Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1874-10-24
THE FUTURE OF THE NEGRO.

The American people cOncede the
honesty, ability and infexible integri-
ty of Charles O'Conner No man on
the continent possesses more legal lore
or intellectual greatness than the New
York lawyer. He is regarded by all
parties as patriot and statesman, and
his views, generally wise and conser-
vatiye, create a profound, thoughtful
impression throughout the country
But Mr. O'Conner does not understand
the negro problem. He has recently
expressed sentiments in regard to the
future of the negro, which, if adopted,
would be ruinous to both races and to
the country. He recently declared,
in speaking of the negro, that "extir-
patton or exile appeared to be an i'm
pending necessity" When the colored
people follow the lead of worthless
adventures, and array themselves
against their employers, who pay the
taxes that educate their children, the
white people of the south have often
felt and expressed desire to rid them
selves of an enemy fostering in their
bosoms. The Appeal has shared in
this feeling, and has expressed it. But
a moments calm reflection, divested
OF all resentment, will satisfy every
unpreiudiced mind that Providence
has decreed that the south is to be the
natural home of the negro, and that
any effort to change this inevita BILE
destiny is visionary and impracticable.
Mr.. O'Conner's plan of"extirpation or
exile is certainly absurd. The trans
porting of four millions of people to
a distant country is too big job for
even America to undertake. The COM
bined navies of the world would be
inadequate to the task of removing
them to Africa, and the expense would
bankrupt the country. The expense
incurred by removing few Indians to
the west, created a heavy national debt,
and the idea of removing several mill
ions of negroes across the ocean is
preposterous. 1t would be unwise to
treat the negro like the Indian, and
place him on some reservation, for this
would make him sour and revengetul
like the Indian, and it would require
large standing army to keep him in
subsection. These facts demonstrate
most conclusively that the two races
must live together as friends or foes.
1t is to the interests of both to culti-
vate friendly relations, and to oppose
all combinations calculated to array
the two races against each other.
Instead of talking about ''reserva-
tions, " "extirpation," and exile" let
the white man and the black man of
the south accept the situation, and
gladly turn their hands, not against
each other, but to the plow, the cotton
field, the loom and the anvil. The
laborer must become more and more
attached to the employer. and the en-
ployer attached to the laborer. A
spirit of conciliation, of friendship, of
protection and of mutual interest must
become genera and of permanent du-
ration. Both must endeavor to
strengthen and pOpularize the great
causes of education. They should be
rivals in nothing save in their efforts
to promote peace, prosperity and hap
piness. There should be no conflict
between the races on account of labor
and capital, for each is dependent on
the other The prosperity of one is
the prosperity of both. The employer
cannot dispense with the laborer, and
the laborer cannot dispense with the
employer. Inexorable necessity will
ultimately bring between the two races
a better understanding. To facilitate
this desirable result, we would say to
the negro, cut loose from the political
jugglers who have arrayed you against
your employees, and we would say to
the whites, be as you have been, kind
and conciliatory to the blacks. The
negro is ignorant, not responsible for
the pretensiOns and claims set up for
him. If not molested his political
ideas will assimilate with the whites.
for when the practical economies of
two races are identical their political
interests should be the same.-Meu-
phis appeal.