The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1879-09-23

The vigorous views oS AN Indepcnd-
ent Paper.


The Times has spoken, generally, of
the southern people as barbarians. The
Characterization is not complimentary;
il is not respectful; aud OF course is the
reverse of agreeable To those whom il
impleads. But II is true. Not in the
meaning that every inhabitant of the
South Is an uncivilized creature, for
the fact is not so; but in the sense that
society at the South, by comparison To
society at the North, is still IN a re-
latiyely barbarous state. There are
some educated, refined and civilized
men and women OF the South, some in
whom the savage nature is well subor-
dinated 10 the social nature; hut, tax
ing the former slaye-holding section as
whole, these are not a majority OF
Southern men aud women, nor of
Southern white men aud women. The
character of society Is that of its dom
mating part, modified by such mega
tive influence as its dominated part
may be able TO make effective. The
dominating part of society at the South
is not yet advanced from conditions of
| ignorance aud savagery that gives the
character of barbarism.
When African slavery was one Of the
peculiar institutions" of the Southern
section, no other proof Of the barbar-
/ Gus character of its dominant class was
requisite. For in no country, in no age of
the world, has human slavery ever ex-
isted among a people that could prop
erly be called civilized. Though there
are many barbarous countries IN which
slavery is not found, its existence in
any country is a certain mark OF a bar
barous state of society. 1t is proof OF
a deficient moral sense in the average
man, causing a defective understanding
of the equity principle which
\ is the foundation Of all civilized polity.
Its existence is but a strong manifesto
/ tion OF the predominence OF the savage
nature Of man, which denies to his fell
low-men the liberty he asserts for HIM
self, over the civilized nature, which
admits the equal rights of all rational
| beings in their claim of natural liberty.
The abolition Of slavery was not an
| index OF the advance of the slayehold-
ers in civilization; for it was effected by
| force against their will. Ii has no
/ doubt been followed by some degree
OF advancement from the state OF bar
| bansm that slavery indicated. There
are many ex-slaveholders that are glad
of the change, and would not re-estab-
lish slavery il they were at liberty to
do so. This is some evidence that the
/ South is getting more civilized than IL
was. But there are IN many portions
/ of the South thousands of men who
still think there was no inequity IN
slavery, and who, If they had the pow
er would remand the negroes to
| bondage.
More generally the barbarous nature
OF the Southern people Is manifested
in the notion that the negro is a differ
ent kind of animal from themselves,
whom il is not crime to slay; at least
not so great a crime AS 20 slay a white
person. The same notion is peculiar TO
savage tribes elsewhere. The wild
Sioux who wreaks his savage vengeance
upon a slayer OF a member of his tribe
deems IL no offense, but rather an evil
dence of bravery, TO slay the man Of a
different tribe. The difference between
| the Sioux barbarian aud the Yazoo bar
barian is one OF degree only.
Another index OF barbarism is the
disposition TO regard as enemies
men who hold opinions contrary 10
their own. The savage idolater Is
moved by the strongest of human feel
ings, the religious feeling, to destroy
the man who comes preaching differ
ent religious belief The Southern
barbarian can not plead religious
motive for the intolerance he manifests
in hating, prescribing, aud shooting to
death the man who holds political
/ A.
A candid aud impartial northern OBJ
server in Mississippi writes:
People in the North have formed no idea
I OF the bitter burning. unrclcnting hatred that
/ the Democrats have for the Republicans -
There are now 30 white Republican voters in
this county. not one OF whom il Northern
man They are avoided by the Democratic
whites. dcspised. detested. ostracized. They
| arr called radicals, and that word contains
all the significance Of hatred, horror, and iu-
fanny that the word 'in6del used 20 contain IN
the Christian world
What is here said of society in Mis-
sissippi is true, with some moditica-
tiou, in almost every part OF the South
where slavery existed. II is one Of the
clearest manifestations Of barbarous
state of society.
The affactation OF what, at the South,
goes by the name Of chivalry is the
/ same sort OF chivalry travellers every
where observed among barbarous
/ tribes. IL is seen in the paint aud
/ feathers OF the Indian brave" in the
/ braggadocio Of the Oriental bandit; in
/ the readiness for quarrel and
blood-lettiDg Of the Arab. There is no
creature SO sensitive of what the
Southerners call "honah" as the semi
nude savage, who vindicates il in the
Southern fashion by committing
murder.
Disregard of the rights OF persons
/ looked upon as enemies, aud contempt
for the rules which civilization makes
for their security, are unfailing indi-
ces Of harbarism. Everywhere IN the
South these marks Of barbarous peo-
pie are more or less conspicuous. No
respectfully civilized American can per.
ruse the evidence taken upon the trial
OF one Of the savages implicated in the
/ horrible Chisholm butchery IN Missis-
sipi without feeling a sense OF shame
ia being a citizen OF a country where
such barbarism is suffered TO exist
The proof is perfectly conclusive that
in Mississippi the laws of civilization
are effectual 20 restrain or punish bar
barism, as savage, cruel aud lawless as
any that ever infested a South African
Jungle. IL is not in the Chisholm
butchery, nor in the Yazoo murder, nor
in the hundred Of murders aud main
ings for political opinions that every
year are committed in that section, that
the most conclusive evidence OF a bar
barous state Of society appears, but IN
the fact that society there hardly ever
attempts To restrain such horrible prac-
tices Of barlarians. The murderers of
political opponents are seldom appre-
hended, or IL apprehendcd are seldom
brought 10 trial, or even committed
to jail. An indictment by a grand jury
in such a case is farce; the conviction
of an offender an unknown occurrence.
II is established by most conclusive
proof, beyond any shadow OF doubt,
that the savage, Henry j. Gully, muir
cred Miss Chisholm; yet 10 - said that
not one man in all Mississippi has the
least idea that the murderer will be
found guilty. Public opinion in that
country would not Justify the convic-
tion Of a man holding the prevailing
political opinions for deliberately
shooting TO death political opponen,
or the daughter Of that opponent
Such is the state OF society Ia Missis.
sippi. IL is a state OF barbarism. SO.
ciety in its controlling part is compos.