The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-01-05
The Tribune VS.. The Tribune

\ distinguished Virginian sends us the
following article for reproduction. 1t ap-
peared in the New York Tribune some
years ago, when the failure to "make the
pyramid stand on its apex" was con-
spicuous fact 1t suits the purposes OF
that journal TO talk differently now. The
article We are about to quote was written
by Mr.. GREELEY, we suppose. 1t is as
follows:
SOUTHERN SOCIETY.-The true inward
ness of the late southern policy of the Re-
publican party was belief that the good Of
the country required the elevation of the
col0red voter to the control OF the recon-
structed States. Disguised, perhaps, I'M
der cover OF demand for race equality,
for free elections, for the protection Of the
wards of the nation, and the ratification of
the result OF the war, there was a sincere
conviction in the mind of the average
northern Republican that it was essential
to the prosperity OF his party and the peace
Of the South to make the freedman upper
most in politics. Rebels could not be
trusted. The negro would he remanded
to slavery 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 colored race. They have
| occupied the bench and the Jury box,
made the laws. collected the revenue,
voted the appropriations, handled the mo-
ney-done everything except pay the
taxes. They have had ample opportunity
to develop their own latent capacities, to
get an education, TO make fortunes. to ac-
quire land, to rise in society. What have
they done OF all these things? Our CORE
spondent in Charleston drew picture of
the condition of the colored people OF
South Carolina, and it is about the same in
every State where the negro has held sway.
As race they are idle, ignorant. 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
fail to run. Why should man go to
school, asks the usual type Of South Caro-
lima freedman, when it is so much nicer to
go to the Legislature or get elected justice
OF the peacey Why should man work
when be can make living by stealing
chickens and sit on the fence for amuse-
menty Let us face the truth. Our south
ern policy has not only been curse to the
whites, but 1t has been q curse to the freed
people for whose benefit 1t was adopted.
1t has not made them good citizens. 1t has
not taught tkem how TO use the ballot. 1t
has introduced among them demOraliza-
| ton more dangerous 10 the country than
the violence Of the White League; for no
| republican government can stand which Is
not founded upon the suffrages Of the vir-
| tu0us and intelligent.
Everybody knows that the negro. left to
himself, would not get the mastery until
he had acquired some OF the qualifications
for It. Even where he had q numerical
majority OF the population, and was per-
fectly free to vote Us he pleased, he would
naturally take subordinate position so
long as he had neither monev. nor educa-
tlon. nor habits OF thrift and foresight, nor
comprehension Of the art Of government.