The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1874-09-23
Charles OConor on the Situation.

The distinguished leader of the New
York Bar has been interviewed by al
correspondent of the NeW York Herald,
and thus gives his opinion of the black
man as an element in Southern civilian
ton. He seems not to have much faith
in the evolution or development theory:
1nterviewer-May I ask, Mr.. O'Conor,
what do you think about the difficulties
in the South?
Mr.. O'Conor (after long pause and
repetition of the question: 1.-The fact is,
I have thought too much on the subject,
and am at q loss where to meet and an
swer your question.
Interviewer-In regard to tile conflict
of races? ...
Mr.. O'Conor - All, there's the point,
and there we all meet on common
ground. Here l meet those with whom
| have BEEN so long in antagonism-the
Seymours, the Tildens, the DiXes and
all the compromisers and abolitionists.
/ have looked forward for many years,
foreseeng this juncture. The conflict
of races was sure to come. The short
sighted politicians passed through a6o-
litionisnl, the war, reconstruction, negro
suffrage, civil rights, &C., only to reach
this end, which was obvious to me from
the first.
Interviewer -- Is there nny practical
remedy for the present condition of the
races in the South?
Mr.. O'COnor-I see none in the civil
rights and universal suffrage theories.
The more the negroes had these privi-
lcgcs and attributes extended to then,
and recognized in the law, the worse 1t
had proved for all. Excepting the sen:
suous faculties which the negro had
manifested, the best Of which were his
music and his love of rapine, he deVel'
oped no talent adequate to even the or
dinarv level of excepted civilization.
This is. so far as can recall, the undis-
puted fact of record. ..',
He saw no remedy, but he could point
to the obvious result at present, which
was eXtirpation of the race. There
might be possibility of treating them
like the Indians on some plan OF reser,
vations, but extirpation or exile appeared
to be al impending necessity. me
abolitionists put forth as their earliest
and their ablest gospel, the treatise
known as Helpers Impending Crlsls.'
The latest exposition of Helper (anl
here Mr.. O'Conor produced from tht
table copy of the latest work OF tha
author, called "Nojoke'') indicated ane
proclaimed frankly what the whole a6o
lition policy. meant. Mr.. Helper de
clares that the abolition Of slavery Wa'
: advocated only as means to accomplish
the determination of the negro. Th'
abolitonists are in reality favoring TIT
expectation of the negro to Africa
Which, observed Mr.. O'Conor, is yer.
fertile country-and thus obviate thei
; other alternative, the necessity OF MI
eXtcrmiration. The evils of the Nortl
are necessarily reflection of the disor
de:s in the South-enormnus debt, feck
} less taxation, deprecated currency, ant
t corruption of government. For thes
, some remedy may be indicated. Mr
I O'(,onor observed that he now foun'
e himself moro in harmony with n!
/ democratic advocates III the treatmen
: of the condition of the North than for
o merly, and he at this time found himsel
Z in active cooperation with Seymour
t Herman, Tilden and Others who ha'
t taken the lead in the recent reform
c movement.