The State of the Country [pp. 132-146]

THE STATE OF THIE COUNTRY.
an incessant war, obstructing while it lasts the happiness of
both races, and susceptible, if once thoroughly inaugurated, of
but one solution-the extermination of the weaker race. The
first great paraimount good and chief essential blessing to be
desired and labored for by every friend to both races at the
South is, that there should be concord, accord, harmony, and
fraternity between the two races South. We cannot too much
insist uponI this point. We believe it is the corner-stone upon
which must be founded every scheme for the advancement of
the blacks and the prosperity of the whites at the South. It
is principally on this ground that we deplore the agitation of
the question of negro suffrage. It agitates both races; it
interposes a gulf between them, and it casts portentous shadows over the future. For the present, let us content ourselves
with the development of the material prosperity of the black
race; let us aid them to get employment, and to make that
employment profitable; let us try to make them prosperous
and comfortable and happy; let us, in imitation of the wish of
Henry IV. of France, try to put a chicken into every pot that
appertains to our colored friends. Having done all we can for
their material and moral and intellectual progress, then it will
be time enough for us to consider the question of putting in
their " gripe the barren sceptre" of universal suffrage. Let us
see that our colored friends have a plenty of good food and
clothes and fiuel to sustain life, before we summon them to the
electoral colleges to settle grave affairs of State and determine
the destiny of nations.
We might pause here, but we desire to consider the question
of the enfranchised blacks in a more extended view. Truly,
this is a great question. Let us pause a moment and remernber that if the blacks of the South continue to increase as
they have done ill slavery, in twenty-five years there will be
eight millions in the Southern States; in fifty years there will
be sixteen millions; in seventy-five years thirty-two millions.
It is not necessary to go beyond this last period, which is, however, not a great lapse of time in the life of a nation. That
the increase in a state of freedom will be at least equal to
what it was in slavery, cannot be gainsayed by those who have
demanded emancipation as of great benefit to the blacks. If
the increase is any thing like the estimate above, then the momnentous question arises, What is to become of this vast black
tide, which is destined to mingle with the current of our
nation,l existence? Sixteen, or even eight millions of Africans, will be an important element in our history. What
is the wisest policy to be pursued in regard to them, is
a question worthy of our highest statesmanship. We will
140