The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-04-19
Refrigeration OF the CoIored Race,

The New York Tribune says that the
| true inwardness of the late Southern
policy of the Republican party was a
belief that the good of the country re-
CURED the elevation of the colored
voter to the control of the reconstruct
ed States. Disguised perhaps under
cover of demand for race equality,
for free elections, for the protection of
the wards of the nation, and the ratifi-
cation of the result of the war, there
was a sincere conviction in the mind
of the avarage Northern Republican
that it wus essential 20 the prosperi' y
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 slav-
cry unless he controlled the legisla-
lures, the courts, and the executive
offices. So for eight years the carpet
bag governors and the administration
party in Congress tried to make the
pyramid stand on its 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 colnred
race. They have occupied the bench
and the jury box, MADE the laws, col
lceted the revenues, voted the appro-
priations, handled the money-done
everything except pay the taxes. They
have had ample opportunity to develop
their own latent capacities, to get an
land, to r1se In society. What nave
they done of all these thingsl AS a
race they are ignorant, idle and
vicious. They neither learn nor save.
They were fond of their books in the
first novelty of freedom, but they care
for them no longer. They were eager
to get their little farms, but they have
let them fall to ruin. Why should a
man go TO school, asks the usual type
Of South Carolina freedman, when 1t is
so much nicer to go to the legislature
or get elected justice of the peace2
Why should a man work when he can
make living by stealing chickens, and
SIT on the fence for amusement Lat
rs face the truth. Our Southern policy
has not only been a curse to the
whites, but it has been a curse to the
freed people for whose benefit it was
adopted. 1t has not made them good
citizens. 1t has not taught them how
to use the ballot. It has introduced
among them decentralization more
dangerous to the country than the vi
olence of the White League, for no re-
publican government can stand which
is not founded upon the suifrages Of
the virtuous and intelligent.
Everybody knows that the negre.
left to himself, would not get the mas
terry until he he'd acquired some of the
qualifications for it. Even where he
had numerical majority Of the popu-
lation and was perfectly free to vote as
be pleased, he would naturally take a
subordinate position SO long az he had
neither money, nor education, nor hab-
its of thrift and foresight, nor compre-
hension of the art Of government. And
it is proper that be should. Universal
suffrage would Le an absurdity except
upon the theory that it generally results
in the advancement OF the intelligent
and respectable. A majority Of the
voters, whether virtuous or not, are sup
posed to understand that self-interest
requires them TO entrust the govern