New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-12-26
From tho Augusta Constitutionslist ]
Reconciliation.
NUMBER TWO.

MIR. EDIToR:-ln a former paper, which
you did me the kindness to publish. T SUBJ
mittcd some suggestions as to the best means
OF reaching better understanding, and the
cultivation of q more friendly spirit between
all classes of our citizens.
1 again ask your indulgence while I make
some further remarks upon the subject. For
a question of such vital concern to US all
ought not to be passed over lightly, nor can
it be exhausted in one short article. Keep
ing in view permanent peace among our peo-
pie, apprchend nothing will DO found more
potent in securing this end than the educa-
ton of the masses. Perhaps no one thing
serves to separate the two classes, and to
foster the distrust entertained by our white
citizens as to the capacity of the coored man
to discharge the duties of citizen properly,
so much as his want of education. And there
is no denying the fact that the existence of
the vast amount of ignorance among the
newly enfranchised citizens-for which thew
are in nowise responsible disas-
trous consequences to society, unless speedily
eradicated. For a social system, based upon
the will OF the constituents, presupposes in
telligence and virtue in such constituents.
And where these attributes are wanting,
there will not only BIO turmoil and strife but
there can be no permanent society. What
tons be'ween the different classes in modern
society: 1t is this demon, ignorance. In
whatever direction VIC turn, we see its bale
tul e. ects upon society. France gave to the
wo,i a startling exhibition of the latent evils
of ,norance and vice in the terrible drama of
the Commune, by which that nation was bap-
tiZed in a sea of blood mingled with fire.
Spain must hesitate between Monarchy and
a Republic, or submit to social cruptiOns,
much more frequent, and far more terrible
than the eruptions of Aetna or Vesuvius-
because of a lamentable want of intelligence
among the laboring masses. Mexico is SUBJ
jected to revolution and counter revolution,
rapine and indiscriminate slaughter, because
of this irrepressible conflict between intelli-
gence and ignorance. England feels the pill
lars Of her social fabric shaken by the gath
erings of the populace at Hyde Park, and she
wisely DEGREES impartial education "a a paci-
ficator.
But we need not travel out Of our own
country to multiply illustrations. Many of
the evils-and that there are evils no candid
mind will deny-conscqucnt upon the re-
construction of these States are traceable to
tho blighting effects of ignorance. How
shall we repress these evils? BY the re-
moval of ignorance, which Is the existing
cause. fear that our people are not suf1i-
ject, but the nation at large realizes that it
is Of momentOus consequence. And herein
lies another danger. For, if the people of
these States DO not 60 earnestly to work to
eradicate this evil, the National G overnment
will take the matter in hand. Once habitu-
ate any class of our citizens to look to the
National Government for those benefits
which should be obtained under the fostering
care of their own States, and it will not only
result in continual collisions between that
class and those who are devoted to their own
Municipal regulations, but it will result in a
continual interference with the local affairs
OF these States and lessen the respect of the
people for local self-government.
Another thing that will tend to promote
peace among our people is the concession
OF complete civil rights to the colored man.
Perhaps nothing has rendered the Southern
people so tardy in conceding complete civil
| rights to the colored man as an unaccounta-
BILE horror of what is termed social equality.
Now, this all grows out of confusion of
Ideas. The principles which should regulate
our civil rights have no moro to do with our
social relations than the natural laws have
to do with regulating the relations existing
between the beings that inhabit the spirit
world. That all citizens may enjoy complete
civil rights without affecting the social rela-
tions Of others, glance at society in Eng.
land and other European countries will sui.
flee to show. There, the peer and the peas.
ant are entitled to the same rights and priv.
leges, but the peasant is not the social equal
of the peer, nor does he ever dream of OBJ.
truding himself into the social circles of his
lordly neighbor. Indeed, there is no such
thing as social equality. It is a mythical
monster with which designing dsmagogues
and secsnd-rats politicians practice upon the
fears of silly men and timd women. But VIC
do not dfsire even to disturb the social rela
tons. We propose to leave them to thai
arbitraryprinciple which underlies the eter
nal ftnes Of things. What we. desire il
the removal Of every obstacle which may i'm
fpede the Progress OF any class of citizens ant
! the opening up to them of every avenue Q