The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1875-10-04
Perils of the South.

Tie greatest of them all is that the two
races. through the statos where slavery
formerly existed, will be separated by
party lines. and will look upon one an.
other with reciprocal dlstrust Sectional
differences are bad enough, as we have
found in our pas. history, even whom able
men managed the parties but differences
of race, intensified by the jealousics and
distrusts Of politics, arc tenfold worse.
Ia the present case they tend to increase
in Intensity and bitterness, because the
ignorant mass that has just been rescued
IRON slavery must fall uuder tho influence
Of fear of what will happen il the man.
agement of state affairs passes over per.
manently into the hands of their adverse.
ries. They feel their weakness they
have inferior power of combination the y
have small means Of selfproteetion.
They are also to a considerable extent un.
der the influence of cunning leaders who
seem to have unlimited power Of acting
on their fears. Brawls will unavoidaby
break out in many neghbofhoods, which
will grow into ieuds and local quarrcls,
and will in report be magniiod or extenu.
ated' az it may happen, in their impor.
tance, so that the country will not know
what to believe or disbelieve in regard to
them. As for the blame to be imputed
to tho one or tho other side. that is a
small matter. We do not believe that
the oolorod race or their leaders of like
origin would be or nave been the first to
oncroach on tho rights of the white race
And we wish that one could not believe
that there has been policy or under
standing on the part of many leading
whites 10 some Of the states in question
to tho effect that the colored people must
be prevented by terrorism from enjoying
tho benefits granted to them in the new
amendments. But the evils to which we
refer lie outside of the immediate occa.
sions OF strife between the races it will
reach beyond existing parties, How can
there be harmony between them undor
any future division Of parties. when, in
addition to difference of race, distrust
suspicion, past feuds and antagonisms
will continually foment disquiot ?. If it
DO said that unprincipled whites are cor.
rupting the blacks and poisoning their
minds, it may be very true, but how is
the nuisance to be abated ? Will not ehe
eagles be gathered together whero the
carcass is ln brief, the cause of all that
has taken place or is to bo apprehended
lies not in particular or local provocatious,
nor in the leaders of to-day, nor in the
imblttoring of a most mild and inoffensive
race by the war; but it is one that is
likely to last as long as measures, now
never to be set aside, shall have run their
course and borne their fruits. "Tbe end
is not yet "
Until this state of things shall end. if
end 1t can, this unhappy part Of our ia.
loo, injured in its property, with its old
laud-holders impoverished or driven from
their homes, with its institutions shstter.
cd, must lag far behind the other parts
10 most OF the essentials of prosperity.
That section is full of undeveloped re-
sources its exhaustless beds of iron and
coal, its soil yet unbroken, or capable of
vastly increased production, its mild oil
mate, must invite capital and labor, If
'nose tlmid forces Lo assnrcd of safety and
protection. Perhaps the solution of the
problem for tho south may come from
this source, from a new emigration not
compromised in old strifes, and able to
act in the end as mediating and a re.
concil;ng power.