The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-12-21
THE NEGRO rs Il RULER,

The Galaxy of Able Negro Orators and
Politicians that Ruled tho Palmetto
Statc-.Why Thsy have Fnilcn--NVhat They
IIavo DOno for Tho Race.
| Editorial Correspondence Philadelphia Times. ]
COLUMBIA, 5. G., December TO-
The problem OF negro Sclt.rule has not
been solved, rs the true solution must
be the work Of years Of opportunity
for growth in fitness for sclt-rulc, but
it has been fairly tried in two portions
OF the Union since tho war, and in
both Instances it has resulted in de-
bauchcd leaders and dcmorulzed fol-
lowers, leaving the general condition
Of tho race worse because Of the cx-
pertinent. 70 assume that the black
man, who has been slave i'm the
South and mcnial in the North, and
whose education was either positively
interdictcd or neglected, should prove
himself proficient in sclt-rulc, without
Tstanttafat wouth 0va6rtlrotwa every
principle of popular government; but
a country that is Struggling to solve
tho problem Of universal suffrage,
with the great States subject to the
numerical majority Of ignorant and
thrlftlcss masses, must carefully study
every recurring phase Of the effort. liz
washington City, where the negro
was first cntrauchiScd, tho nation OK
hlbited to the world the most corrupt,
profligatc and dcmoralizcd govern
mcnt to be found in the Union, and
the same political power that gave the
ballot to the black men Of tho capital,
was compelled to revoke the elective
franchise and save The credit and good
name OF Washington by making the
negro voiceless in his own government.
1t was q sad nccessitv-and q sad con
1ession Of the failure of SUFFRAGE when
exercised by race prejudice without in
tclligcnce; but the same Republican
statesmen who gave the right of self.
rule to the black man in the caDital of
the nation, had to rescue the caDital
irom destruction and shame by sweep
ing disfranchiscmcnt.
NEGRO RULE IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
In no section Of the Union did the
colorcd race have such an oppor-
tunity 70 succeed in crcditablc scli.rulc
as in South Carolina, and the failure
has simply made it impossible for them
to regain power in this State for many
years to come. That tue illitcratc
bondman of Yesterday should rule q
great State wiscl; to-day, could not
DC expected; but the masses have fail
cd to be just to themselves and the
power they were suddenly called upon
! to exercise, mainly because Of the cor
rnption and taithlcssncsS of tho leaders
OF the race. South Carolina had n
galaxy of colorcd leaders when Recon-
struction committed the control of tho
State to the prcpondcrating race, that
has not been cqualcd in ability and
culture in any other portion of the
country; and If they had been honest
with their race and with power. the
negro masses would have been clcvat-
ca, instead OF dcmoralizing them, and
they would have been taught industry,
sclf--reliancc and thrift instead Of ap.,
Pcaiins 10 the passions, prciudiccs and
low Gupidity Of ignorance. When l
recall the long list of able negroes who
were prominent IN tic early Republi-
can rule Of South Carolina and follow
them through their gradual descent
into dependence or shame, it presents
& pointed commentary upon the pro.
6lcm Of sclf-rulc by tho negro. There
arc negro names connected with The
control Of South Carolina which
should have made tho State and the
race illustrious in the elevation Of the
freedmen and in the just government
OF the commemorative. Snd many OF
them were natives of the Stltc. Car
doza, Raincy, Smalls and Nash were
al born IN slavery. Cartloza was made
free by his tathcrmastcr; Raincy pur-
chased his own freedom before the
war, and Smalls and Nash were made
free by emancipation. These men, ell
doWed with uncommon Intelligence.
ana Knowing tho bondman's cruel
life, should have boon each Moses to
lead his people into the promised land
OF sclt-rnlc; but Cardoza and Smalls
arc convicts to-day, and Nash escaped
the criminal dock by confession and
resignation of his scat in the Senate.
Raincy alone escaped q career of
crime, and lie ceased to be potential
with his race. Of the other distin.