Year: 1862

Negro Equality.


We drift with tremendous rapidty from one
to another subject of national Importance, in
these times. But little while ago we were bust
ly at work defending the Constitution against
the attacks of insidi0us enemies at the North,
while the Government vas defending it against
Southern rebellion. The old party, whose motto
is, ''the Constitution is a league with death, and
a covenant with hell" had succeeded in placing
their cannon before the fortress of our national
rights and powers, and were carrying on their
mines under It's very foundations. A Senator in
his seat more than iutimated that he regarded any
man a traitor who talked about the Constitution
in these DAYS. A New York paper processes to
believe that the Constitution was paper and moth
ing more. A General in the field told his sol
diers that the people were up, he was at their
head, and limited boldly that the Constitution was
red tape-to be torn off and thrown to the
winds In the haste with which men thought,
many were deceived by these bold assertions, and
a vague notion took possession of some good per-
sons that there was something in the idea that
the Republic was higher than the Constitution
the Nation higher than the Union Crude ideas,
i'll defined, in fact only half formed, took posses
sion of the minds of anxious and really patriotic
men, and, for awhile, the belief that we might
throw away the Constitution to save the
something which men could not precisely explain;
one called it the Republic, another the People,
another the Nation, and some even the Union
this belief that we might cut our throats to keep
our limbs together, seemed to gain favor in the
minds Of some of those who we're at heart devoted
patriots. Slowly but steadily and surely the great
American truth that the Constitution is the UniOn
the Republic, the Nation, resumed its power, and
then began to be seen the fact that those who
had diligently sought to incucate the false no
ton, had at heart secret object, whose explana-
ton was found in their old hatred of the Consti-
tuition, and their old creed that "the only exodus
of the slave is over the ruins of the American
Union.'


At this point the people stand now. All ewes
are beginning to be opened to the terrible chasm
on the verge of which the united forces of South
ern and Northern disunonism have placed the
Constitution and the Union. But there is anoth-
er discovery which the events of the past year
now making manifest, and recent demonstrations
bring prominently forward. The object of all
this enmity the Constitution has been supposed
to be the mere abolition of slavery. We have
been assured that, slavery once abolished all Sec
tional questions are forever gone, and we can
form a new Union on principles of similar institu
tions, and similar moral views. The universal
paracea .or national troubles has been declared
to be the abolition of slavery, and the millennium
of politics is prophesied in the succeeding years,
after using this cure-all medicine.


But it begins to appear that to abolish slavery
amounts to nothing at all if we continue to look
with pride and the notion of superiority on the
negro. We are now told we shall have disunion
again if we don't accept the negro as an equal
in the republic. The panacea will not after all
cure disuuion, unless we add the plaster. 1t may
sting, and blister and bite little, but it will
not last. They tell us we shall get over the
prejudices, the notions, the imaginations, the
bad taste of our preference for white skins and
then all will 90 smoothly in the milk and mo-
lasses United Republic


Again, as two weeks ago, we challenge de-
nial, that the radical party desire to have
and will attempt to make the nation adopt
negro equality, if they obtain the ascendancy.


When two weeks since stated this PROPOSE
ton as now forming part of the radical plan, we
said that although the assertion might be doubt
ed, the proof would be found i'm the fact that the
radical newspapers would deny our state
ment, or would only pretend to deny it in doubt
full phrases. Not one has ventured to deny it.
The Tribune frankly admits that it desires
new Union in which there shall be "no dis
tnction in law founded upon color or race.
The LiberatOr proposes at once to place the South
ern States in the hands of the negro population.
The New York Independent, in a long article,
jesuitcally calls us "magnant" for intimatng
that there is any such plan, but wholly lodges
the question, and dares not deny, as we now very
respectfully challenge that paper to deny, that It
favors negro equality with the white of this
country, socially and politically. The intention
stands out, broadly exhibited in all the radical
papers, documents, and speeches. The Tribune
of last Friday thus speaks of the black race as
fully equal to the white race as "chidren of the
Republic


''Is not the Republic, in her great and immi
neut peril entitled to the services and best exer
tons of all her children? If so, who has right
to treat four millions of them exempt from
this obligation or incapable of raising weapon
in her behalfY"


In point of fact no man can be consistent as
radical abolitionist, without adopting the equality
of the races as part Of his theory and object.
The Boston old fashioned dyed-in- the wool Alb
oltionst understands this and avows the doctrine.
The less frank and fearless New York Abo


tionist, of the Independent sort, endeavors to
keep favor with the white race while offering a
somewhat cool embrace to the black. But there
is not radical newspaper in the country that
dare risk the loss of the aboitionist vote by
taking firm and decided ground against negro
equality.


Ifgentlemen desire to affiliate with the Albany
Union party or with the radical wing of the Re-
pubIicans in any manner, they must be content to
close their mouths on this subject, and permit the
work to 60 on in favor of eradcating all distinc-
ton of races or color in our institutions.


Can there be any doubt about the voice OF the
men of America against any party which adopts
this course on subject of such paramount i'm
portance? What to do with the negro is now the
question which these gentlemen insist on forcing
on US, and they propose TO answer it by saying.
abolish slavery instantly, admit the negro as the
equal of the white laborer everywhere, give him
a vote, give him social equality, wipe out at once
all distinctions in luw founded on race or coorl


Illinois does not feel disposed to adopt this
new plan. New York is rs decidedly against il
as Illinois. The white men of America are
against it. We are content to regard the negro
as sent among US to be protected and defended as
inferior, but not companion. not as a
sharer in our institutions, not as "Child Of the
Republic. Y. Jour Of Com.