Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1860-09-27
For the Yorkville ENQUIRER.
VIGILANCE COMMITTEES.

The propriety Of appointing Vigilance Com.
mittees in certain localities of the district, for the
purpose Of keeping in subordination the colored
population, and preventing anything like insur-
rection in our midst, is thought by some to be
right and proper, whilst there are others who
think it all ga miserable hoax"
We have no doubt the newspaper accounts of
worthless white men attempting, at varions pla-
ces, to incite slaves to instruction, arson and
murder, are greatly exaggerated yet none can
deny that there are and have been many strolling
vagabonds throughout the South, capable Of just
such attempts and well may liberty, the bright
goddess of freedom that has inspired so many
noble hearts to yield their life's blood on ensan-
guined plains, begin to shrink in the wild gloom
of her despair, as she views the affecting pros
poets before her. She fell not amid the gloom
of war, nor clash of arms, but now, when no san
culinary contest is wrecking her beautiful fabric
and hammering its proud battlements, she isa-
bout to totter and give way beneath her own
weight, like the oak that falls amid the Stiffness of
the forest. The first step then Of primary import.
ance to take in this matter, is to consider the
main and leading causes of all this excitement
now agitating the public mind, and if possible,
find out where the root Of the evil lies, and in
all its ramifcations, is likely to end.
Our judgment is, that there are too many ne
groes engaged in mechanical ~employments, and
too many allowed to hire their own time, and do
pretty much as they please, away from the eye
ofthe owner or manager. The proper place for
the negro is in the fold, and in mental Offices
about the homestead and in the house and o
bove all things, let it be remembered that weak
and foolish leniency towards the negro, is a cru
Ell and dangerous harm to him, to his fellows, to
his owners, and to the property of his neighbors.
Duty requires a strict and firm, and an unre-
lenting control Of the negro by his master, man.
ager or employer, and the most absolute and
complete and unenquiring obedience on the part
of the negro.
That a great many negroes, land among this
class are included the lazy, idle, drunken, free
negro-knonn as n nuisance to the whole
country are suffered to run unrestrained here,
there, and every where, at night and in day time,
from under the surveillance Of the master, is an
evil of dangerous tendency, and greatly to be de-
plored by my thinking, honest, and upright
citizen. It may seem anti christion to some of
the best of people, yet we are constrained to be.
lieve, not 50 much from experience as from OBJ.
servation, that NEGRO PREACHING, when con-
Quoted by blacks, has done, and will do more
harm than good. 1t is not our intention, how
ever, at present, to set up any ~favorite scheme,
but the subject should be contemplated in all
its aspects and consequences, and then to form
an intelligent judgment, and deliberate purpose
respectingit. =
Our opinion in regard to skulking abolitionists,
whenever and wherever found, melting slaves
to instruction; is, they should be hung up to
the nearest tree, and the following laconic ep-
itaph placed over their dishonored graves:
IAN Abolitionist, here he lies,
No body laughs and no body cries,
Where hei gone, and how he fares,
No body knows and no body cares"
We don't wish to harm a single living mortal,
nor will we, if they will let US alone and quit
tampering with our slaves. But heaven forbid
that we should submit longer to the cold, heart,
less and blood. thirsty attempts for the destruc
ton of uuoffending and inofensive citizens, by
pro wiling ''cut. throats.'
"Obsta principiis" was the motto, Of the il
~lustrous compatriots of Washington in thei,
great struggle for freedom. May we be imbuet
with the sam spirit that actuated them.