The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-04-23

AOAAO Wills IL was NOOAOON
by Fate.
The bestowal of political rights
upon the negro, the disfranchise-
ment of almost every prominent
white man in the South, the migra-
ton from the North of political car
pet baggers and their manipulation
of the negro vote, the Civil Rights
Bill, the Force Bill, the zeal of edu-
cational and religious missionaries
most of whom preached and prac
ticed the social and civil equality of
the races in short, the dark, dismal
and awful night of Reconstruction,
following swift upon the storm of
Civil War with is unparalleled de-
structiOn of life and property, now
threatened the very foundations of
civilization in all the Southern States.
The bonds between the races were
broken at last. The negro neither
made nor endorsed all the demands
that were made in his behalf. He
knew they were impossible. Still he
was profoundly influenced by them.
In slavery he was like an animal in
harness, we'll trained, gentle, ana
affectiOeate in early freedom the
harness was off, but still the habit
of obedience and the force of affec
ton endured and prevented a run
away. In Reconstruction came d
consciousness of being Embarrassed,
unhitched, unbridled and unrestrain-
ed. The widest excuses followed.
The machinery of government was
seized in every Southern State by
men recently slaves, now guided by
political Adventures, Southern halls
of legislation once gloriied by the
elOquence of Patrick Henry, the
wisdom of Marshall, or the patriot
ism of Washington now ~resOunded
with the drunken snOrings or the IN
meaning gibberish of Cuffee and
SambO. Negro strumpets in silks and
satins led wild orgies at inaugural
balls in marble halls that blushed
and closed their eyes. "Uncle Tom"
and "Aunt Susan" we're now entirely
vanished. The family cook now de
mnnded to be known as Mrs. Jack
son, and the c-hambermaid as Miss
Marguerite. 1 know an unmarried
negress, about twenty five years of
age, the mother of three illegitimate
children, who requires her own chill
dren to call her on all occasions,
miss Mary" 1t was not a time for
the learning of new trades by the
emancipated race. 1t was not at a
time for new industries, or increased
efficiency of labor. The negro was
intoxicated with the license of free
dom, the North was blinded by SEN
timentality and the passions of war ;
the South was fighting for civiliza-
ton and existence. 1t is all over
now. 1 forbear to characterize it
further. Some day the historian,
the poet, the painter, the dramatist
will picture Reconstruction and will
make the saddest picture in the an
mails of the English-speaking race
But Reconstruction is ended at
last. For the first time since 1870
the National House of Representa-
tives contains not a single negro.
For the first time our history
the American negro is almost friend
less The North, tired of negro
politicians and negro beggars, is be-
ginning to say: 1--WE have helped
the negro enough let him now help
himself and work out his own saliva
ton" The South, worn out with
strife over the negro and supporting
with difficulty it's awful burden of
negro ignorance, ineficiency and
criminality is beginning to ask
whether the race is really capable of
development, o. is a curse and Il
hindrance in the way of Southern
progress and civilization.
The two races are drifting apart.
They closer together in slavery
than they have been since. Old time
~sympathies, friendships and affec-
tiOns created by two centuries of
slavery, T rapidly passing away.
A single generation of freedom has
almost destroyed them. Unless a
change is made, coming generations
will be separated by active hatred
and hostility. The condition of the
negro is indeed pitiful and his pros
poets for the future are dark and
gloomy. There is no solution of the
problem, unless it is dealt with from
tho SfondnOjD+ OF rooSO1 o-5 o-no-;