The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1890-02-13

rule within limits. It is q principle |
oflaw, as old as man himself, that the
stronger shall rule without limit. |
What is strength in a state Other |
things being equal numbers give
strength; but in the states of the |
South, whose conduct is complained
Of, other things are far from equal.
The whites, while not actually in supe-
rior numbers are yet possessed of far
superior knowledge, courage, skill in
the use of weapons and tools. race
pride, traditions. experience Of affairs
and self control. Placing these two
side by side, is it not true as certainty
can be made that one will outstrip the
other aud control it, Nature would
fesefse all her own decisians if it were
not so.
II the weaker be in the way Of the
stronger the former will be removed.
If two men start ON a journey, the
space is regulated by the slower, if
they be compelled to keep together;
and, however great the powers of the
swifter, if compelled to wait for his
feebler brother, his powers are of no
more use than if he had them not.
Naturally, he will drop his brother
behind and stride forward. The. at
tempt to restrain him by legislation is
unnatural and he will resent it: To
say that the superior race shall not by
their superior. knowledge and virtue
rule the inferior, is to say that weak
ness shall control strength, that igno-
rance and vice shall control knowl-
edge and virtue. To attempt by leg
islation to place ignorance and vice in
control of knowledge and virtue be-
cause of the superior numbers of the
ignorant would be to enact that the
civilization of great races shall not
enjoy the power and influence with
which God has endowed them; that
three weak men, however ignorant
and debased, shall forever control two
strong men, however wise and virtu-
Gus.
- The mere statement of the PROPOSE
ton shows that it is hostile to the
highest natural and normal laws
which have been impressed upon man
and constitute the basis of his civili-
zation. 5
Mr.. President, 1 know the negro
we'll. was born and reard among
them, and have all my life liv-
en- in close association with them. /
affirm to you. not that he is incapable
of civilization, but that he is incapa-
BILE of attaining to and keep
ing up with. the civilization of the
race to which we belong. At the very
best his refinement must be of low
order compared to ours. Any attempt.
therefore, to force him into equality
with US in the race of progress can re-
suit in nothing else but the retarding
of the advancement of the Southern
whites. Those who have determined
to subject, ut all hazards, to negro
rule those states of the South where
they are in superior numbers have
simply determined that the white
mans progress shall De measured by
the negro's s,if, indeed it does not result
in explosion and mutual destruction.
Fair minded men everywhere may ac-
cept this as truth. The sons of Ham
have had the same opportunities that
the sons of Shem and Japheth have
had. Nowhere have they improved
them.
I know not whether / should give
credence to the oft-repeated allegation
that they are forever feeling the effect
of their ancestors curse, but this do
know, that they have been in close
contact with every civilization Of
which we have any knowledge; with
the oldest Egyptian, the Assyro- Baby
lonian, the Grecian, the Roman, and
the modern; in each of them we read
of his presence, and in every instance
he was slave.
He learned nothing for the benefit
Of his race from his civilized masters
in all these ages. He has made more
progress in one hunded years as a
Southern slave than he made in all
the Eve thousand years intervening
! from his creation until his landing on
these shores.
He has has no type now living or
this earth equal to those Of the pres
ent generation who were born and
raised in the slave States of America
All of which should be considered by
those who have philosophy and fair
ness enough to look at the matter ir
some other light than the necessities
Of the Republican party in the mex
campaign.
The fact dwelt upon by the Sena
tor from Kansas concerning their be
havior toward their masters during
the war u fully admitted. It is {
strong argument TO prove either thai
they were unified for the great boor
of liberty or that the horrid stories o
inhuman treatment by their master
were Lies. I am not only willing bu
anxioua to have justice done them il
Eevery snS, and to do all that may b.
required Of me to aid them in the diff
Gculties of their position; but am no
willing that they should rule me .
| my people. It is my pride that m,
State has been just to them and gener
erous. and that in the adjusting Of tn
new. order of things AFTER their enfran
chisement had no inconsiderabl
hand in providing those laws and in
situations which have made them com
paratively we'll content in North Car
> olina
i / believe them incapable, for man,
reasons, Of properly controlling publ
affain, bat / do believe them carabl
of making valuable citizens under tn