The New York herald., 1872-09-17
Our Negro PopulatiOn-Its Political
InAuence and Labor Movements.

Inauence and Labor Movements.
questions of the time in this country is the
status and influence of the negro population,
both politically and in an industrial point OF
view. Before the war the negroes had no
political influence, and the value of their labor
could be ascertained readily in the several
States or throughout the South generally, be-
cause it was forced labor; but the surprising
revolution affected by the war has changed all
that. From seven to eight hundred thou
sand votes have been added to the aggregate
suffrage of the country, and the labor of four
millions of slaves has become as free and in
dependent as that of the white population of
the Northern States. There never has been
before in the history of nations such
an extraordinary revolution within so short
time. Fortunately, the immediate results
have not been as disastrous as might have
been expected. The natural docility of the
negroes and the respect previously inculcated
for the master race in them prevented serious
antagonism. And when, undeceived by time
of the false and absurd promises of Northern
carpet-baggers, the blacks found it was neces-
sary to labor for living as other people did,
they returned to the cultivation of the SOIL
So far the evil consequences to the industry OF
the South have not been as great as was feared
But the political effects in the future are omi-
nous and give cause for serious apprehension.
Local interests and the necessity of harmony
between the two races in the South are lost
! sight of through the influence of political
parties, and race is arrayed against race.
There is now, with rare exceptions, only the
negro party and the white party in that Sec
ton of the Republic. This must, in the end,
result most disastrously. It is the incipient
step to o war of races, and for this state of
things our politicians are responsible.
With view therefore, to study this prob
lem as regards the future, both politically and
economically, we propose to notice the
movement of the negro population in
the United States and particularly in
the Southern States. The law of the
movement has not yet been sufficiently de-
veloped to be announced in definite proportion
and limit Statistics do not now much aid the
inquiry; they may, after one or two decades,
|
furnish some clues, and, together with other
material and observations, will assist specula-
ton to some reasonable deductions. Only one
census Q870) has been taken since the actual
manumission of the slaves in 1865; and during
that period no unusual or notable migrations
on general scale occurred. In the Autumns
of 1870 and 1871 changes moro marked were
observed.
Experienced Southerners can at present best
draw conclusions in regard to the probable
movement; the character, habits and pro-
clivities of the negroes; their social and politi-
cal relations; the nature of the climate soil
and agricultural products in the South, and a
knowledge of the geographical situations
where temperature, culture and the character
Of land and living are peculiarly suitable to
the negro, will supply data to the rejecting
observer.
OF the animal kingdom man is the least
affected by climate Any of the races can, by
acclimation through one or more generations,
become Injured to any part of the cultivable or
hunting portions of the earth. The distribu-
ton of mankind over it has never been con-
strained, however partially affected, by
isothermal lines. But of those races the black
has been the most confined within such limits
The negro is peculiarly tropical The color
and texture of his skin largely contribute to
this constitutional nature In this we find
what is and will be potential element in the
law of movement of the negro population In
the United States the general flow of their
migration will be southerly This tendency
wifi be increased by the influence Of the facts
that in the warmer States production is more
spontaneous, lighter and cheaper clothing and
food are only requisite, less fuel is needed,
and the least costly habitations are suitable
The negroes will steadily emigrate, under the
fixed action of these causes from Delaware,
Maryland, Virginia. Missouri, North Carolina,
Kentucky and the upper and middle sections
: of Tennessee, South Carolina and Georgia to
the other and more southern portions of the
} South. This was the general fact even during
} slavery, and the experience of the past con-
firms the deduction that it will in the future,
when less disturbing causes will exist, be
more universal.
Observe the annexed table, which shows the
J percentage of gain and the relation Of gain Of
the negro population of the Southern States
for the decade from 1850 to 1906
1860. ,sso. Dss sG's e..