Huntsville gazette., 1890-11-01

as wen as the destiny of the Negro.
ana what are the reasons they give for de-
manning of II nation this retreat from its
advanced position? They are these: They
tell us that they are afraid very much afraid;
they are alarmed, very much alarmed, by the
possibility of Negro supremacy over them.
IhIs IS the calamity from VIII cl they would
De delivered, and with eloquent lips and iusty
lungs they are calling out: Men and breth-
rem, save us from this threatened and terrible
dangcr.'
! Ny reply to this alarm is easy. 1t is that
the wicked fee when 10 man pursueth;
that the thief thinks each bush an officer;
thai the thing they pretend to fear can never
happen, and that blank absurdity is written
>nI or the face Of it. The eagle. with fierce
tailor and bloody beak, screaming in terror at
the approach of a harmless blackbird would
| not be more absurd and ridicu Gus. The
| perior Intelligence of the whites, the compar-
atiye ignorance of the blacks. the former
! dominion of the whites and the former sub
/ lection of the blacks, the habit of bearing
rule OF the whites, and the habit of submis
| sion by the blacks make black supremacy in
any part of the country utterly impossible.
| But supposing such an occurrence possible,
what hardship would it impose? What wrong
would it intict? Who would be injured by it?
IL the blacks should get the upper hund, their
rule would have to be regulated by the Con-
stitution and the laws of the United States.
They colli not discriminate against white
people on account OF race, color or previous
condition without having the iron hand of
the nation laid heavily on ther shoulders.
The white people of the South are the rich,
the Negroes are the poor; the white people
are the landowners, the Negroes are the land
less. he white people of the South are num-
bered with the ruling c.ass Of the nation.
They have behind them every possible source
of power. They have railroads, steamships,
electric telegraphs, the army and the navy
They have the sword and the purse of the
nation behind them, and yet they profess 10
be shaking in their shoes less the S,003OtO of
blacks shall come to rule over them and their
brethren the 50,010,01) of whites.
Now am here to say that there is no.hing
whatever in this suppositiJn. | can hardly
call this invention a cunning device, tor the
! pretense is too open, too transparent, too alb
surd, to rise even to the dignity of low cum
ming it is an Old ragged pair OF trousers,
and an old mashed and battered hat of the
last century. stuck upon a pole in field
where there are neither crows nor corn. 1t is
the cry Of fire by the thief when he would
divert The officer of the law 1t is, as have said,
true game, and the strange thing is that any
class of our citizeus, white or black, can be
deceived by it,
But black supremacy is not the only string
on the harp Of a Thousand strings upon which
eur Southern brethren play. They are not
merely afraid of black supremacy, but they
are afraid of ignorant black supremacy. Now
this danger is just the one TO appeal TO the
North. The Northern people are not in love
with ignorance or illiteracy. They deplOre it;
they hate it, and take every means in their
power 10 Danish it from their States They
naturally sympathize with any people in de-
ploring it and who are making honest efforts
to remove 1t from among them. Hence they
are pouring out millions of dollars to the
South. and are sending competent teachers
there to enighten the ignorant and to lift up
the tlack man from the darkness and ignor-
ance to which he had been'doomed by slavery
and by these wouldbe Negro problem
| soivers.
But the men in the South who are loudesJ in
their outcry against the ignorance Of the
Negro are not those who wish to have him in
structed. but those who would make his lgnor-
ance a reason for depriving him OF the rights
secured to him under the Constitution.
But again when before in the history of the
Southern people have they been alarmed by
the presence Of ignorance among them?
Whcn before did they ask the nation to assist
them i'll stemmng the tide of ignorance?
The whole history of the legislation of the
| South-by the South mean the ruling class
of the South-is on the side OF ignorance
Their laws have made it a crime to en-
tighten the black mans ignorance. 1t
has been the policy Of the ruling class there
to oppose education not only for the blacks
but for the poor whites. Eut as l have said,
this cry is raised not for help to educate
| the Negro. but as an excuse for taking from
! him the right of suffrage, by which he can in
some measure promote his own education
and the education of those about him.
But, admitting what do not admit, that the
ignorance of the Negro is recognized by the
South rs Il source Of danger, and admitting
the sincerity of Southern men who are pro-
Tossing to deplore ii, have to say to them:
If you could stand the ignorance of the Ne
gro when he was a slave you can stand it now
that he is free. at least reasonable length OF
time for his education. Clearly enough, the
remedy is not III the abridgement of his
rights, but in the education of his mind 1t is
not in evading the plain provisions Of the
/ Constitution, but in teaching him the duties
imposed by the Constitutions not in taking
away his vote, but in teaching him how To
use it.
To me there is something mendacious and
insolent rather than pathetic and persuasive
in the language of Southern men on this
question There is something of the old-rime
Southern swaggard and assumpt on IN THEN
tone and bearng-a tone and bearing which
is entirely out OF date. cut of place, and out
of harmony with the age and body OF our
times-a tone and bearing which invites re-
buke rather than sympathy, disgust rather
than appreciation.
such men as Senator Butler Of South Caro-
lima should remember that there IS such a
thing as modesty as well as Gecency for men
Of such antecedents, and that it is neither
modest nor decent for them to coolly propose
the expulsion OF citizens innocent OF crime
from the State of South Carolina, or from any
other State in the American Union. Ii IS
only httio while ago that Senator Butler
and his class were in arms against the GOV
ernment which these same Negro citizens 10y
ally and brave!y endeavored to save from dis-
loyal hands.
But let me say again, the South neither
really fears the ignorance of the Negro, nor
the supremacy of the Negro. II is not the
| ignorant Negro, but the intelligent Aortn
that il fears: NOT the supremacy OF q different