National Republican., 1880-11-30
HAVE WE IN IRELAND s-Sumbsr 2.

HAVE WE IN IRELAND :-Sumbsr 2.
The extinction of slavery at the south
has not brought the degree Of material
prosperity that was anticipated by those
who favored ncpation; nor, on the
other hand, has it caused the decline noted
by Mr.. STEPHENS II was supposed by the
abolitionists that by striking OF the chains
of the slave hc would very soon assume
the rank and do the work of free Ameri-
can citizen as such citizen is kaown at the
north. 1t was supposed that by removing
the badge of slavery from the laborer it
would 10 longer be deemed disreputable TO
work, and consequently n large mass Of
whites who remained poor under the slave
system, because it was dsreput table to earn
living, would feel diiferen ntly when
slavery was out of the way, and at once 90
TO work and earn their living. The reason
ing was sound, but not sufficient time was
allowed in the calculation for the change
TO take place Nor was u sufficient allow
ance made for other circumstances.
Slavery being dead made necessary a
new adjustment Of conditions and ideas,
which caunot come suddenly. Something
more than freedom is required to make
men. Slavery was slain by the war; but it
left last will and testament containing a
legacy of curses which the legatees have no
power to decline One of these was an i'm.
poverished soil, another ignorance, another
idle habits, another improvidence, another
caste hatreds, and, in addition, whole
brood of false ideas concerning society, life
the body polite, and the proper aim and
destiny of the human race. This is fear
full inheritance not anticipated, and stands
in the way of prosperity and progress now
rs it did when slavery was alive. Slavery
is removed, but the curse is not. Tho
south is ideally free, but practically bound
| to the dead carcass of its old abomination
and unless it can get rid of q considerable
/ share of its incubus the state can neverrist
into the neighborhood of its ideal con
dition.
But to do this is not the work of mo
meut, and it will not be performed by mir
acle or accident. 1t will have to come by
consecutive steps and they will be SLOW
and made with eff0rt-made after SOM
and possibly many failures.
1t must be remembered that the soutl
has jus. emerged from an exhaustive con
hict. But the poverty caused by the wa
is as nothing in comparison with the falls
ideas left over from the war with the poy
ery. The war was carried on to establish
a new government founded on slavery
This was asserted by the leaders ant
founders of the new state. They SHOWED
their faith in slavery by fighting for its Sc
curity. They showed their faith in sla
very by enduring untold sufferings in it
behalf 1t is not easy for people who hat
convictions Of such prodigious strength {,
drop them II is not easy for them to be
leve that they fought for false system
and bled and died for lie, They are con
WINGED that they lost the institution, bu
they are not convinced that they wer
fighting for the maintenance of that whicl
was not good in itself Some of then
have an intellectual percepti on Of the fac
that slavery can never be restored, but YER
few are able to feel and fairly realize tn
necessity of building anew and conforming
to entirely different conditions in orde
that the new shall succeed, an by success
make them forget the memory of the old
This is to be Il weary work, for not only
the perception Or conviction lacking, bu
the blindest and bitterest of prejudice
stand in the way Of any just study Of th
situation, and pride rises with holy scor
r in rebellion to every prolier of assistanc,
When those to whom society has given tn
control Of the education Of the rising gen
Grafton are so far demented that they SUI
press all the teachings in school-books tia
nculcate the notions Of freedom and sui
stilute in their place books which attemI
10 revive ideas that were slain when sli
very went down, the case seems almo'
hopeless aud yet such is the case to bedea
with.
1t must be abundantly evident from I'll