The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-06-05


ment upon an article in the Raleigh IN. o.
Crescent opposing what the editor called
''negroism," and to advise that journal and
all who feel with it that ''the contest in the
South is not between races, but between hon
esty and dishonesty, between patriotism and
crime" To this the Crescent answers that we
misunderstood its meaning that it does not
political power of the negro; that North
Carolina is in fine condition, 'blessed" with
good government, but that danger will come
from the passage Of the Civil Rights bill-the
danger of snegroism,' or "negroizing the
South !" that the races will be contaminated,
and the Southern Atlantic and Gulf States
become the residence "of mongrel popula-
ton of about the stamina of the Mexican
Poems" "Would the HERALD" asks the
Crescent, Willingly see o race OF American
heroes and statesmen extinguished by ANAL
gamation with the African?" Certainly not,
we answer, nor do we have any such fear.
We regard ''negroism" or 'negroizing the
South" as a purely sentimental, impossible
issue. like the celebrated question that used
to haunt our earlier election canvasses as to
whether republican candidates for Congress
really rejoiced in the hope that their sisters
would one day '.marry Niger" All such
controversy belongs to the ribaldry and bad
image Of the canvass, and has no place in Sc
rious, calm discussion of public affairs.
We are profoundly convinced that if any
thing could make the defeat of the Civil Rights
bill impossible it would be the tone of
many OF the Southern journals in discussing
it. The Shelbyville Commercial assures us that
''the passage of the Civil Rights bill means
Capitalization or revolution. One or the other
will follow" The Macon Telegraph informs
us ''that some men in the South, wearied of
the fight for order and honest; intelligent
government with the dominant black legions
of radicalism, had rather take the chances OF
absolutism and one-man power than continue
the struggle" The Nashville Republican
Bauler utters a warning cry" that "the
enactment OF this Civil Rights bill portends
the gravest consequences in the way of
engendering bad blood and melting to
war of races. We have appeals
to that "instinct which fcrbids whites
to mingle with the blacks on terms Of in
timacy," for ''those whom God has Parted
asunder let no man join together" 'The
sooner" says the Charleston Neaos, ''the mad
ness of party fanaticism drives the white race
to the wall the sooner will the freedman find
his natural level, above which the necessities
and ambition Of INSCRIPTIONS demagogues
have temporarily raised him." This, as we
have said, is unwise, and belongs to the
ribaldry and passion of controversy. It can
only result in arraying one race against the
other in the South. Nothing is clearer
than that no law can be made to compel
whites and blacks to s'amalgamate" unless
they choose SO to do, just as no law can pre-
vent them if they are so disposed The
whole question is not one of law. but of taste
and custom. The men Of both races have q
common interest in honest government, and it
should be the aim of white men in the South
to appeal to the negros patriotism and pride to
assist in the work of reform, and not to drive
him, from an instinct Of fear or self-preserva-
ton, to make an alliance with the 'carpet-
baggers" and adventures, who hold power
over the whites only by the help of the blacks
For it is natural and not surprising that the
blacks should prefer the thief who treats them
with friendship to the honesEwhite man who
regards them as an inferior, degraded and
usurping race
Above all, and here is the ground that
should never be forgotten in this discussion,
and especially by prudent men in the South
who wish to defeat the Civil Rights bill and
other attempts at extravagant and impossible
legislation-there are two races in these
United States, North and South, though
mainly in the South, and here they must re-
main. We cannot exterminate the African as
we are discriminating the Indian. We must
accept him as entitled to the earth, the air and
the sunshine; to freedom and the right to
pursue his happiness.
What the South wants is peace between the
races, and not war. For that reason we well
come any sign of regeneration in its politics,
not only among republicans, but democrats.
Here, for instance, is an appeal to the republi-
cans of Alabama from the Daily State journal,
whlcn, II only sincere, mas pleasant SOUND.
The republicans of Alabama, this journal says,
"seek to restore the credit of the State SO
seriously beclouded under democratic rule, !"
'sto restore a balance to the Treasury" to lift
the State ''out of the slough of despond into
which democracy has plunged it, If the
republicans in Alabama are in earnest in these
assurances they can do blessed work. It
will be the first Southern State in which they
have done anything but legislate upon recog-
nized principles of highway robbery. South
Carolina and Louisiana are sad trophies of
this republican supremacy, and if that party
in Alabama will really reform itself and insure
good government it will be the beginning of
reconstruction.
More than this, what we want in the South