Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1873-11-07
The Old Enemy.

The Old Enemy.
EVIDENCES pointing to the ultimate re-
organization of the Democratic party on
the basis of eternal hostility to the negro
multiply on every hand. We showed,
some weeks ago, how the Conservatives of
Virginia have so gerrymandered the State
as to give to two white men a representa-
tion in the Assembly equal to that of three
negroes. In Ohio the recent campaign
developed the fact that the Democracy of
that State unite best and most harmoni
ously upon the Oldest and most conserva-
tive candidate. The nomination and cleo
tion of Allen demonstrates the purpose of
the Democratic party to renew its old
fight against the solidarity of the nation
and to plant itself on its old platform of
State rights and undying hate of the col
ored race. 1t counts for nothing that the
party resolutions contained an acceptance
of the situation so far as the results of the
war are concerned. The past record and
campaign speeches of the party standard
bearer gave the lie to the party platform.
The Democrats of the Western Reserve
voted for Allen because he represented
the ideas and policy of the Democratic
party before and during the war. Liber.
alisn went to the wall before the vigorous
onset of the ancient Democracy, fired by
the hope of new victories for the cause
supposed to have been lost in the battles
of the rebellion. The coalition of Gin.
cinnati, which threatened to snuff out the
Democratic party, was itself snuffed out,
polling less than 10000 votes in the great
State of Ohio.
On the heels of the triumph of Bour.
bonism in Ohio the white mans party"
again comes more prominently and ag-
| gressively to the front in Virginia Mr..
A. II. II. Stuart, Secretary of the Interior
under Fillmore, delivered an address at
| Richmond on the 22d inst, in which he
declared, unequivocally, that "the issue
in Virginia is whether the white or the
black man shall rule" Mr.. Stuart de-
nounced the Government "for inhuman-
| ity in freeing the negroes and then leav-
ing them poor, Ignorant and unprotected"
| lie also declared "the utter antagonsm
and instructive antipathy of the races,
and the impOssibility of the whites and
| blacks dwelling together in peace and
harmony" He quoted jefferson, and
| Lincoln, and Ben. Wade, to prove that
negroes could not and ought not to re-
main in the same community with white
| people in free condition, and that with
their freedom must come their deporta-
ton to another country, or extermina-
| tlOLIi anu huCn luOTC Ol IulS SOTJ, TO-
| gether with a labored attempt to show
that President Grants only thought in
| favoring the annexation of San Domingo
was to effect the colonization of the
American negroes in that island.
1t will probably occur to the present
| generation that, however valuable and
worthy of respect the opinions of Mr.
Jefferson on questions which concerned
his time may have been what he thought
or said about the practicability of free
negroes dwelling peaceably with white
men is of small consequence Just now. 1t
was mere theory them it is an actual
fact now. To quote Mr.. Lincoln as in
favor of the deportation of negroes be
cause he gave countenance to such a
proposition as a compromise measure,
and attempt hence to commit him to the
alternative of colonization or extermina.
ton, is to insult his memory as a man
and assail his judgment as a political
economist. Mr.. Stuart deals in assump-
tions, not in facts. He says the Govern
ment freed the negroes only to leave them
"pOor, Ignorant, and unprotected :" "poor''
they may be, Ignorant" of necessity they
must be, but not unprotected" 1t cost
vast sums to protect them, but they have
been protected. Many of them were
butchered by the murderous Kuklux, but
the Kuklux were finally awed into sub
lection and to-day the negro has an op-
portunity to rise gradually from his
poverty, and through his increasing
means may educate himself and his chill.
dren.
To declare that it is impossible for
blacks and whites to dwell together in
peace and harmony" is to pit a mere
sounding assertion against an actual ex,
isting fact. The blacks and whites are
dwelling together in peace; and where
there is peace, harmony must follow in
the natural course of events. Not only
this, but the observation of discriminating
travellers in the South is to the effect that
the war of races has already commenced
but it is very different war to that pre-
dicted by Mr.. Stuart; the war is to deter
mine which race can accumulate the
most landed property and money. This
particular sort of contest causes the rapid
spread of intelligence and education, and
makes good citizens of both white and
black men.
The Government of the United States
will never go into the deportation bust
ness 1t would be a singular spectacle
indeed, for a nation which invites the i'm
migration of all peoples to her shores to
undertake to drive away 3,000,0 900 of men
women ana children, simply because they
are black. If Virginia still looks back tC
the time when she boasted herself "the
mother of Presidents" the nation itself is
not of the same mind. To free race OF
men only to kick them out of the country
is no part of the programme of the Amer
lean people. If the South is still bound
to give heed to the mouthing of musty
illiberal theories by men of the stamp OF
Mr. Stuart, there is a great mission yet un
accomplished, which must devolve upon
the Republican party. If the Democratic
party is to be resuscitated on the basis oi
the deportation or the determination OF
the negro race, it is to be brought to life
as an enemy of the Government, as an
enemy of peace and of good order, as an
enemy of freedom and equal rights. AS
such it has no place in the present time
1t smells of treason, and threatens another
war-ChtcdgO Inter-Ocedh.
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