National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-04-16

There Ia q nlco little discussion now going
on between the Richmond Enquirer Demo
cratic) and the Richmond State Journal IRE
publican) relative TO the merits and dement's
Of the above question. The former explains
conservatism to be the opposite Of radlcallsm,
which, to say the least, Is very unsatisfac-
tory definition. But when Il says the one
means safety for Virginia, and 1.-The other
means the negro above the white man, the
adventurer In place Of the patriot, and the
riot and rsvel OF ignorance amidst the ruins
Of industry and economy" why we begin to
understand, 10 confused way, what the En-
quirr Is driving at. The Journal takes
pleasant view Of Its nclghbor's disconsolatiou,
and cruelty offers to Join the Enq'6rer In q
war upon the 'adventurcr," and to assist II
in making ga true Virginia patriot" the next
Governor Of that State. Whether the Jour
nal will accept this generous offer remains to
be seen.
We wish to say q few words with regard
to that old nonsense about the elevation Of
the negro above the white man-that sort Of
social scare-crow that old-tlme Democrats
are In the habit Of displaying when any Of
their number show an inclination to advance
III tOUlllOh btlbIt NhI tut biu
pro-slavery men Of intelligence frightened the
ignorant with like balderdash. During the
war the rebels Of the South and the copper
heads Of the North trcmbled OF the prospect
Of negro supremacy; and now, long after the
war is closed, when the colored man enjoys
the rights OF which he was 30 long deprived
by an iniqultous system, and when It Is found
that he IL not the remarkably clever fellow
these people wished us to believe he was
when II Is not the custom for former planta
tion hand to elope with millionaire
daughter, when, indeed, there exists only
such social equality as Is made by an equality
Of intelligence, good breeding und wealth.
when all these things have been demon
strated by tlme-it Is very strange
that we yet find white people
with so poor Ru opinion Of the ability oi
their race as to make them afraid Of any
thing approaching competition with peopl'
but recently released from an Imprisonment
Of oppression and ignorance. We Away
have found that those who sneer at the pov
erty Of the negro's ability are the very one
for the most part who become nervous owe
the idea of negro supremacy. According 4
their philosophy the negro is either poor
helpless, harmless creature, whom IL Is tn
privilege Of the white Southerncr to support
or he Is a dangerous because an ignoran
man, who should he most strictly governed
He Is either poor slmpleton who needs tn
tenderest care, or Door ignoramus who ma,
do himself aud others some damage. Thi
Is the idea Of the members Of the Souther
wing Of Conservatism, and yet they kindl
compliment the Republican party by sayin
that II has taken this poor, weak, helples
creature, and has placed him side by sid
with tho white man ~ his equa
More than this, they say that Radicalist
"means the negro above the white man." Oh
no, gentlemen, you arc quite mistaken; II
not the mission Of the Republican party I
attempt to superSedo the intelligence and mt
raiity you claim to possess by the ignoranc
and vice which you say are the heritage G
the negro. Content your souls in quiet; tn
I, Republican party, having advanced as 1t gre'
older, instead Of going backward, stands tC
day not as the guardian Of the negro, because
, unlike you, IL believes him capable Of carin
for himself, but as one who rcjoices at SCI
Ing tardy justice done an abuse
and long-suffering man. Having a
opinion Of the ability Of the white rae
much superior o that entertained by the pee
pie OF the South, so anxious a. to his ult
y mate fate, the Republican party Is not afral
" that the negro will surpass the white maj
and simply asks that he have fair play in a
things.
II seems time that thiS nonsense about u
gro equality and negro supremacy, such
i 4 - l..