindly managed it so that we have ev-
cry shade to choose from, the deepest
jet black to the purest white. Laugh
ter. And as there are no ladies pres
ent, allow me to say that the practice
of social equality has not been on our
side, but on the part of the whites, who
in their dark and devious ways, were
not always able, let us charitably sup
pose, to tell them from white. This
social equality has not been sought by
us but they have run after us; and
we are now emancipated and free, they
haven't stopped.
A voice-"We'll stop it when we
get the testimony"
Yes, that's so. They had. better
not come my way, even now. We
say to them, let us alone; we don't
want any mixture. If they had left
me alone might have known what
color was; but as it is, my greatest
trouble is to keep my hair Just right.
Don't talk about social equality. If
l was white man in Kentucky l
would hide my head l wouldn't men
tion it with so many evidences stand
ing around my social equality. We
don't want any more of it. Keep on
your side of the line and we'll keep on
our side and in the course of time
we'll get back where God left us"
There is more fact and sense in these
briet paragraphs than in all the dec
lamations OF Democratic orators and
newspapers, touching this subject.
| According to the census of 1860
there were 5S2,7S2 mulattocs in the
United States of these 410,557 were
slaves. Ofl72, 1875 who were free
by far the larger part had probably
obtained freedom in consideration Of
the fact that their fathers were white
Most of this amalgamation was moi
voluntary on the part of the blacks
1t was coercad in consequence of own
ership. Nor was much of it sheltered
by the sanctity of marriage. A few ct
the white amalgamators like Col. Rich
ard M. Johnson, whom the Democra.s &
elected Vice President, made wife of
the black woman whom he selected to
be the mother of his children. But
this was rare instance. The most of
these nearly six hundred thousand mu-
lattocs were of illegitinlate parentage
and this without the consent of their
mothers, in any proper acceptation of
the meaning of that word consent.
This is not out of the ordinary course
of events. Give any man, or any set
of men, arbitrary power over their fel-
lowmen; and it will certainly result in
tyranny. Alexander of Russia was
once complimented by being styled a
faithful guardian of his subjects. He
quickly replied that if he had really
earned that distinction his subjects
ought to congratulate themselves Oh
the existence of a fortunate accident.
Such rulers did not often happen un-
der succession by prescriptive right,
Extending this thought farther, i,
may with equal cogcncy, be affirmed
that no set Of men ever had by law
and social usage full and undisputed
control of the persons of hundreds OF
thousands of women, but they abused
their power to crafty their lusts and
it has mattered little or nothing what
the color of the women has Glanced to
be.
We have shown that the greater part
of this amalgamation was in the
Southern States, where the slave-owners
and their sycophants were supreme.
So far as those States are concerned
the Republicans can prove an alibi.
They were not there. The Democrats
and Conservatives presented such po-
tent inducements that all men of Re-
publican proclivities found it expedi-
ent to keep North of the Mason and
Dixon's line. If they ventured beyond,
Vigilance Committeer equipped with
hempen ropes and tar and feathers
were certain to be much too earnest in
their attentions to render a stay agree
able Or safe. 1t must be admitted,
therefore, that the Republicans, if not
absolutely, are comparatively exempt
from participation in this matter.
But we cannot help directing atten-
ton to another point. While there
were 4l6, ,657 mulattoes in the Southern
States, there were according to the re-
turns fthe elections, 434, 1926 men who
voted Democratic tickets. Now we
do not insist that either of the aggre-
gates fully explains the other but,
considering all these circumstances, do
what we will, the two will come into
juxta-position. Nor is this aspect
modified but rather placed in stronger
relief, when the facts as to individual
States are considered. For instance,
in Virginia there were 7S,776 mulat-
toes and 72,413 Democrats; and in
Mississippi 2O,365 mulattoes and &c.
876 Democrats. Proportions SO uni
form would seem to have a definite
relationship, and that not altogether
recondite, to each other.
Wo oounou1 tharoforo al rortLo or,,