The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-03-30

| the present evils OF which tney complain might
have been arerted by showing TO she colored
| voters that they intended to maintain their new
| rights. Large numbers OF the best men In South
| Carolina are even now willing to espouse Repuo-
| lican principles, and would doubtless do so but
| for the dstrust which, as gentlemen Of character
and intelligence, they naturally entertain toward
| those who by accidental circumstances, have
been placed in the lead Of the Republican parry
men who do not, and never did, enjoy public con-
ftence; men who are ignorant, corrupt, dishon-
est, and unfit, by reason OF their early associa-
tlons, for decent society. They were adrolt
enough, however, to make the more ignorant
among the negroes believe them to be their best
friends and by employing all the arts OF the DEM
agogue, and an unscrlp1ous use Of dssracelul
agencies, they succeeded IN being elected to the
most important offices In tile State.
TIE ooLoRED PEOPLE.
@. Is 1t ysur belief that the negro can be con-
A. 1t depends upon the material you work with,
and the material you work upon. the most lg.
norant are the most radical; the most lntelligent
are the most conservatives; and my experience
with them, In the capacity or legislators satlsnes
me that as far as lies In their power they mean
to do only that which will redOund to the pest
interests Of the State. Naturally, much OF their
action has been based upon the determination to
strengthen their party; some of their measures,
such as legisating a city council into oflce over
the head OF another council, perhaps equally Re-
publican in character; or such as extending the
limits OF city or town in order to embrace more
vOtes, have been extraordinary in their purpose;
but even these have found sturdy opponents
among the race, who Will not leHd themselves 10
any policy, however advantageous that Is not
fully sustained by precedent or principle. AS
said before, the colorcd people may, for while,
distrust the professions OF white men, but when
they see them in earnest, and discover that 1t Is
not merely q matter OF politics, but of practical
benefit to the State, which Is Involved In combt-
nation or strength, confidence Will be restored,
and the two races will work together In har-
mony.
O. Is there disposition among the colored peo.
pie to Improve their opportunities
A. Undoubtedly; large numbers or coorcd chill
dren are attending school, many OF their parents,
by economy and Industry, have accumulated
means; as q class they dress better than before,
and there are general evidences or Improvement.
There Is OF course large class OF idlers, lazy men
and women, who have no ambition to do more
than live from hand to mouth. These prey upon
society, and bring their race into disreputc; hut
this is an evil Which only time can cure. i: Is
the brighter side Of the picture Which our people
are pleasurably contemplating, because they see
the advancement OF this large colored element
corresponding degree OF advantage to themselves
and the State. We want Intelligent laoor. as
an agricultural community we must depend upon
1t for success, and, II It cannot be brought from
abroad our policy Is to promote al educational
influences at home. 1t Is realization OF the TACT
that the interests OF the two races are common. mon,
man Is essential to the welfare OF the white man,
and that both must work together In the business
concerns af llfe which has brought men TO their
THE FIFTEENTH AMENDMENT.
~ O. Allow me to ask, Governor, what Is likely to
be the operation OF the Fifteenth amendment
throughout the South?
A. II Is my belief that in few years Congress
will find that they have put into the hands OF the
South two-edged sword; that that with which
they Intended to deprive the white man OF power
has only doubled IL. And should the question Of
repeating the clause be raised, its strongest oppo
neAts will then be those who live south OF Mason
Ms 1Ino Co lnu1 wi intprnQfQ
OF the Two races here eventually bccome-all local
causes of irritation being removed-that the
South will 60 into national contest with I'LL her
armor on, carrying With her the Uaanee Oh power
and the ability tO determine every yeXed ques-
ton OF national politics. Ideas do not always cul-
inmate In day or generation, ana We can wei!
afford to await the ISSUE knowing that mind VIII
ut last triumph over muscle, and secure for us as
q people united, without respect to color, oil the
rights TO which are entitled. In other words,
New England will not always dictate to US from
the floor OF Con gress, and the North generally
will not enjoy the blessings OF partial legislation:
In this light looking TO the future for results,
think we should be grateful for the Fifteenth
amendment.
TIE FATE OF THE NEGRO.
o. l have frequently seen 1t stated In the public
prints that the negro is dying out, and the1ear Is
expressed that In the course OF time there may
not he enough left to Till the crops but what are
your views on THIS subjects
attention. Yet my observation OF the mortuary
records OF our principal cities satisfies me that
the fear expressed Is not Wlthout lounaa.ion; i;
are nj work to produce this result. In Oil times,
under our sysIen the health OF slaves, especially
of the young, was matter OF constant sollcl'
tude. Unless on extraordinary occasions, they
were neither overworked nor permitted to lounge
In idleness. They were fed on substantial food,
comfortably Clad. properly amused, anu hau no
cares. When III, the plantation physician was
called in and oil his skill applied TO the business
Inr reOreSenteQ
money In himself and money In the current
years crop. 1t wasn't profitable to allow
to let him die. The consequence was, that
| between the year 1sOo-when there were only
$4,000 slaves In the United States-and
the year 1860, the increase was upward OF four
What sort OF country we should have had In fifty
| years more at.the same rate Of negro growth. 1t
Is another grave question whether, II providence
| intended emancipation to take place at any time,
1t did not occur auspiciously In 1858. But to re-
| sume The condition OF the freedman Is now re.
| yersed With no master, he has no sense OF re.
sponsibility. The more Ignorant among the 1el'l
| hands are content to live In squalor anu wretcn-
edness their children die from lack Of proper food
and care, and there is unquestlona0ly dinlnu.
tlon In their numbers from natural causes, which
| In their present situation cannot he controlled.
This Is especially the case among the negroes ON
the coast; but the remarkdoes not apply 10 the
| intelligent colored man anywhere. 1t Is re-
markable fact that the slave Increased 23ls per
cent, and the coored free people only per cent
during tile ten years preceding the war. If re-
member rightly, the city registrar Of Boston re-
ported that during the tive years preceding 1853
the number or colored births was one less than
the number OF marriages, and the deaths
exceeded the births In the proportion Of nearly
two tu one. In Rhode Island and Connec-
tcut according to the regstrles kept, the yearly
deaths OF blacks and mulattOcs have generally
exceeded the yearly births. There Is no method
OF reaching similar results In the South, except
through the reports OF the health officers OF tile
different cites but these show startling amount
OF mortality In the race aud invite question as
to Its ultimate condition. My own impression ls,
that In quarter OF !. century from tile present
time, all the colder regions Of the South, from
Virginia to Georgia, VIII be mainly populated by
sturdy white emIgrants, before whose competing
toll the negro will be obliged to give way, and
that he will seek the owlandS as Ills nnal abiding
place. These are but speculations, yet the fate
uf the red man Is 10 a very considerable degree
typical OF the law of nature which has applied TO
the negro In every State in which he has been
compelled to work for his subsistence, Side by
side with the white. The South, however, re-
quires all her lnboring population, and as peo.
ple we tlepore any eXigency which threatens TO
deprive us OF so essential in aid to our prosperity.
Hence IL Is that our libcral-minued men, lOreset-
ing these Results, are prepared Ivy wise anu hu-
name regulations for their enlightenment anu
moral and social improvements, 10 make the col
orcd people valuable in our agricultural develop.
mentI anil thus retain them as an element ol
practical strength and usefulness.
InMIGRATIoS-ITs IMPORTANCE TO TIE SOUTH.
n yia IN huv ~ ~ pynrpQQpd lead naturally