The Sweetwater enterprise. (Sweetwater, Tenn.) 1869-187?, 1870-07-07
Social Equality.

SNNA0N AHuoAASy
The grandest mistake ever made by a
set of politicians was the idea that they
cOald, by compulsory legislation, grade So
ciety, shy what kind of company the rich,
the poor, the wise, the learned aud the un-
learned, the good and the bad should keep,
aud be placed upon a common level, So
cially as we'll as politically. Legislatures
may give political rights tO'all colors aud
conditions Of men, but it would be just as
practicable to reverse the fixed laws of ma
ture; to turn the sun in its. course; to
prevent water from seeking its level, as
to force anything like equality, socially,
between tho diversified talents and con-
ditions of men in u state of civil society.
And all the ino spun speeches all the
penal enactmonts of the law-making pow
ers, so far from having a tendency to bring
about this state of things, are as futile as
pitching straws against the wind, and only
subjects its authors to contempt and ridi-
Guile. So long as virtue, talent and re.
6nement, with honesty and Sobriety pos
sess any value or Importance, so long they
will have influence in grading society, in
fixing his or her true position in it.
That the Congress of the United States
are spending their time in this fruitless at
tempt to elevate the colOred population to
social equality with the white race, by
penal enactments, is we'll known, and as
many of the gentlemen who advocate this
mixing up Of the different races, are men
of ability and well acquainted with the
nature Of the negro; his history ; his ina
bility to reach a high standard of enlight-
eminent, (only in a few exceptional in
s~tancos a IN anRt that they are
govern #Nn love fol
the race. The talented Senator from Mas
sachusetts, who is the leader in this great
folly, has become a monomaniac upon the
subject, probably, from the difficulty OIL
un~pleasantness that occurred many year:
since, between Mr.. Brooks and himself, il
the halls Of Congress; ever since that
event he has been an inplacable enemy tC
every man, woman and child South of Ma,
son and Dixon's line, and bas made wal
upon all Of their institutions. This feel.
ing has prompted him, no doubt, with a
spirit as vindictive as ever influenced hit
satanic majesty, to inaugurate the policy
of forcing social equality between tho
races, which is done to humiliate and de
grade southern men and southern society
to get up a~ntagonism between the white
and black man, trusting that it may event
uate in the destruction of both races
Every right minded man, South, sympa
thizes with the colored people; they be
havcd nobly during the civil war, ant
would have done better since that time
but for the influence of such men as Sum
ner, Wilson and others equally as guilty
All would rejoice in the elevation, en-
lightenment, happiness and prosperity
the race, and none so much as their oil
masters, from whom to-day they are re
~ceiying more material aid than from tn
Towards and Summers, and those enter
tanning their views, whether in the Mort
or South, in or out of Congress.
Another object IL too patent to deceiv
any one, and this is at the bottom Of th
whole reconstruction policy it is to us
them as tools to retain power. The ia
payers of the land have been feeding
clothing and educating the colored popu
lation for no other purpose--it seems
than that they should 60 to the polls i
solid pllalanx and cast their votes 70
them, their pretended friends, although di
ametrically against their own interest an
future welfare.