The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1870-08-26
.....-.,..,.,..;& e Z i Il i
The Question 3or &c. Il RSn} rrgs y.
icySgf 8he South. a

~ iic lilucDlCO lO our lFIcut,
Col. Thomas Thomson, for the
pcrusal Of published letter OF Ed,
ward McCrady, Esq, ST., Of Charles
ton, upon this veScd question Of Races
and tho duty OF the Southern whites
in relation thereto. 1t was written
in reply oa correspondent, who at-
tributcd to the father = certain pam
pLlet, composed by Edward McCrady,
Esq, jr., emhodying substantially the
views Of the present letter, and which
was very extensively commented
upon few months ago by the South
ern journals.
With much Of tho present letter
VIC ;;3l cc, and with mucl, We Disagree.
We agree it. tho main with the con-
clusiuns ut which the writer arrives
with reference to tho initliori.y CT
the African race. and the arguments
hy which he SuSlHi,is them but We
arc disposed to differ both from the
View which the writer takes Of the
policy Of tIe Republican party North,
! with regard TO the black race, anG
also from the suggestions which he
makes Is to or own policy in t!i::
respect.
That .h" African is an inferior race
none can question. Whatever his
original sta;u; NAY have been, none
;, can doubt as t. his present.
Wlctlirr descended from the same
parents an,' made ':or one !ioo,l'' wit h
the other people Of the earth, there
can n2no douht that :: Curse ca ly pro
,nonncrd, or the Ion. continued oyer.
alton OF natur:l! causes have produced
the characteristics OF different race,
and have c&:inmuishcd those pre-
crca:t gcrms which gave their al1aand
fertilization TO the CaucaSian. Ycu
may go among tho nations Of the
Fast, or wander ar.il the forests Of
the West and you arc confronted eve
lrywlcrc with the relics. Of an Older
and better civilization. But the
blacks have neither written language,
nor history, nor tradition remains
OF q hy-Sonc civiliza,ion-no wrecks
OF wc!!'or!crcd Kingdoms on common
wc"!'ls-no temples, nor mounds, nor
graves. In tho wilds Of Africa they
arc canniba!s now. as they havo been
cannibals for ages. and it is only on
this continent, that contact with the
whites have led 10 much improve
mcnt in their condition. Tho degree
TO which that improvement may Lc
carried, and tho means by which i,
may DO advanced, havo been tho sub
jects OF much idle speculation and
misplaced philanthropy.
But whatever may DO tho dreams
|of fanatical agitators, or tho selfish
|schcmcs of partisan dcmagogucs, we
|cannot believe with tho writer, tha,
any large portion of the ruling power
of the North, contemplate seriously
n policy so rcpugnant to the feelings
of true white man, as misccgcnation
1t is. VIC think, an idle apprehension
J idle in purpose because fruit!css in OK
ccution-to use tho words Of tho
writer, "onc Of the E,Iso shadows
cast before the sunset Of life" Soma
tor Summer may introduce socin
|cquality bills, and partisan orators may
harangue listening Senate, but negro
lag'tation cannot be kept alive on such
y damaging issue. Itwould ruin, we
think, any party in a few months.
| But even if such wcre the design
with some hopes Of probable success
what would bo said Of policy which
would attempt to check it, by coun.
selling inaction--"mastcrly inactivi
ty." Rather should VIC not ecom.
mend the poisoned chaIicc" TO tho lips
Of our opponents themselves, send
the blacks to Congress, and let the
Northern men taste tho practical
working Of their own. schemes. Yet
this is Tie course which tho writer.
with some Inconsistency to himself
urges. How, VIC ask, is this to be
ciictcd, nn!ess VIC take Iart in The
canvass, and do that, which is 'coual TO
sharing Office, with the blacks in the
writers opinion q step loading to mis-
ccgeration. We lavo no fears CT such
IL result, either from efforts abroad q.
from combinations within. :
We cannot think tha. the black is
destined to be n prominent clement
| IN our civilization, bit lc is IN oni.
midst and We cannot ignore his cxis-
| tence. lie is thc ruling power OF The
State, and whether we will or not, we
cannot close our eyes to SO patent n
fact: Shall we keep aloof from all
part"in the administration ?-content
ourselves to be subjects, when, we
may aspire to be rulersAabandon our
just claims to the sympathy and re-
gard of the black, and esign all the
advantages which .intclliocncei md