and generals and ex-members of Congress, the talk generally drifting to the new commercial and industrial life of the South, and only to politics as it affects these; and he will be pleased, if the conversation takes a reminiscent turn, with the lack of bitterness and the tone of friendliness.  The negro problem is commonly discussed philosophically and without heat, but there is always discovered, underneath, the determination that the negro shall never again get the legislative upper hand.  And the gentleman from South Carolina who has an upland farm, and is heartily glad slavery is gone, and wants the negro educated, when it comes to ascendency in politics —­such as the State once experienced—­asks you what you would do yourself.  This is not the place to enter upon the politico-social question, but the writer may note one impression gathered from much friendly and agreeable conversation.  It is that the Southern whites misapprehend and make a scarecrow of “social equality.”  When, during the war, it was a question at the North of giving the colored people of the Northern States the ballot, the argument against it used to be stated in the form of a question:  “Do you want your daughter to marry a negro?” Well, the negro has his political rights in the North, and there has come no change in the social conditions whatever.  And there is no doubt that the social conditions would remain exactly as they are at the South if the negro enjoyed all the civil rights which the Constitution tries to give him.  The most sensible view of this whole question was taken by an intelligent colored man, whose brother was formerly a representative in Congress.  “Social equality,” he said in effect, “is a humbug.  We do not expect it, we do not want it.  It does not exist among the blacks themselves.  We have our own social degrees, and choose our own associates.  We simply want the ordinary civil rights, under which we can live and make our way in peace and amity.  This is necessary to our self-respect, and if we have not self-respect, it is not to be supposed that the race can improve.  I’ll tell you what I mean.  My wife is a modest, intelligent woman, of good manners, and she is always neat, and tastefully dressed.  Now, if she goes to take the cars, she is not permitted to go into a clean car with decent people, but is ordered into one that is repellent, and is forced into company that any refined woman would shrink from.  But along comes a flauntingly dressed woman, of known disreputable character, whom my wife would be disgraced to know, and she takes any place that money will buy.  It is this sort of thing that hurts.”