The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-07-19
Reforming Boundaries-A sad view.

Reforming Boandaries-A Sad View.
There Is proposition discussed In the.
Southwest Cor the reforming Of the bound.
airy between Mississippi and Tennessee byrun-
ming the line far enough South to include the
counties In Mississippi in which the white
population is in the majority. This propo-
sition Is startling and significant. 1t should
give our Federal rulers something to think
about, If they ever think about anything
save their salary grabs, Government jobs
and stealings generally. What does it show !:
The hostility Of race: that irrepressible and
inextinguishable aversion Of one race for
another--which in the case in question IS
exaggerated by 3 dissimilarity as great as
that between black and ,chtte-that makes
men rather give up love Of country and SUI
fer boundaries to be disrupted than to live
under the rule of race with which they
cannot live in prosperity, peace, aud bappi.
ness. This is the whole question in nutshell,
and it shows the monstrous character Of that
measure of the sordid and ruthless Radi-
cal party which placed the white people Of
the South upon equality with the pegroes,
the late slaves Of the South.
The Wing Of this city, entertaining pro-
per horror Of this Inflated Radical measure,
deplores this proposition, because, if it were
carried out to its legitimate conclusions, 1t
would abandon the " finest portions OF the
South and establish purely black common.
wealths." Exactly. But it is not in this
proposition from Mississippi that this danger
finds its source. 1t is in the measures Of the
ruthless Republican party. And unless
some event OF which we caDDot now even
see the foretelIing shadow, shall intervene.
these measures will end in establishing
"back commonwealth " in the South. In
deed, they are in effect already i'll existence.
Mankind may endure great deal, aud that
race known as Caucasian can endure more
than any other; but even the endurance Of
that race, SO distinguished for its con-
stancy and fortitude, is not ever
lasting. Look at the South! Do we
not see the patience and devotion Of the
white people-their patience under trial,
their devotion to the true interests Of States
and societies-wearied and weakened? Do
we not see men famed for independent spirits
and uncompromisiDg dispositions yielding
to the flood that Is undermining and wash
ing away the noblest creations Of the great
nation that built this western republic, and
making concessions to policies which must
degrade the white race and lower the dig
nifty, the force, and prosperity Of the south
ern States?
The public is startled to-day by one thing,
tomorrow by another, which show the fail
ing strength, resolution, and virtue of men
who were looked upon as those who would
longest resist the destructive tide.
Look at Virginia. The presence of the
blacks as slaves originated that sectional dis
agreement which, during the war, led to the
division Of the State. Slaves when this dis
agreement originated, they are now, when
free, no less an obstruction to harmony
between East and West. Were there no
~
ancient boundaries could be restored. The
people OF West Virginia look towards their
old mother with hove and admiration, and
would yearn to come back 10 her if all her
people were white and her constituent body
would send no negroes TO the Legislature.
But that condition rs Il precedent to resto-
ration is impossible, and we may as well
look upon it us settled that the boundaries
of Virginia can never be restored while
there is single negro in her Legislature;
so decided is that hostility of race which the
scurvy northern statesmen, under the pre-
tence OF philanthropy, affected to believe they
could eradicate. They could no more do this
than they can change the spots of the leopard
or the color of the neSro's skin.
There will be negro commonwealth of the
South, as much as we deplore it and as
much as we know the North will deplore it.
The reconstruction measures OF the Republi-
can party-mcasures purely to prolong their
own power-ineyitably lead TO this result.
We are sure that even those who aided in
bringing this state of things about-so III
furious to the peace and contentment OF
black and whte--so full Of peril to the
growth in power and dignity of this nation
will in time repent that they did so unwiSe
a thing as TO preciptate measures establish
ing equality between the whites and the
blacks so lately slaves.
Tho Soufh no. babuuoi pnhl, boS
done the best it could, and displayed an
amount of fortitude under calamity that is |
in history. But proyidential
laws must prevail and they will bring con-
fusion upon the vicious councils of this |
nation.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN was the most unSeltish |
and the wisest OF northern statesmen. He |
told the blacks in 1864 that they could never
be happy living with the whites any more |
than the whites could be happy living with |
them upon a footing of equalty-that the |
Government should set apart territory for |
the negroes, whittier they should go, and |
govern themselves according to their own |
tastes and ideas, leaving the whites to do
the same. This would secure happiness to
both races, while together they could never
be contented. Associated upon equality, the
whites will be dragged downwards; their
abors will fail to reap their proper re-
wards their property, especially lands, will
be deprecated, and they will exist under
the weight OF a dreadful nightmare, which
will restrain and cripple all their physical
and mental energies.
1t is logical that men should seek new
boundaries to relieve themselves from the