TEE FUTURE OF THE NEGRO IN THE SOUTH. 39 



Mr. Lewes — ranks Lewes higher than Mill as an authority in philoso- 

 phy ! I imagine the raised eyebrows of competent judges. 



Here I leave the matter. I have nothing more to say than that 

 if any one has doubts he may easily settle them, irrespective of the 

 explanation I have given above, and irrespective of any authority. 

 He will see that alike by its position as first of the series, and by its 

 title, " First Principles " is shown to contain the cardinal ideas elabo- 

 rated in the volumes following it. Let him, then, take this volume 

 and take also Miss Martineau's abridged translation of the Positive 

 Philosophy, and compare the two. After an hour's search for points 

 of community he will, I think, feel astonished that any one should 

 have asserted a connection between them. 



I am, sir, your obedient servant, 



Herbert Spencer. 

 Athen^um Club, September 13ih. 



■»»» 



THE FUTURE OF THE NEGRO IN THE SOUTH. 



By JAMES B. CRAIGHEAD. 



THE term "mud-sill" is supposed to be used contemptuously in the 

 Southern States to designate the lowest rank of the people : those 

 who use nothing and have nothing to use but muscle for their main- 

 tenance ; men who are uneducated and indifferent to education ; men 

 without other aspiration or ambition than that which incites them to 

 appease their hunger and to ward off the blasts of winter. Under 

 every form of government, despotic, monarchal, or republican, such 

 class, more or less depraved, must necessarily exist, and the question 

 in the Southern States is, What shall be the color of the mud-sill ? or, 

 if the colors be assorted, white, black, and yellow, shall we have differ- 

 ent orders of mud-sills based on colors ? The position is open to com- 

 petition, to all shades of color, to whichever is willing to take it, or 

 most reluctant to strive for anything higher or better. 



The Executive war decree of emancipation fell on the South at a 

 time when, owing to the manly front presented by the Confederate 

 forces, it was generally regarded by the Southern people as mere hru- 

 tum fuhnen. Even in cities which had succumbed to Federal arms, 

 and were garrisoned by national troops, the proclamation was regarded 

 by the citizens simply as a threat ; these latter looked forward to a 

 rapid advance of the Southern armies, and had no doubt of final vic- 

 tory. Hence they submitted to the increasing rebelliousness of their 

 slaves, just as they submitted to the military requirements of post- 

 officers, provosts, etc. — a mere temporary annoyance, not only soon to 

 be got rid of, but to be heavily atoned for. In the sparsely settled 

 rural regions the news came slowly, and was at first, to the ordinary 



