When the grandson of John C. Calhoun can make such admissions, creditable alike to his head and his heart, may not the great-grandson of Wade Hampton rise up to chase the Bourbonism of his great-grandfather into the tomb of disgruntlement?  I have not the least doubt of such probability.  Again, I say, I am not seriously concerned about the future political status of the black man of the South.  He has talent; he has ambition; he possesses a rare fund of eloquence, of wit and of humor, and these will carry him into the executive chambers of States, the halls of legislation and on to the bench of the judiciary.  You can’t bar him out; you can’t repress him:  he will make his way.  God has planted in his very nature those elements which constitute the stock-in-trade of the American politician—­ready eloquence, rich humor, quick perception—­and you may rest assured he will use all of them to the very best advantage.

I know of municipalities in the South to-day, where capable colored men are regularly voted into responsible positions by the best white men of their cities.  And why not?  Do not colored men vote white men into office?  And, pray, is the white man less magnanimous than the black man?  Perish the thought!  No; the politics of the South will readily adjust themselves to the best interest of the people; be very sure of this.  And the future rulers of the South will not all be white, nor will they be all black:  they will be a happy commingling of the two peoples.

And thus with the so-called “war of races:”  it will pass away and leave not a trace behind.  It is based upon condition and color-prejudice—­two things which cannot perpetuate themselves.  When the lowly condition of the black man has passed away; when he becomes a capable president of banks, of railroads and of steamboats; when he becomes a large land-holder, operating bonanza farms which enrich him and pauperize black and white labor; when he is not only a prisoner at the bar but a judge on the bench; when he sits in the halls of legislation the advocate of the people, or (more profit if less honor) the advocate of vast corporations and monopolies; when he has successfully metamorphosed the condition which attaches to him as a badge of slavery and degradation, and made a reputation for himself as a financier, statesman, advocate, land-holder, and money-shark generally, his color will be swallowed up in his reputation, his bank-account and his important money interests.

Is this a fancy picture?  Is there no substantial truth seen in this picture of what will, must and shall be, as the logical outgrowth of the Divine affirmation that of one blood he created all men to dwell upon the earth, and of the Declaration of Independence that “we hold these truths to be self-evident:—­That all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”?