The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1894-02-01
THE HENDERSON GOLD LEAF1THURSI
WHITE AND BLACK.
It Is Certain That the Two Races
Can Not Live on Terms Of
Equality.

The following extracts are from
President Geo. T. Winston, to the
Charlotte Observer:
"What will become of the negro:'
is problem that occupies to a large
extent the minds of all thoughtful peo-
pie, certainly Of all Southern people.
1t is interesting to know the views of
great men who have thought on this
subject. Thomas Jefferson said 1T
is certainly written in the book of fate
that the negro shall be free, and it is
equally certain that the two races can
not live together on terms of equality.
Abraham Lincoln's views on this
subject are full of interest. He was
unquestionably the wisest man that
the English race has produced. His
sagacity was profound and far reach
ing. The world admires it more and
more. Mr.. Lincoln was a man Of large
and genuine sympathy, without senti-
mentality. By birth, temperament,
ancestry, physical habit and aspect, he
was Southern man. He did not SYM
pathize with slavery, but he did SYM
pathize with the Southern people. Let
him speak for himself:
LINCoLN's SYMPATHY WITH THE
SOUTH.
"When the Southern people tell us
they are no more responsible for the
origin Of slavery than we are, L &C
knowledge the fact. When it is said
that the Institution exists, and that
it is very difficult to get rid Of it in any
satisfactory way, l can understand and
appreciate the saying. l will surely
not blame them for not doing what 1
should not know how to do myself.
| think that 1 have no preju-
dice against the Southern people. If
it did now exist among us, we should
not instantly give it up. This L be-
lieve of the masses North and South.
Doubtless there are individuals on both
sides who would not hold slaves under
any circumstances, and others who
wo uld gladly introduce slavery anew,
if it were out of existence. Southern
men do free their slaves, 90 North and
become tip top abolitionists; while
some Northerners 90 South and be-
LINCOLN OPPOSED TO SOCIAL OR PO-
LITICAL EQUALITY.
While Lincoln was not sure what
was best to do with the negro, he was
fixed in two opinions: LIST, that the
negro should be set free; End, that he
could not and should not enjoy social
and political equality with the whites.
He says, g if all earthly power were
given me, | should not know what to
do, as to the existing institution. My
first impulse would be to free all the
slaves. and send them to Liberia-tO
their own native land. But moment
reflection would convince me that
whatever of high hope land L think
there is) there may be in this in the
| long run, its sudden execution is i'm
possible. If they all landed there in a
day they would all perish in the next
ten days, and there are not surplus
shipping and money enough to carry
| them there in many times ten days.
| What then? Free them all and keep
them among us as underlings? Is it
| quite certain that this betters their
condition ? I think l would not hold
one in slavery, at any rate; yet the
point is not clear enough tor me to de-
nounce people upon. What next Free
them and make them politically and
socially our equals? My own feelings
will not admit of this, and if mine
would we we'll know that those of the
great mass of white people will not.
Whether this feeling accords with JUS
tice and sound justice, is not the ques-
ton, if indeed, it is any part of it. An
universal feeling, whether we'll or i'll
founded, can not be safely disregarded.
| We can not make them equals. 1t
does seem to me that systems Of grad
ual emancipation might be adopted,
| but for their hardness in this 1 will
not undertake to judge our brethren of
the SOuth' -