The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1877-04-25
Southern Society.

The true IN wardness of the late
Southern policy Of the Republican
party was belief that The good OF
the country required the elevation
OF the colored voter TO the control of
the reconstructed States. Disguised.
perhaps, under cover of q demand
for race equality, for fir ee elections,
for the protection Of the wards of
the nation, and the ratification Of the
result ofthe war, there was a sincere
conviction in the mind OF The average
Northern Republican THAT it was
essential TO the prosperity of his
party and the peace Of the South to
make the freedman UppermOst IN
politics rebels could not be trusted !,
the negro would be remanded to
slavery unless he controlled the Leg
islatures, the courts. and the execu-
tive Offices. So for eight years the
earpet-bag Governors aud the Ad-
ministration party in Congress tried
to make the pyramid stand on it's
apex.
The result is before the world. In
one way or another, by fair means or
foul, the control of several of the
States has been secured to the color
ed race. They have occupied the
bench aad the jury-box, made the
laws, collected the revenue, voted the
appropriations, handled the money
done everything except pay the
taxes. They have had ample oppor-
tunity 10 develop their own latent
capacities, to get an education, to
make fortunes, to acquire land, to
rise in society. What have they
done of all these things? Our cores
pondent in Charleston drew picture
OF the condition OF the colored people
OF South Carolina. and it is about
the same in every State where the
negro has held away. As q race
they are idle. ignorant and vicious
they neither learn nor save. They
were fond Of their books in the first
novelty Of freedom lint they care for
them no longer. They were eager TO
get their little EARNS, but they have
let them fall to ruin. Why should q
man 60 10 school, asks the usualtype
Of South Carolina freedman, when il
is so much nicer to 90 10 The Legis-
lature or get elected justice of the
peace? Why should a man work
when he can make a living by steal
ing chickens and sit on the fence for
amusement? Let Us face the truth
Our Southern policy has not only
been curse to the whites. but il
has been a curse TO the freed people
for whose beFefit il wio adopted. 1t
has not made them good citizens 1t
has not taught them how to use the
ballot. 1t has introduced among
them decentralization more danger
ons 40 the country than the violence
Of the White league. for no republi-
can government can staad which is
not founded upon the suffrages Of
the virtuous and intelligent.
Every body knows that the negro,
left to himself would not get the
mastery until he had acquired some
OF the qualifications for it. Even
where be had q numerical majority of
4 the population and was perfectly free
10 vote as he pleased, he wouId ma
d9turaIly take a subordinate position
so long as lie had neither money, nor
education, nor habits Of thrift and
foresight. nor comprehension of the
art OF government. And it is proper
that lac should Universal suffrage
would he an absurdity except upon
the theory tina. il generally results in
the advancement Of the INTEL gent
and respectable. A majority of the
veters, whether virtuous or no, are
supposed TO understand that self-in-
tere5t requires them to entrust the
Government ouly TO those who are
able 10 control it. But The Grant
policy vas based upon different
principle. Itassumed that The great
secret or reconstruction was TO take
the negr0 out ofthe cotton field and
put him ID the STATE house. send him
..- q company Of soldiers to hold him
fast in his seat. aud trust TO lock for
the rest. The natural results have
followed The negro has learned
nothing good in his elevation. and is
no better able TO carry on State
government to-day than he was six
years ago.
The only way TO reform Southern
society is to stand aside and leave
the voters free and unembarrassed.
Then If these communities are not
utterly corrupt, all things will soon
find their natural level, and the rule
Of the majority will act as it acts
else where.