The Logan County banner. [volume] (Logan, W. Va.) 1889-1903, 1889-12-26
rng sKGK0. PRoRLEn.

eel fabOrer, to-day lie Is q Tree
American citizenand anrlector-
having the same rights and priv
ilcgcr az his wKixc neighbor.
AS a slave I've was u conserva-
tive factor In our government,
owned by the people Of the South.
every Southern inan in the halls
of Congress was the representa-
tive Of labor, and labor was effec-
tually projected from legislation
entirely in the intercstof capital.
As citizen and a voter his in
flucnce for good upon the body
polite il lost. Yet It's right that
he should be free. No human be-
ing should lie held in bondage
man should never have the power
ito make his fellow mourn.
There was some benefit to the
government in his former condi-
ton, in his present condition he
is q bone Of contention. The
right of suffrage was bestowed
upon him for the purpose Of con-
trolling the States OF the South,
and IF holding them III the Re-
publican column with the aid Of
Federal bayonets, a few Northern
adventures, and a less number Of
Southern rcncgades his power in
-the-SeHta- was established fora
few years, when the corruption Of
the State governments became a
stencil in the nostrlls of every de-
cent American, and to-day not
one Of his race occupies seat in
the American halls of legislation.
What then IS to be done with
him
Grave Republican Senators
speak of lettering his condition
by federal supervision of our
national elections, and think by
this means to place him again in
power. or rather to make him a
catspaw by which Southern Re-
publicans may be allowed to mis-
represent their States. This has
also been tried and Tire pcop.a
have rcpndiated it The -intelli=-
gence of the middle States, the
liberty loving New England, and
the sturdy yeomanry Of the great
west are as much opposed to it as
the people Of the South, and the
party enacting Federal election
law would be hurled from power.
H,hewever, the present Congress
should pass such u law, and should
place a Gordon OF Deputy Mar
shals around every polling plaza
in the country, would it in any
way benefit the Southern negro2
Would it not really have the eff
feet of melting disreputable poll.
ticians 10 stirTup bad blood be-
tween the races. and cause riot.
and bloodshed every where in the
South, and at last lead to such a.
conflict between the races, as to
mean the determination of ono. or
tk~ other.
This is a serious question, and
ono that should be fully discus
ed, not in partisan spirit, but
with purpose looking only To-
the future glory of our American
Republic, and best interests of all
Of its citizens.
The next idea proposed Is that
OF colonization. This is the bet
ter. solution if it were feasible,
but has, the time not passed for
colonixasscM~ 1t might have been
done when their shackles were
first removed and before they be-
came citizens Of free republic
Who has now the right to say to
an American citizen, who is guilty
Of no crime, that he shall be exil-.
ed from his native home to for
-eign State We would be glad
to see the negro emigratc, but he
will never do it willingly. His
home is in the South, his forefath-
crs, as well as his children, sleep
upon the hill sides near the old
master he loved so well, the white
men Of the South were his play
mates in youth, and he under
stands their habits, and he knows
in his heart Of hearts that they
are his only frieStls, The negro
as body will newenragree to col
onization.
What then must be dones
I'm our opinion it is best to leave
him as he is, and that Providence
which has so far shaped. our des-
tiny will solve the problem. Let
our present Congress look after
the questions which are specially
delegated to it by the constitution
and the neoDle of the SOuth