The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1882-03-23
Jones, of Nevada, ON n white
Mans Governments.

or should not this be a white mans
| government and the passage of
that bill in the senate is conclusive
evidence that, in the opinion of the
higher house of the federal Iegisla-
ture, il should. We halealready al
ludcd briefly TO the remarks of Sem
ator George, of Mississippi, on this
subject, and now desire to call
special attention to the speech of
Senator Jones (Republican,) from
Nevada, on the same line.
Before Noticing the main signiii-
canoe of the Nevada senator's re-
marks, however, that portion Of his
speech in which he stated that
owing to the presence of a servile
race III the south there existed a
dearth of intellectual activity in this
section III every department save
one-that of pohtics-is worthy
of more than passing notice.
Ii by the term "politics"
the senator meant ''the science of
craftsmanship" it must be admitted
that his exception is very vast
aud comprehensive one, and we
would like to call his attention TO
the long array of southern statesmen
who have shed honor and lustrc
upon the republic from its inception
even TO the present day. 1t was a
southerner, and a rebel at that, who
was most conspicuous in achieving
independence for this country, and
enabled IL 10 enjoy the blessings OF
freedom and civil liberty which to-
dayft0m the surest protection for
iheVast wealth which the fortunate
NeNadian is credited with possess
ing. They were southefIers who
made the most effective lieutenants
OF that southern rebel when he was
engaged in his great work. IL was
a southerner who was the father of
the declaration of independence and
the constitution of the United
States, and as we glance over
the pages of American his
tory we find that the names
of southern statesmen whose
splendid talents aud abilities have
done SO much for making the federal
Republic of the United States of
America in its earliest days to be
highly honored among all the ma
tions of the globe, are in decided
majority. And be il borne in mind
all this was accomplished while
there was literally servile race in
the south, and when that race COM
posed the slaves of those disun-
guished gentlemen. The imperish-.
able fame which they achieved, IL
must be remembered, was acquired
at time when mental accomplish
ments held a higher place in pub
lie regard than in these money-wor-
Shipping days, aud when something
more than the mere possession of
rich silver mines was needed TO
make man a statesman. They
were days when presidents and ex-
presidents of the United States
would have considered it the ex-
treme of contemptibilityto have used
their high office for the purpose of
fostering corrupt rings, and OF adj
vancing the interests OF party alone,
or TO have consented to the organi-
Zation of gift enterprises for their
benefit in compensation for their
services. Even If the names of
southerners are conspicuous by their
absence from the patent Office, the
country has no cause TO bewail the
iearth of intellectual activity in this
section.
But the most significant portion
of TIE Nevada senator's remarks are
TO he found in his words regarding
the negro race. Gle would not"
said he, "welceme Africans. Their
presence is not blessing to us, but
an impediment in our way" And
when he further admitted that the
experiment of making the African
the dominant race in the south chad
been q dismal failure, because laws
way above human laws have
placed our race superior to
and far above the other" his
remarks reached the climax of sig
nificance. But few years ago and
the south expressed to the very peo-
pie of which Senator Jones Is now
the representative, and among which
he was then prominent man
though not so prominent as now,
perhaps, for he had not then "struck
! it so rich"-this identical sentiment,
and earnestly protested against the
enfranchisement, at one fell sWoop,
of hundreds of thousands of igno-
rant and newly emancipated slaves
as tending only to the degradation
of the republic. Yet the people OF
the west scoffed at the idea. and iil-
sisted upon placing the south
ern white and his late slave
upon the same political level.
To-day, however, the tables have
turned. and now IL is the people of
the west who stand forth more con-
spicuously than those of any other
section as the champions OF a white
mans government. Strange to say,
however, they do not, ii the Nevada
senator may be taken as their
spokesman, base their argument In
favor of such a government alto
gether OH the grounds of the supe-
rior intelligence of the white man,
as did the south, but rather on the
ground that intelligence may be too
great, aud that the negroes are less
dangerous as citizens than the Chi
nese, because the skill of the latter
snake them more formidable COM
petitors than negroes" In other
words, in their opinion, the Chinese
are too smart, and the negroes are
not smart enough W De cii1ohS VI
the United States.
Despite the manifest crudity OF
this argument, it is, nevertheless,
encouraging to see that the people
of the west are, at last, having their
eyes opened TO the Importance OF
the great social and political p-ob
lem to which the southern people
have always endeavored TO direct
the thoughtful attention OF the peo-
pie of the whole country. II this
anti Chinese question shall result in
preventing hereafter the solidifica-
ton OF the north and west against
the south because the latter section
will not consent to be dominated by
the African race, the country will
have no occasion to regret its agita-
. ton.