New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1874-08-27
The Race Question.

Can there be any doubt in the minds of
observing people as to the true inspiration of
what is beng called a "war of races" =?
Does not the inspiration come from the ha-
tired Of the negro as a freeman? 1t cannot
be denied that such is the source of the in.
SEPARATION. AS slave, the goods and chat
tells making up the wealth of one-half of the
nation, the negro could be tolerated. Now
that he is free, with the ballot in his hand,
living in enjoyment Of the fruits of his labor,
the passion of tyrants who have been over
thrown are aroused against the victims of
their defeated tyranny. The negro, rejoicing
in his freedom, is striving by all means at his
command to acquire knowledge, property,
and fit himself for useful citizenship. He
plans no revenges against his former master.
He seeks only such political alliances as will
best protect him in his life and new-found
liberty. He knows that the war of the re-
bellon was wagcd for the purpose Of strength
ening the bonds that held him in slavery. He
knows the men who went out to fight the
battle of slavery. He knows their deep ha-
tired of all who fought against them, and of
their demoniac rage towards their slaves who
took sides with the North. Knowing this,
he dare not entrust the late rebels with po-
litical power, and, therefore, casts his vote
for those in whom he has greater confidence.
This course of the negro, in the defence of
his life and liberty, is the immediate provoca-
tive of threats and attempts to eXterminate
him by the native white people of the South.
If the pardoncd rebels had secured the
colored vote for themselves, there would
have been no threats of a war of races. The
negro would have been subjugated by legis
lation, and control exeIted over him, not
many removes from slavery. 1t is idle, and
mere sophistry, to claim that the difficulties
threatening the colored people Of the South
arise from a misuse of the ballot. 1t has
its foundation in the deep-seated hatred of
the negro as freeman and citizen. The
rallying-cry of negro determination, is:
"White men must rule!" 1t is the fact that
the negro has a share IN ruling, that arouses
the mad passions of the whites. No demon.
STATIONS come from the negro against the
white man ; the war begins with the rebels
and the defence is on the side of the negro.
The war upon the colored people of the
South being inaugurated by White Leagues
and Color Line Parties is a renewal of hos.
tilities against the United States. The
Union sentiment at the South has its real
protection in the loyalty of the black man.
Destroy and drive out the negro and the Lost
Cause revives. The country can have no
peace while the adherents Of the Lost Cause
have hopes of crushing out the Union senti-
ment in the South. Nor can there be safety
for the nation with two classes of citizens
the one class to he privileged and the other
something akin to serfs.
The people of the North should know,
and realize the fact that the movement to-day
in the South against the negro, is a move
ment having for its end, control of the
United States by the friends Of the Lost
Cause. 1t is to recover in the arena of poll
tics that which. was lost in the life and death
struggle of the rebellion.
We do not believe that majority of the
people OF the United States are ready to
turn back the tide Of Liberty and to allow
the adherents of slavery and injustice to
shape the destiny of this nation. To the
loyal and freedom-loving citizens we look for
a calm, careful and patriotic examination OF
the threatening difficulties at the South. We
look to that large class Of American citizens
who have acted with the Republican party
and who are adherents Of that party, because
Of its devotion to the Union, as well as be-
cause of its success in overthrowing our ma
tons enemies, to continue to give it their
support. Its mission is not yet ended its work
not yet accomplished. Those who would de-
stroy this free nation, are attacking and at
tempting to exterminate its defenders in
detail. With the Republican party displaced
by the party that sympathzes with rebels,
q party that joins in the hatred of the ne
gro, a change in the sentiment of the peo-
pie may be wrought that in the end will give
the nation over. bound hand and foot, to the
late slaveholding aristocracy of the South.
The importance of the race issue in the South
and its bearing on the future glory of the ma
ticp. must be taken into serious considera-
ton by tie Republican party. Ha,per's