The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-10-27

the greatest calamity WHICH mas D,Ao.i'"
our country from the beginning OF It's MS
tory TO the present hour. phere Is no
point of view resting upon any sound
basis from which il can be Justified. and
decidedly the worst feature at present Is
that IL holds untold trouble and worry
for US in the future. Unfortunate as was
tho Reputation OF your debt. brought
about by this means, Of degraded cleo
torate, nevertheless were that the sum
and substance OF the evil. we might bear
II with equanimity, but when we observe
that after thirty years OF experience the
negro unQuestionably Is sinking deeper
and deeper IN the miro OF barDarrism
one cannot but look the future in the
face with misgiving as 20 his power TOT
evil az that future materialiZes.
IL Is very easy for superficial observers.
Lying at tho distance Of New YORK or
Massachusetts from the section bighted
and cursed by the negroes present 20 take
optimistic views Of this difficulty. l con-
TESS that TO my mind the besiowal OF ne
gro suffrage has In a large measure, I'M
done the very results which the brave
men who fought I'm the war between tho
States intended TO accomplish. II certain
~ was the last thing which Mr. Lincoln
would have countenanced had he been
intentions. l think l may truthfully say
what must occur to every intelligent man.
that his death at the time when II oc-
CURED is n complete contradiction OF
what we so often hear. that no one man
is indispensable. His pfe az that particu-
lar and terribly important juncture was
indispensable. Had IL been continued the
blacklist and most shameful page Of our
history would never have been written,
and future Americans would have been
saved the humiliating necessity Of apollo
giving for what intelligent statesman
ship would clearly have avoided. There
is, however. a ray of hope, which tho
cold blOoded figures OF the last census
gives 10 Us. Fortunately those figures
show that the negro seems bent upon his
own destruction as a race.
1t Is thus, / believe. that divine provi-
dence is overruling our own gigantic
blunders. and that in the course OF time,
after this nation has done its severe pen
nance for the sins of our ancestors, the
curse OF the presence OF an inferior and
degraded race, VIII be removed from
amongst us, or so far diminished, as to
pass into what Mr. Cleveland designated
as "innocuous desuetude."
In the course of a few days you will
receive a copy OF book which you pos
sibly may have already seen, entitled
Race traits ana Tendencies Of the
American Negro" 1t is written by az
German by the name Of Hoffman. Mr..
Hoffman is not only n German by birth,
but by education as well, and is the OIL
cial statistician OF the Prudential Life
Insurance Company of New York. This
Official position requires him 10 invest-
gate vital statistics i'm order to determine
she deslrability of different classes Of
risks for his company. 1t Is question
Of cold dollars and cents-sentiment and
prejudice play no part In 1t. His opinion
arrived at from a careful study Of the
statistics Of the different States and the
United States, as well as the principal
cities North and South, is a most consol-
ing opinion for all those who believe in
the ultimate success of Democratic in
stitutiOns in this country.
l have loaned this book 10 n large num-
Der of gentlemen I'm Boston, and II has
worked revolution in their minds as re-
CARDS this very important question. When
you have read It. If you have not already
done so, let me know what you think OF
it.
do not need TO assure you how much
sympathy / have for your people in the
heroic struggle they have been making.
Ii is lust because OF this sympathy and
regard that / feel badly when l think
they make a false step. as l regarded
their action a year ago on The silver ques-
ton.
think Mr.. Royal has said ell that can
be said on the debt question. l certainly
coincide with his Judgment, only wishing
that it might have been otherwise. ! en-
1oyed the book very much indeed. il is
lfff fn n
most excellent spirit II should have a
wsde circulation through the North. L
wish It had been published in New York
or Boston, instead OF locally in Rich
mond.
Please give my kindest regards TO Mr..
Martin and TO any other of ny good
friends in Richmond and believe me,
Very sincerely yours,
II. S. CARRUTH.
This is a letter that ought to give great
comfort 10 the Southern people. il is
conclusive proof that the Northern mind
and conscience Is becoming aroused to the
fearful wrong done the South by whole
sale negro suffrage. That wrong must be
corrected or It threatens untold evils to
this Republic
1t Is unfortunate intelligent men OF the
North should go off on the Hoffman book.
Honman's figures may do well enough
for life insurance but we who live here
know that in the warm regions and in the
countries where the negroes congregate
they are increasing. They drive all the
whites but a few out Of those countries
md then those few whites rule the
countries by fraudulent elections. This
is the evil that is eating out our vitals.