Year: 1868

Principle VS.. Policy.


DR. HENRY D. GREEv, President Of the


BishopTille Democratic Club, delivered an


able Address before that Club, on the q May


last, from which we make the following


extract. He takes Strong grounds against


Negro Suffrage and Radicalism, and deals


heavy blows in vindcation of his argument.


The lovers of pointed satire and bitter invec-


tive should by all means read the annexed re.
marks:


But, sir, we are told that this negro consti-


tuition will do more for the poor man, than
any ever framed in the State before. This
seems to my mind nothing less than a pre-
mediated insult to the poor man.. Let US
test the truth of this assertion by calling up
for examination that clause which compels
every man to send his children to either q
public or private school for Two years. The
poor man not being able to send his children
to private school is compelled to send them
to public school; where they must stand, in
every respect, on the same footing with little
negroes. Cau anything be imagined more in.
insulting 10 his feelings, more humiliating and
CALLING to bis pride than this? And yet this
is what it does for him.


We call ourselves poor now, and SO we are;
but we are rich compared to what we will be
to what we must be --when. this black Ship
of Statep gets under full sail. Then a large
proportion of the white children of the.State
will be compelled to cit cheek by jowl with
little negroes in the public school. i say
you will be compelled by law TO send your
little girl to lnipgle with little negroes, there
to learn the first lessons in miscegenation-
there to take the first steps in preparing to
propagate mongrel race. For this provl-
sion seems to have been designed expressly
to insure amalgamation of the races. The
combined influence of negro homesteads, and
mpulsory minging of the youth of the two
races will, if permanent, inevitably result in
a mongrel race. At the plastic period Of
youth the legitimate, and just feelings OF So
cial repugnances, are to be suppressed and
eradicated with assiduous care, and poisonous
seed sown in their place which, in spite OF all
your exertions, will grow up into luxuriant
weeds, producing harvest of shame. degra-
dation and ruin to society. But it is idle to
talk of Objectionable points in negro con-
sti,ution. 1t should be enough for every white
man TO know thatit is negro constitution, OF
negro government, establishing negro equality


Some men are willing to concede political
equality to the negro, butrcgard social equal.
ity with horror, and deny that the latter will
result from the former. How can intelligence
be SO stulti6ed? How can you place society
above your Legislature; your Congressional
Representatives, your Governor and other
dignitaries Of the land all Of which pertain
to both races alike. 1t is a palpable, bald
absurdity. There is no such thing on earth,
and can never be. aspolitical equality between
two races without social equality. They arr:
inseparable. All history proves that the con-
cession Of political equality to an inferior race
is the surest and speediest means of oblitera
ting the last vestige Of social differences and
distinctions.


Allow ME now, Mr.. Chairman, to examine
briefly the empty offer Of shallow compro
mise 10 the negro, proposed by some who are
strong in their opposition to negro govern.
ment and equality, and who call themselves
good Democrats. / mean restricted suffrage.
We are told, sir, that this offer of restricted
suffrage is grounded upon policy. Never was
there more ludicrously absurd solecism in
language than the use Of the word policy in
this connection. How can it be called policy
to propose 10 win the negro from the ranks
of the Radical party BY Offering him restrict.
ed suffrage in lieu of unrestricted suffrage
which be already actually possesses through
the power and polite dispensation of that
party2 In other words, how can you use
the word policy in connection with the offer
to man of less than is given him by his own
party, as the price of Lis desertion of that
party? The bare statement of this idea is
sufficient 10 show its absurdity. The negroes
have laughed at it as they have a right to do.
/ venture the assertion that not ore negro in
the State will be influenced by such a shall
low arttice ] know, sir, there are a few who
are opposed to the Radical party-there are
q few who have heretofore declined to vote at
all, and may continue to do so, but their ac-
tion is not influenced by the offer OF restricted
suffrage.


When we have the power to restrict negro
suffrage, we will have, at the same time, ipso
tacto, the power to abolish It altogethar, and
we ean NAVE neither until the State is again
in the hands of the white man. Then, sir.
what d. we want with negro suffrage at all ?
Will the negro element in any proportion be
regarded as desideratpm in our body poll
tics ! say, sir, is the white man not fully
competent to the Government of the State,
ard shall the negro, with certain amount
of property and education be considered q
valuable acquisition He that bases his OBJ
lection to political privilege for the negro,
merely upon his want Of property and educa-
tion, certainly takes but q narrow view of the
subject and entirely overlooks the real ration
al Object on: Sir, I am opposed to negro sat'
frage in the same copntr} }'whh white men
because he is q 'isgro, Independent of anything
else. And there can lie no correct, rational
basis Of opposition to him, that does not In.
clude this as the most important element.
For time and circumstances, might. to some
extent, invest him with property aud educa.
ton, but he would be negro still. If be is
ambitious Of political privileges, let him go to
Liberia, or Africa, and exercise them among
his own race. But protestin the name Of
civilization, human nature, and common de:
cency, against the establishment of 7nonyrel
concern here His inferiorlty is ethnologicai,
for which, God alone is responsible. This
fact, 1 say, lays the foundation of all rational
opposition to negro suffrage. To the extent
we are willing TO admit negro suffrage, to that
extent VIC Radicalize our party, for true.
Democracy is utterly opposed to it. And to.
that extent, we invalidate q principle neccssa..
ry to the harmony, dignity and consistency Of
our party, and of vitalimportanee to the copn.
try. II seems to he~a strange infatnation,
that limited suffrage should be proposed here,
for the negro, at the yeryatime when the pub
lie mind Of the North is rapidly approaching
the point of hostility 10 it under any restric.s
tions. Sir, I have no use for any such enaas:4
culated Radicalized Democracy. This is
.L;.a,a rnan,s cnilntrv and the Government