New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-05-17
MORAL AM MATBRIAI PRoaRBss.

/
iinguish the most advanced ciVilize'
countries, like England, France, and thu
Northern States, from countries like SPAR
and Turkey, where the false theories anC
practices of the last century are still fol
the most part in vogue. 1t is folly to say
that there is a want of energy. capacity, OF
opportunity in the South. The white PEG
! pie of the North and the South are derived
from the same stock. They are all equally
bold, hardy, persevering, and capable
of equal achievements in any way
in which they may choose to direct
their great capacities. Win Southerneri
for a moment admit that in any
of these respects they are inferior
to Northerners? Did they not fight will
equal bravery during the war of the rebel
lion? Are they less persevering? Are
not the soil, climate, and other natural al,
vantages of the South superior to those Of
the North Then why the great difference
in progress which we have again and again
pointed out:
The reasons are obvious. The time, the
thought, the ability, the energy Of the
South is in a very large degree wasted upon
useless distractions, upon vague and
pointless discussions of theories that the
rest of the world has discarded as effete,
and belonging properly to the barbarous
/ oc.o. Tho 1oI,or IF s,,ob nj ovo ,,v;llipcs -
work, instead OF being directed by prac-
teal common sense, is managed, 50 far as
possible, in accordance with the absurd
and uneconomical practices Of the old
slave regime,
While the Southern planter is bothering
his brains and wasting his time upon such
useless questions as the Origin of the
Negro Race, his neglected plantation is
growing up into wilderness. While the
planter is exhausting his energy upon such
distractions as "The Curse of Canaan
THE Posterity of Ham, "The Return of
Onesimus,' Servants Obey your Masters"
Gle tthe negro shall be Servant Of Ser
wants, " etc. his pillow is standing in the
furrow, his old scrapers and bull
tongues and shuck collars are being worn
out, his mules are becoming angular, his.
laborers demoralized, his family dis
heartened. The planter has no time to
think Of economy and implements, no time
or inclination to sell part of his mortgaged
and uncultivated acres, no time to devote
to the examination Of new implements and
theories of the cultivation of the soil, no
time to give to the establishment Of schools
and churches, to the maintenance of jus
tiee, order, and peace in the community,
but be has plenty of time for " Canaan"
and "Onesimus," plenty of time to swear
about the freedmen, to Vilify loyal men, to
abuse Congress, and /" to cuss" generally.
We're the time and attention of
the great body of Northern farmers de-
voted to the topics that so largely engross
the minds of our planters, what would be
the effect upon the next wheat and corn
crops? What encouragement would in
ventors and mechanics have to perfect new
What would be the condition |
of the North in less than five years But
the backwardness of the South in mate
rial improvements is perhaps the least of
our misfortunes.
Just as the South has neglected to make
use of those scientific discoveries and use
ful mechanic arts which have contributed so
much TO the wealth, power, and glory of the
North, just as she has failed to ANY herself |
with those great forces of nature without
whose aid man is weak and helpless; Just
Is the South has permitted herself to be
1utstripped by the North, and herself to be
ragged along reluctantly in the rear of
he great army Of progress, while all the
lime she boosted of being ahead of the
est of mankind, simply because she hap
,ened, with her face turned backward, to
be looking in the opposite direction just
% she has utterly failed to make
use Of those great moral and political
Orces which govern the world Of ideas as
as that physical laws control the
material world.
Among these great moral and political
orces, the very existence Of which is un-
snOwn TO petty politicians and party
nanipulators, but Of which real statesmen
wall themselves in the conduct Of affairs,
ge viii mention only few, such as the
commanding power Of human character;
be benefit Of education; the ownership Of
and mot in great plantations, but in
arms; the power of an educated public
opinion; the enlightened rule of the ma
orisy; the claim Of the humblest citizen in
be land to the immediate and complete
Of the government, and the
upTeme duty Of the government 10 afford
nch protection; the Inherent strength
nd power and gloay Of justice, liberty,
md the Union; with impartial manhood
uffrage and universal education as the
aeans to procure and tol perpetuate all
hese.
These moral and political forces are to
be statesman what the forces Of nature,
he steam and electricity, are to the me-
hanic and the culHvator Of the soil. Both
i them are utilized and employed in the
aosi advanced communities. The South
- neglected the latter. hence her back.
wardnsA u naterial improvements. she
'ea also neglected theforEaes, hence her bad
government hek iaaorancs. prejudice. VIC