Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-06-19
Rapid Decline Of the negro Race In the

Kappa Decline OF the negro Race In the
south.
From the Macon tGa.) Journal and Messenger
The negro population of Georgia is
travelling with giant strides towards total
extinction. So rapid is the decline.
even those living among it can see the
decrease very plainly. At the close OF
the war all restraints imposed upon ser
wants by virtuOus masters were with
drawn, and the freedmen and the freed
women felt at liberty to do as they
pleased. This quickly resulted-it was
astonishing how quiek-in almost uni
versal leWdness. 1t Is worldwide fact
that no race ever yet increased and -four
ished which did cot rigidly ineulcate and
enforce, by the power Of public opinion,
the strictest virtue. The negro, as a
race, cares nothing for this, and only
practised in the days OF bondage habits
of morality because he was forbidden in
diligence in vice.
NJ one now sees one negro infant to
twenty ten years ago. Instead Of the es-
pecial emissaries sent among them by
Northern faDatic6l associations teaching
them habits OF virtue, they join with
them In habits Of IeWdDess, and, by
their example, lead maAy Of them on
the road to ruin. The white people of
the South have, In a measure, lost con-
troll of this population. Their former
functions have been assumed ty stroll
ing, irresponsible men and women who
had bad regulations at home, and who
find among this simple-minded people
delicious field to prectice their oIera-
tlons. They are rapidly destroying the
race by perniciOus precept and example
A few years only will have elapsed
before they will not be felt at the polls.
ImprOvident and irregular in their hsb-
its, gluttonOus in their diet, devOuring
improper food, neglected in sickness
mortality Is prevailing among all ages to
q far greater extent than any one dreams
OF. There are planters who used to own
five hundred who do not know of the ex-
istence of one hundred of the number.
Had they not been freed, that family
would to-day number at le8st seven hun
dred. The idea that they either live
better or have more freedom now than
they used to Is simply ridiculous. They
neither get the same amount to eat,
drink or wear.
To one born and reared among them,
and who saw them in better days-days
when they were thousand times more
happy than they are nOw-the dissOlv-
ing view OF this black phantom is Curl
onsIy interesting ana equally as instFuc-
tive. 1t shows how heaven sometimes
creates fanatical zeal and philanthropy
for people for the purpose Of destroy
ing them. Assuming the form OF friend.
ship, the work Of demolition is made the
more easy and certain; and the poor
victim only wakes up in eternity TO q
full realization OF the means, which,
commencing with his moral, was
quickly followed by his bodily death.
We sit, as 1t were, watching panorama
which has ELECTED the attention OF the
world, and Of which the world has grown
weary, roll away, and rapidly pass from
the stage. To many it is a mournful
sight, to others it is curious; while the
philosopher sees in it effect following
cause, and is neither shocked nor aston
ished, but sees only the solution of q
problem whose every figure he has
studied and understands.