Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1889-10-03
aegrc Depopuiation Or determination

Has it como to this? Sink or swim,
live or die, survive or perish--is this the
dilemma to which the people of the
South are reduced iii the solution of
their so-called race problem? Are we
bereft Of all expediepts save the inexora-
ble one of determination, should tho ne
1 gro and white man much longer inhabit
this favored landP VIII the cry be
raised, ''let slip tho dogs of war, and
damned be he who first says, hold,
fenoughp' Wo trow not. Wo cannot
subscribe to any such pessimistic view.
In this issue will be found commu-
5llication from Mr.. VIM. P. Calhoun, Of
Abbeyillo, to which we readily give place,
correcting the errors into which, he says,
we have fallen concerning his plan, and
explaining at length his idea of negro
colonization, which, itsoems, might more
appropriately be termed negro depopula-
tion or determination. Now that no
states for himself what his plan is, we
can certainly take what ho here says to
: be true, and it will bo seen that there
was but little, if any, error in our gene
raj statement of his position. His idea
is, the negro is compelled to 60, poacca-
bly,, if he will, forcibly, if he must.
After calling attention to our alleged
error, ho gives Ts tho benefit Of his Now
Mexico colonization plan, and, disavow-
ing tho advocacy OF forciblo separation.
proceeds to inform us and tho world
But whilo this is tho case, I do not hcs-
tate to say, that if somo such plan as
proposed by me is not adopted, forciblo
measures will bo used Every event
connected with the two raccs in tho South
points directly to tho fact that they can
not live together; and IN the near future
the issue will be colonization or extermi-
nation, and there is no usn in Disgusting
tho fact"
If this be tho ultimatum, then vcrily
he must have "tho gift of prophecy, and
understand all mysteries, and all know
LEDGE" for we fail to sec how else he could
make such an authoritative dcliverancc.
Surely this oracle must have had its ori-
gin in tho subtle alchemy of his per-
turbed imagination, as he drcarily
dreamed of somo possible fistycuff be-
tween negro and white man. Let us
hope so, for the good Of both races. No
doubt Mr.. Calhoun can point to this
prophecy in all faith, and sincerely say,
"thom's my sentiments.''
After all, tho whole scheme is mainly
q matter of sentiment which has given
many an opportunity of vcntilating their
visionary ideas. 1t has been said by close
and thoughtful observers that it is the
easiest thing III tho world to start race
war-on paper, And just so nothing is
easier than to separate the races-on pa
per. But how hard to accomplish tho
thing in reality! How will it be doncq
Where Is the power to compel tho scpa-
rationP Echo answers, where? 1t is i'm
possible and there is no use in denying
or Disgusting this fact.
Some think that because tho Indians
were put to themselves on reservations
by tho government, tho same thing can
be done with tho negro. Tho illustration
fails to illustrate though, in the very i'm
portant particular that tho Indian was
not citizen, whereas the negro is, and
is vested with all the rights of legal citi-
zenship that arc enjoyed by the white
man. just here tho illustration brakes
down. There is no more analogy be-
tweed the legal status of tho Indian and
negro than there is between tho color of
their skin, tho ono being red, tho other
black. 1t is the stubborn fact of tho ne
groe's citizenship that raises the imprcg-
nable barrier to his colonization at this
late day. There might have been, and
was, some excuse for advocating coloni-
Zation before he was set FREQ and vested
with all the rights Of citizen. But the
moment he was made an American citi-
zen, was taken away the right to colonize
him. Tho constitutions of both the
United States and every State forbid the
exercise of any such authority, and it is
tho height of folly to talk about any
such radical amendment in this respect
of tho organic law.
But it is said, no forced separation OF
the races is advocated; that it is to be
poluntary, and the negro is to be con-
yinced that it will be to his interest to
60. But who is thus to persuade and
convince him? The white man? Might
not tho ubiquitous negro reply: "Go
yourself. New Mexico is such fine co,n-
wy e'AS "iheS hi"i otEhV W
South Carolina is good enough for me
yet awhile" And this is just about as
far as the voluntary separation Of the
races would 60 in practice. Tho New,
berry Herald and Neps woll says:
"Tho Moses who is to lead this great
exodus, is still in Midian, and we are
AFRAID il will DC n long timo before he
makes his appearance"
True, good many might and would
go, but when VIC consider tho immense
multitudes of negroes in the South, and
tho ratio of their rapid increase, the
number who would go voluntarily would
scarcely bo missed, oven should they FIJI
New Mexico to ovcrflowing. We are
free to admit that any plan of separation
which would not be compulsory will
mover accomplish tho desired end. II
must necessarily be compulsory to be
practical. No law without q compulsory
sanction can be moro than mere pre-.
cept. TO legislate against crime and not
prescribe its punishment would bo fu
tile; and just so to legislate for tho sepa.
ration Of tho races without the constitu
tional power to enforce it, would be fool
ish. Whenever it is made clear that tho