The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-08-20
ELECTION-DAY:
TUESDAY NOVEMBER A, 1873.
THE SOCIAL QUESTION.

This question gives the Conservatives
great deal of trouble. General Beaure-
gard, in New Orleans, has made.a movement
which they don't like, and which goes a
bow-shot beyond our Virginia Radicals
in the direction of social intercourse be-
tween the races. General Beauregard
seems inclined to stick to his movement,
but writes apologize letters here to his
Conservative friends, and, strange to say,
even General Early finds q word of apollo
gy for him, and refuses to throw his old
commander off for being more Of Radi-
cal than Mr.. Greeley was or than even
ssthe negroes of Virginia themselves arc.
The doctrine of the Republicans of Vir-
ginia on this subject may now be consid-
cred as pretty clearly defined. On Mon
day night last, at Suffolk Mr.. Hughes
was requested to address portion
of his speech especially to this subject.
He complied with the request, and in a
part of his address spoke substantially
as follows:
From the days Of Adam down to the
present time the Creator has vouchsafed
the same natural rights to the white man
and the black. Each race was free to
breathe the air, to drink the water, and to
cultivate the soil in the sweat of his brow.
Finally the Supreme Being has put il into
the hearts Of the American people to imi-
tate His own example by comforting upon
the negro the same legal rights as were en-
Joyed by the white man. So that now,
throughout this grand Union of American
states all men are citizens enjoy from
their fellow-men equal legal rights, as
they had enjoyed from their Heavenly
Father equal natural rights.
This free government of ours, having
thus given to one race and the other equal
legal rights, and franchises as citizens OF
great government, with the same unre-
serve with which wise Creator had given
them equal natural rights, each individual
Of each race must now depend upon his
own industry, honesty and general charac-
ter for rank in the social scale. The Ma.
ker has done what may be expected oil
Him. The government has done what
may be expected Of it, and now,
whether the white man shall be superior
or not to the black man, must depend up.
on the relative worth, integrity and dcport.
ment Of each. The question Of socia
equality rs between men and races no lon
ger depends upon any other circumstance
than character. AS to social intercourse
that always did, and always will, depend
upon consent. No negro can associate
with white man, and no white man with
n negro, except by the joint consent Of
both !; for in this matter of intercourse it is
essentially true, that 1T takes two to
make a bargain"
Providence did not make social equality
between races by giving equal natural
rights. Nor did our government make
social equality or compel social intercourse
between races by giving equal legal rights
The questions of equality and intercourse
are wisely left to take care OF
themselves. Neither Of them is a
question of right or Justice each Of
them depends alone upon individ-
ual merit. The individual Of each race
must take care of everything that depends
upon personal character for the powers
above him will not concern themselves
except with such things which depend
upon the establishment Of justice and right.
Such is the wise condition of our present
law of race, divine, and human. Twelve
years ago no man could see through the
difficulty of settling the relations of the
two races of the southern states upon a
basis of right, justice, and social peace.
But God is wiser than man; and He, to
our establishment and praise, has solved
the difficulty SO perplexiDg to human fore
cast, and established the relations OF races
which have co-existed here for two hum
dred years, upon wise, enduring just and
impregnable principles.