Wilmington journal., 1876-07-28
THE RACE PRORIEm.

THE RACE PRORR.EM.
The New York Herald, in leading
article. calls attention to the gravity
of what it terms the race problem in
the South. Il seems to have awakened
at last to true conception of the con-
ditlon of affairs, but as is the custom
with the people of the North in any
matter where the South is concerned
they can only look at it through the
medium of Northern glasses. The
Herald does not overestimate the
gravity of the situation. but errs 10
supposing that Democratic success in
the next election will precipitate a war
If races This is altogether wrong;
the trouble, If any troubIe should take
place. would he the result, not of
Democratic success. but of Radical
teachings aud Radical actions.
Who are respOns bile for this condi-
ton of things Certainly not US of the
South. Who SINCE the emancipation of
the slave has been sowing the seeds of
distrust and nate between him and his
former muster, aud by the most in
famatory appeals to his excitable
nature have made him believe that hin
life-long friends have been and still
are his uurelenting foes, and that they
only wat the opportunity to force him
back INTO slavery or extirpate him
from the country? All this has been
done by Republican speakers and
Republican emissaries, and should
any conflict of races occur, they
alone will be the respon sible party.
The Southern people have none
but the kindest feelings towards their
former bondsmen, an d this feeling they
have been prompt to exhibit on all oc
sions. 1t is manifestly unjust to hold
them responsible for the occurrence of
such deeds as the IT cent affair at Ham
burg.
The Radical party assumed a fearful
responsibility III the sudden emancipn-
ton of the blacks; it added to that
responsibility when it so hastily be-
slowed upon them all the rights of
citizenship. The South was powerless
TO help itself, and though it hoped for
the best, yet dreaded what the future
might develope. 1t had not forg ,tten
the predictions of statesmen of the
last generation in regard to the con-
sequences of the sudden emancipa-
ton of the slaves. Those predictions
have not yet been fulfilled, and we
pray God they may neve- be, but it is
no fault of the Radical party that they
have not been, for they have made
every effort to force the issue upon us.
The Herald says that the RepubIi-
can stumpspeakers will attempt to
convince the negroes that if Mr.. Tilden
Is elected they will lose all their rights.
and if they are made to believe this
that universal mutiny among the
blacks will be the result.
There is no earthly fear of conflict
of races, if the minds of the blacks are
not poisoned by their Radical friends.
Every man, not a fool or a knave,
knows that the rights guaranteed to
the negro are as secure as those of the
white man and that the Southern peo-
pie have neither the power, nor have
they the wish to interfere with them in
any way. All such appeals to their
passions are in the highest degree re-
sponsible and should be frowned down
by good men everywhere. We want
peace for our section, peace with our
Northern brethren, peace with our
former slaves. The latter we will
have, if the former will cease to excite
them by infamatory appeals and false
statements known to be false, mahg-
nantly false, even by those who utter
them.