The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-12-13

MoNT CLAIR, n. j., Dec. 12-[Special. :
Hon. W. G. =. Breckinridge, of Kentucky,
and Mr. Thomas Nelson Page, of Virginia,
delivered addresses here tonight, present
ing the Southern side Of the negro question.
Mr.. G.. w. Gable and negro spoke here
some time since on the same subject, giving
{ e Northern side OF the negro problem.
The addresses tonight were exceedingly
able, and listened to with marked interest.
rhs following are the salient points Of Mr..
Pages speech
SYNOPSIS OF THE ADDRESS.
In opening his address DIR. Page said:
should one hearing the phrase, The two
sections" take the map OF this American
Union and study Its natural features, ne
would declare that they were by natural
geographical divisions the East and the " est.
should he study the commerce OF the cOun-
try, with its vast currents and Tides, lts neids
Of agriculture and manufacture, he would De
compelled o dt clare that by all the inexor-
able laws Of interest they were the East aud
est. And yet we who stand amid the In
contestable evidences OF events know that
asainst all laws, against oil reason, against
all right, there are wO sections OF this couD
try, and they are not the East and the West,
but the south and the rest Of the Union.
The speaker explained al some length, and
with great eirnestness and ability, hat the
ever present, eyer-menacng. ever growng
negro question, was the question which al
| ter TWEEN y-iiYs years CT pence and prosperity,
still keeps the sOuth one lection, and the
rest OF the nation The other"
Dr. rage th~n pro uced Interesting ana III
strucuve evidence showing that the race
| ques ION in the South wasOne "f he grandest
and most important OF all, and that the
negroes were the sufferers, were untrue, but
| ne real injury IS not TO the negro, but 10 the
| white"
DIFFICULTIES IN THE QUESTION.
''The chief difficulty in the solution OF the
question exists IN the different views held ~
| TO II by the two sections. They do not un-
derstsnd II alike; they do not regard II alike
| me stand as widely divided as 20 IL to-day
| as they stood twenty-five years ago. Their
ultimate int rests are Identical; their present
| interests are not very ridely different. Their
| opposite attitudes as TO II thereiofef must DE
due 10 the error somewhere. one or the other
| section must be In error as 10 IL; possibly
| neither may be exactly right.
"rhis much we know and can assert: there
must be an absolutely light position II
| is ImperaiiVely necessary tnat we mud ". fof
| on our discovery OF IL and ON planting our
| selves on II depends our security. II We
have not found II, the sooner we realize that
| fact the better for us and for those tnat snail
come sffer us; II we have found II the sooner
| we make II understood the better. UDe thing
| is certain, there Is no security In silence;
| afety In inactiOD If nifty million negroes
ire on the way, with san Domingo ana iue
| French revolution In their train. there is nc
time for sleep: the white race has need IL
| watch.
"lhe first step TO be taken is To sound the
alarm. Let the matter be discussed. Turn
the light OH IT. Explsre II 10 lis deepest
| centre. Let II he examined, measured com
pretended, dealt with az shall be found 10 be
| Just and right. The old method OF cTimlna-
tion and defiance Will 10 longer avail. The
4 a.. l,.o .aIf IA In qefix n nd
must deal Wi h the qustlOn calmly. nationally
philOsOphicdlly. Let us not waste ourselves
| in defending positions which are def nceless,
| tnd thus incur deserved defeat We must
abandon all untenable positions whatsoeve';
| u ace ourselves on the impregnable ground OF
| right and then whatever may meantime be-
| tide, we can calmly await the inevitable
s;ificatiOn Of events.
| "In the Il st place. Let us disemharrass our
selves by discarding all irrelevant and e1-
traneOus questions. Let Us make II primari-
! ly understood tnat the pending question has
| no connection whstever with the question Oi
slavery. or with that OF 10y atty TO the Union
Putting aside all mere prejudice whatever
whether springing from the negros former
4 condition Of servltude, or rom Oiher causes
\ let us base our argument on facts.
! IL am convinced that wnateve prejudice
may exist, a constant, frfn and philnscphi6
| presentation of the facts 81 the case must IN
| the end, establish the truth and secure TN
| right remedy The spirit OF civillz ition mus
q IN ~ encounter. right must eventually
triumph.
.Ile Norih deems the pending question
merely one OF the enforcement or subyersiof
OF an elective franchise law. IL has never &C
! .epted the proposition that IL Is great race
| uu -stiOn' on when hlrges the preservation o.
| I e Union. the secufiiy OF the people, whit'
| ,nd black alike, and III progress OF Amen
ran ciYiliza ION. Perhaps no clearer or more
authoritative exposition of the views beid oS
! he North on this question can b fOnnh In =
tnat set forth by Mr. GEORGE W Gable In his re-
cent ad res before The Ma sachusttt Cluti
fBosion, on the last 22d of february. NJ
more uDkind ana insldiOus at ack has ever
been made on "A people tnan In II contained
ln this address. he favor with which i wa
received ny the class To whom II was de ~
cred testifles The extent 10 which the ques
non Is IN sunderst' Oh in that section:
THE PROBLEM DEFINED.
mir. Cable. after negativing The sou her
| dea OF the Ques. ion, drclar S: The problem
| whether Americas 81 lzeIs shall not enJo'
| equal rights IN the choice OF Their rul, Is. !
Is not "a question OF the negroes rlght 10 RUE
| ltls simply Il question of heir rigntt ehoOs
| rulers and, as In rec Instruction days The,
| :, lecitd more white men for office than mel
lof The + own race. they would pi iobably 10 81
now.' This is quoted WI" approval by even
so liberal and well-ipiOfinsd linkef as IN
Rev. Henry M Yield, Who eertaihly, as | be
| lcve hears Onl, good VIII TO the SOuln.
IL consider that he endorsemenI OF thes'
views by such men as Df. Field proves Ia
more han the dcelar ItioDs OF Mr.. able. VIII
1ns less reason to bear us good viii; that tn
orth abseii ,ely misappfehends the lIu
question which coufroHts the nation AT TIM
Ime. IL has from constant iteration accept
4 ed certain statements, su b as shos mace d.
| ,lr Gable. and these constitute It's preml,e e
on which IL iiises all its reasoning and all ~
laction. The iroube u tbat its Hrst y einis'
is falacious ITS teachers, It's preschers, II
writers, its orators, Its philosophers. It's po1
icians nave with one voice; ana anat ;,
4 sitting into It's mind with AL tue persuasive
ness OF convection and all the inslstanc
OF Digotry The nne0n lrdlcted doctrihe wa
the -outf, brought Ins negro here ana Doun
him IN slavery; tnat The South Kept IN
negro I'm slavery: that 10 perpetuate thl
| enotmity the South plunged the nation Il
war, and attempted 10 destroy the cnioI
l hat Ipe south still desires the re-estaDllsn
!. ment Of giavsrs AMI that meantime oi
presses the negro; denes tbs North, an
| stands a cons tant menace to the Union; ina
| these out ages II Is prevented nom eonsuii
mating only by the superior virtue Oh tii
North.
The great body OF the Northern people
bred on this food, never having heard an
other reiation, bell, YES this Implicitly, an
/. All the inor1 dangerously because honestl,
| II they are wrong and we right, IL DehoONs
us 10 enlighten them.
hoRfH Gan RE EsLIGHtENEn.
| know well that there be SONS whoi
nothing can enlighIen; who woulc not o,
lieye though one rose ON this dead. Ur
happily for us they are not confined 70 u
Nplth OF Mason and Dixon's line. l kno'
we'll that there are others, who Tor place an
( profit trade I'm their brothers blood. and kee
. open the wounds which peace but for thei
> ,ould long ago have healed; who for reyene
or gain would tear liberty from her seat. an
sell the birth-right OF the nation. i kno
that the professional Haman can never slice
whilst Mordecai 50 much as sits nj the gat
mi have an abiding faith In the good sens
ana sound principles OF the great Angl.
n saxon race whether II dwell North or soul
= of Mason and Diy Tne; whether u be u
descendant OF cav sfier or pufftap, whet'er
Z De called Yankee vr Soutlefner; ana 10 I'd
Q we must address ourselves.
5 'The second thing necessary 10 the sol,
Homo HE DIGESTION Is 70 enlighten u
North five ian show lbat tie 9usstian
|. moi ms Mr. Cable states, and as the NORTH b.
y ljeyes. merely yhetnet the negro SHAH
r shall not have the rixht TO vote for his fdis
but iss great race question on wh'sh U