Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1889-06-28
FRIDAY MORNING. JUNE %, 1889


There is no better sign of the times than
to see the spirit of fair inquiry being eXhlbl-
ted by some of the ablest minds at the N orth
with regard to the problem of the Negro at
the South. 1t is encouraging, not only from
its contrast to the senseless, bovine way III
which many of the Republican politicians
there toss and horn the intricate and dell
cate question, but from the fact that III
such men the South may get aid-lt aid can
be gotten anywhere-in solving it. For,
after all. if anything but Time is to bring
the solution, it can be but one thing, a
calm. broad-minded inquiry into 1t as
matter of political science. 1t is in that
light the leading minds of the South have
been studying it aided by experience and
they are glad to welcome the leading minds
of the North aided by observation, into the
field. 1t is study which, to be even APP
proXimately successful, must be Invested
of all prejudice, and at the very outset two
OF three points must be agreed on. One OF
these is that the South does not want the
Negro in it's midst for the political power
he gives: that he is not a citizen whose
presence is desired that he may count III
representation and yet have his vote stl1led.
The South would willingly give up the rep
resentation the black man gives her in Con-
aress if he could be removed from her midst
no matter how great minority 1t would
nut her in. We believe the people OF the
South are almost unanimous ON this, SO 1t
will be seen that they are not unwilling TO
contribute their share Of sacrifice to the
solution of the problem. But at the same
time they have the accumen, sharpened
enough by being participants in the situa-
ton, to know that they will never be called
on for this; that the negro will never be re-
moved, and that he will not suffer any cur
tailment of his franchise which does not
equally affect the white man. Seeing this
they have patiently set down to wait for
Time. and to ascertain in the meanwhile
how the situation can be ameliorated ii the
problem cannot be solved. 1t is impossible
that they shall best deal with this nice and
subtle question under the disturbing infiu-
epce of hostile pressure from without.
Just in proportion as that pressure is appll-
ed. must they use the strong and quick arm
instead of the patient and thoughtful
search. One cannot accurately adjust the
machinery of a watch while his neighbor is
pelting him with bricks.
One of the ablest men in this country
one of family of great intellects, Henry
M. Field the editor Of the ''New York
Evangelist and the brother of Cyrus,
Dudley, and Justice Field of the .. S.
Supreme Court, has just been making a
tour through the South. Among the last
points Oh his homeward journey was Viz
ginia and Staunton. He is, like all of his
famous brothers save the Justice, Re
publican in politics, and had before his
tour preconceived views about the situation
at the South The tenor of his letter i'll
the number of the Evangelist now before
us. may be gathered from it's opening sen
tence: eff the confession of ignorance is
the first step in the road to knowledge, /
think I am in way to learn something
though it may leave me in the end both q
wiser and sadder man. y The letter itself
shows an appreciation of the situation
which we would have only looked for as the
result of years instead of weeks of obser
vation-and which has caught its intricate
and insuperable difficulties. He deals
straight with the question of the ballot fol
the Negro He thinks it was a terrible
blunder to give him the ballot, and that thu
present situation is the result of that mis-
take, but it would be as great a mistake
now to interfere to enforce the use of tina
ballot. He says
''It is quite natural that the colored peopl
of the South, if they feel that they are reduced
to insignifcance by the management OF polit
icaI affairs should turn to the North, to hell
them out. They are dependent race, accus
toned to lean on one that is superior. In tn
old days they leaned upon their masters, no
only for support, but for guidance in every
thing; and now that this dependence is takeI
away, they turn to the North for symDath.
and aid To say that the North feels for them
is very mild way of putting it; it feels d6epl
for any disabilities or hardships that arise Oh
of their new position. Bat acAat can 1t do?
can help them in the way of education; it cal
give money for schools and colleges; but i
cannot interfere in political and social affairs
That, the South would resent,as we should re
sent any outside Interference with the affair
of the City OF State of New Y DIRK. We hav
many things that are bad enough, such a
ballot-box stuffing and false counting o
votes; but we do not call on the Nationa
Government to put them down. That is GU
business. We believe in home rule, and
that is the law in New York, so it must be i
Georgia and Mississippi. AS to its intel
nal affairs, the South mast aoOrk out ats 0w
sGlgGtiO71!' %
Another great mind at the North, E. I
Godkin, also a Republican, has entered til
discussion of this question. In the Forum
for this month he has an article Oh tn
subject which is as clear as it is strong. w
make an extract from it -
every few of US, when discussing the sup
preston of the negro vote, ask ourselves wha
would be the effect on Southern society of no
suppressing the negro VOTE and yet this ques
ton, to every rational mind, forms at leas
One-half-and not the least important half-o
the whole subject Southern society does no
exist for the purpose of enabling ignoran
negroes to cast ballots; civilized society doe
not exist anywhere in order to afford ignorant
men an opportunity of going through the
forms of government. No MAJ
at the North who has no negro question to fact
really knows how he would settle it if he haC
to face it. 1t is not possible for any cOmmu
nifty in which the ignorant are and Away.
have been in small minority to say with any
degree of positiveneSs how it would behave i
it suddenly found all its great interests hotl
moral and material, placed at the mercy of q
majority composed of half-barbarous laborers
acting through the forms of law No New