The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1874-09-02
THE TWO RACES AT THE SOUTH

anticipated passage OF the civil Nights
Bill has led the blacks to more inso-
lent assertion of their rights. or has In
creased the irritability of the whites at
the threatened pressure of social equali-
ty with an inferior race, there is no
doubt of the fact, that there has been
an increased bitterness Of feeling OF
late between the two races, and every
mail comes freighted with news of actu-
al or anticipated collisions between the
whites and the blacks. There have
been troubles in Mississippi, in Alaba-
ma, in Tennessee and Kentucky, and
we see it stated that almost in every
Southern State appeals have been made
by both races to the Government for
protection against threatened attacks.
1t was only last week that we had
whites and blacks aiming for the con-
flict at Ridge Springs, Edgefield Coun-
ty, and Georgia sending men and arms
to the aid of the white brethren in Car
olina.
What does it all portend? Are we
indeed to have war of races at the
South, and is the supremacy of race to
be settled not with the ballot boxes, but
with cartridge boxes? We think not
whatever may be the utterances of in
cendiary speakeIs-whatever Wallace
may declare in Union, or Patterson in
Beaufort. These men have their own
selfish purposes to promote by stirring
strife between the races ut the South,
whilst the story of outrages committed
upon the blacks, by the Southern whites,
is disseminated by partisan press for
partisan purposes at the North. 1t is
one of the most successful acts of the
Southern demagogues to inflame the
minds of the deluded blacks, by making
them believe that their old masters
would reduce them into slavery if they
had the power, and that the only securi-
ty of the blacks consists in excluding
them from participation in the Gov
ernment. These men stir up strife, in
cite outbreaks, and see to it that the full
crop of southern outrages is forthcom-
ing to operate in tanning the fame OF
party spirit at home and abroad. The
feeling of race is thus embittered, and
blacks and whites, as the result, are ar
rayed in hostile factions, and perhaps
with drawn arms, when but for such
teachings they would be good friends,
and true auxiliaries. But in spite OF
sectional brawls and occasional out
breaks, we cannot believe that serious
conflict of races is possible at the South.
Such men as Elliott, Purvis, Ransier,
and others who are the sincere friends
of their race, have the intelligence to
understand, that such conflict would
be ruinous to the blacks. The colored
leaders are nearly all conservative, but
it is to the white leaders that we are to
look for the incendiary speeches that
lead estray the blacks to their own un-
doing.
AS q means of relief from present
troubles, the NeO York Herald urges
upon the Southern whites to facilitate
the acquisition of property by the blacks,
especially of landed property, and thus
to give them q common interest with
the great body of Southern taxpayers.
Not only might the votes of such men
be relied on for the protection of proper
ty against exorbitant taxation, but they
would be influential likewise in con-
trolling the votes of their less thrifty
colored neighbors. The acquisition of
property and the increase of intelligence
among the blacks will doubtless be the
best safeguard against present evils, as
they will then find their true interests to
consist in cordial cooperation with the
whites in the work of government.
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