Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1904-01-21

10 De uuuSTSlOOu Is CSusuiIH LIS tAtiAa
for it, | am not eensuring anybody,
nor am | inspired by i'll will for the
negro. but am simply calling atten-
tion to a most unfortunate and nnen
durable condition of affairs. What
shall be done about it? Surely SONG,
thing must be done. The white people
of Mississippi cannot sit idly by WITH
out making an effort at least to arrest
this destructive tendency. The state,
for many years, at great expense 70
the tax payers. has maintained sys-
tenn of negro education, which has pro
duced disappointing results, and | am
opposed to the perpetuation of that
system. My own idea is that the char
aeter of education for the negro ought
to be changed. II, after forty years OF
earnest effort and the expenditure OF
fabulous sums of money to educate his
head, we have only succeeded in max
ing criminal out of him and impair.
ing his usefulness and efficiency as q
laborer, wisdom would suggest that we
make another experiment, and see il
we cannot improve him by educating
his hand and his heart. There must
be moral substratum upon which to
build, or you cannot make desirable
citizen The negro as a race is devoid
of that element He has never felt
the guilt of sin; the restraining infil-
ence of moral scruples or the goading
of an outraged conscience are un-
known to the real negro. Slavery is
the only process by which he has ever
been partially civilized. God Al
mighty created the negro for me-
nial: he is essentially a servant. In
every age of the worlds history, it has
been shown that his civilization will
last only so lolg as he is under con-
troll of the superior race that incul-
Gated it. When left to himself, he has
universally gone back to the barbar-
ism of his native jungles. While q
few mixed breeds and freaks Of the
race may possess qualities which JUS
tify them to aspire above that station.
the fact still remains that the race is
fit for that and nothing more. At any
rate, that is all he will ever accom-
plish in Mississippi, and as it is in
Mississippi so will 1t be in all of the
States where the negro lives in large
numbers The white man will not.
and should not, share sovereignty and
dominion with him. l will be par.
doned, in this connection, for quoting
the following wise words spoken by
Abraham Lincoln, September Is, 1858.
He said:
Il am not, nor ever have been in
favor of bringing about in any way
the social and political equality OF the
white and black races; | am hot, nor
ever have been, in favor of making vot-
ers or jurors of negroes, nor of quail
fying. them to hold Office nor TO inter.
marry with the white people and |
will say. in addition to this, that there
is a physical difference between ihe
white and black races which | believe
will forever forbid the two races liv-
ing together on terms of social and
political equality. And inasmuch as
they cannot so live, while they re.nail
together, there must be the position
of superior and inferior, and | as much
as any other man am in favor of hav-
ing the superior position assigned to
the white race"
If these words We're true when
spoken by Mr. Lincoln, they are true
today, and will be true to the end of
time. Now this may sound little
harsh to those unfamiliar with the
facts in the case, but by every intelli-
gent white man and thoughtful negro
in Mississippi it will be accepted as
absolutely true, however much the
question may be gilded with co1serva-
tism or be clouded by dissimulation.
The time has come when the truth
should be told about this matter; 1t
matters not how disagreeable it may
be to hear it. The irst step towards
changing the educational system Of
the State, so as to meet the demands
of both races, it occurs to me, Is for
the legislature to submit to the peo-
pie proposition to amend the consti-
tuition, so as to give the legislature ul1-
restricted authority in dealing with the
public school question Surely the
legislature, elected every four years
by the people, can be relied upol to
do the proper thing in this matter,
without constitutional prescription.
1t is quite certain that little can be
done to relieve the present most un-
desirable condition IF things. while
The constitution remains as it IS.
These are some of the matters. prin-
oiples aad policies to which l have
thought it prudent to call to your at
tention. That they are vital and per-
tinent, pregnant W; h good for the
commonwealth, if treated by the wise.
patriotic and courageous statesmen,
there can be no question.
The experience of all the generations
dead, the footprints along the high
re oil, a
road for Mississippians to follow. The
distilled wisdom beQueathed to us by
our sages and our heroes of the past
should inspire us with confidence
and courage, and provide the pillar OF
fire to light the pathway Of duty.
Ald now, my fellow citizens, go to
the work to which you have called me.
My experience in public matters
three terms as a member of the legis-
lative department of the State govern
ment, and many years Of patient study
of our system of laws and economic
me some knowledge
OF the difficulties and grave RESPONSE
bilities of the Office Of chief execu-
tive.
| shall make mistakes, through de-
feet of judgment, for which | shall
suffer uncomplainilgly the penalty.
But how often, when right. shall | be
thought wrong by those whose point
of view prevents a survey Of the whole
ground, or a complete understanding
of the situaiion? l ask your indul-
gence for my own mistakes, which l
assure you shall never be intentional,
and | invoke your support against the
mistakes of others who may criticise
and condemn in me what they would
not, if they understood the matter in
all of its bearings.
know it is not possible to please
everybody | shall not try to please
anybody save myself. and shall please
myself in the proportion that | am
able to do that which is best for all
of the people of Mississippi
| have no ambition. no desire be-
yond making for you governor
worthy of you. All the heart and mind
and strength with which a loving
Father has endowed me, |, this day,
consecrate to the service of my State.
You. my countrymel. have it within
your power. if you will, to promote the