Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-10-18

party that to secure the eight hundred
thousand negro votes IN the Southern
States, for the Presidential election
two years hence, it VIII not hesitate to
put this crowning outrage onthe South
ern whites.
FOSTERING THE GOOD-FOR-NOTH-
ING.
In his profound "Study of Sociolo-
gy," which includes Biology, Herbert
Spencer says: " Fostering the good-for-
nothing at the expense of the good is
an extreme cruelty. 1t is deliberate
storing-up of miseries for future gen.
erations. There is no greater curse to
posterity than that of bequeath-
ing them an increase of population of
imbeeiles, and idlers and criminals. To
aid the bad in multiplying is, in effect,
the same as maliciously providing for
our descendants a multitude of enc
mics. 1t may be doubted whether the
maudlin philanthropy, which, looking
only at immediate mitigationa, persist
emily ignores remote results, does not
inflict greater total of misery than
the EXTREMIST selfshness iuhicts."
Since maudlin philanthropy con-
strueted underground railroads from
the South into Canada. a new genera
ton has come upon the stage of action,
who have undertaken to repeal the
laws of nature, and elevate good for
nothing statesmen to the governing
power of the nation. This extreme
cruelty" has been inflicted on the
white race ten years, and now we are
threatened with greater oppression.
White men in the South who have
fostered this iniquity, may live to see
the ripe fruits Of the tree, the upas
tree, which they have planted and wa
tered. Many of this class flattered
themselves that a military head, and
moderate despotism, backed by Con-
gress, will protect them from such
punishment as God imposes on bad
conduct. Vain hope. Despotism viii
be as powerless for good in the United
States as it is in Western Asia and
Constantinople. That government
breeds most from its meanest popula-
ton, and the inevitable result is the
constant debasement of the masses.
1t multiplies and fosters the worthless
till all are alike good-for-nothing, and
incurably diseased.
Under the direction Of Gerritt Smith
and few other transcendental phildn-
thropists, the Republican party has
undertaken to make fit rulers for this
young Republic of about one million
of generally very stupid negroes. Ger
tainly they cannot take a particle more
of wisdom out of the negro than there
is In him, which is not much. Instead
Of elevating the African in the native
purity of his blood, and in the sound
ness of his constitution, whisky, idle
ness and nameless vices are already
degrading him, and making his race
an increasing tax on the city, county or
State where it abounds.
He cannot be an observing, intelli-
gent man who does not know that the
African race, as a race, not improv-
ing themselves in the learning of
trades, greater industry and strict tenn
perance, and that the very presence of
this decaying leaven in our social lump
has a corrupting influence on the whole
community, tending powerfully to de-
preciate the value of all real estate, de-
press business and crush out all enter
prise. How far do white and black
Radicals propose to carry the work of
pressing down the demand forlaborand
theprice paid for mules and plantations?
If they fall as much in the next seven
years as they have in the last seven,
they viii not be worth anything. How
shall we arrest this sad, down-hill
course? First. all land-holders and
business men must lealn to act IN con-
cert, to promote their common inter
ests. To divide their votes and strength,
is simply to destroy their property,
with no benefit to the colored race, but
a serious injury to both races. The
real estate Of the South will not day
sell for as much by thousand million
dollars as it would at the close of the
war. This immense loss comes TO Rad
icals as well as Conservatives; and soon
laboring people of all colors viii find
no capital in the South to give them
employment.
Beyond all question, such is the con-
dition we are coming to at a rapid rate.
Too much of our capital is nothing but
credit; and probably the worst credit
in the whole country is trusting the
natural, or thei acquired industry of
the African race. All sound business
is science; but the work Of very uncer-
tain labOrers, white or black, defies
any favorable certain forecast. Politics
almost fail to be decent science in
these latter days, because of the doubt
and uncertainty of its elements.
In those harmless looking uncertain
ties lie concealed the germs of the
miseries of unborn generations.
ICOyOCLASM