New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-04-19

choice of evils. In either case, constant
disturbances between the races, as con-
stantly suppressed by the State author-
tie, o. the establishment of military
government. the material prosperity Of
the State would suffer incalculable injury.
Commerce would desert our cities: agri-
culture on. fields. Emigration would
ignore Us.
We have heard i. said that some Of our
citizens hope that the result Of the pres
ent incipiens strife between the two races
for such it certainly Isl will be to drive
the negroes in large numbers away from
the State. and actually think that such
result would be an advantage. An ad-
vantage to drive away nearly one-haf the
population Of the State, and that the half
from whose labor the bulk of its wealth
proceeds. The negro part of the popu-
alton represents cotton, rice, sugar. cook
ng, cleanliness, comfort-labor which
must be done, and which the white man
will not do if he can help it. As for the
theory that the negro once out Of the way,
his place would soon be filed by white
emigrants, that is fallacious. The Anglo
Saxon. willing as he may be to perform
agricultural labor in the North. is
afraid of our climate. When he
seeks it i. is with the view of 'bet-
tering his condition" by some lighter and
more remunerative kind of employment.
Emigration. as applied to large numbers.
follows isothermal lines; and the peasantry
of Europe. residing in countries having
climate like ours. although an agricultural
people, are not accustomed to such work
as is required in our cotton fields. The
cultivation of the vine. the olive and the
mulberry; the care of herds. the occupa-
ton of fishing. and similar compare
lively light labors form no apprenticeship
for the severe toll required in the cultlva-
ton of our staples. Accordingly. we see
that the few immigrants who come here
from the countries of Southern Europe
seldom take to agriculture as an
occupation. The notion that this class
of immigrants would ever come in num-
bers sufficient to replace our present agri-
cultural class is simply absurd. Equally
so is the notion that if they did come
they would make better citizens than our
colored population. These have already.
within the short space Of time which has
elapsed since their emancipation. dis
proved many Of the theories with regard
to their characteristics which were propa-
gated in slave times by their masters;
such as that they would not work unless
coerced; they would not appreciate free
dom; would relapse into barbarism. and
more Of the same kind.
But they do appreciate freedom =;
they have practically learned by heart
the fundamental law that for them
life is labor; that industry is the only road
to advancement. The advantages Of edu-
cation they appreciate as thoroughly as if
they knew what education was; and they
are determined, for the most part, That
their children. at least. shall partake OF
those advantages.
The negro element in our midst then,
though no longer property" is still
wealth--as the agricultural and laboring
class is in every country. To drive them
away would be to invite poverty and desc
lation to our bosom. To seek to deprive
them of their legal rights is to establish
strife. destroy business. and abdicate self
government. Only by strict justice. by
such practical recognition Of their rights
rs shall make absolutely no distinction |
whatever, politically. on the ground Of
color. can We. have peace. Above all |
things. let our hot-blooded young chivalry
abandon the notion that our prosperity as
State would date from the exodus of its
black population, for that would. instead, /.
send US back centuies in the scale Of
civilization.