“Who got the black race here? They didn’t want to come—no, fur from it. This nation got ’em here; and now, as the two races can’t live together in peace, and the land is gettin’ too small for both of ’em, if the white race don’t want to leave the country themselves, let ’em carry this people back to the land they stole ’em from.
“They wouldn’t all go; it hain’t probable nor possible to suppose such a thing.
“There are many who would be perfectly willin’ to remain here, and who would perhaps be better off by doin’ so—many aged ones who would choose to stay here and go to heaven from the land of their adoption, many who have a flourishin’ business, and are doin’ well here, and who do not wish an immediate change.
“But the Race Problem would be solved if the main body of the host passed over into the New Republic. The few that remained would not endanger the commonwealth, and would most likely, in the fulness of time, and as the glowin’ story of the New Republic reached their ears, be gathered into the Land of Promise, to become leaders there, and helpers of the weak.”
Sez Col. Seybert, “They would starve there. They are a low, degraded, helpless, lazy set. They had rather lay in the sun and do nothing than to work.”
As Col. Seybert said this he lay back in his chair in a still more lazy and luxurious manner, and stretched out his long legs in the sun.
(What wuz he doin’ himself, I’d like to know? Talk about laziness! the idee!)
And I sez, “Wall, it’s easier for most folks to rest than it is for ’em to work. As to their entire helplessness and ignorance, twenty-five years ago there wuz never an escapin’ Union prisoner who found a negro so low and ignorant that he could not help him to escape; or so destitute of resources and influence that he could not command the help of other black men.
“In fact, there wuz a great silent army kep’ up under the surface, a systematic underground railroad, maintained and controlled in the most efficient and prudent manner by this despised people all through the War. Twenty-five years of partial education and partial freedom has not weakened this foresight and caution.