The tri-weekly news. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1865-1876, 1865-07-04
Speech Of the Hon. W. W. Boyoe,

bopp, s.. 4G, on Wednesday,; The 21ss
jane, 1896, at the meeting held fot.
| The restoration, of the civil Government
sofSouth Carolina.
During the absence of the committee
to prepare resolutions for the action of
the meeting, Mr.. BoYoE being called
upon, rose and addressed the people as
: sembled:
Mr.. PREslDENT l approve of the
object of the meeting. 1t is greatly to
our interest to have civil government es.
tablished in the State. BY the theory
of. our institutions, while few great in.
terests arc exclusively con6ded to the
Federal authority, large mass. of legis.
lation is reserved to the States individu
ally. The sooner we have State
Government IN operation, the sooner we
will have control over our local legis.
lation, and the sooner we may look for
the withdrawal Of military authority.
The military, it is true, are acting, so far
as have learned, both in this State and
adjoining States, with great propricty.
But still tits preferable to live under civ.
il government. | am satisfied from what
/ learned at Washington that President
johnson will extend to this State the
same privilege of establishing the State
Government that he has and is extending
to the States of North Carolina Missis
sippi, Alabama and Georgia, &c. No
discrimination will be made against this
State. | am satisfied that the Presi-
dent is ready to establish our State Gov.
ernment as soon as he thinks public opin.
ion isripe for it. Tie object Of this meet
ing is to make known the sense of the
people Of this District on the subject.
From all can learn upon this point,
and [ have taken every opportunity of
informing myself of the wishes Of the
people of the State, am satisfied the
great mass of the people, by an over
whelming majority, amounting almost to
unanimity, earnestly desire the estab
lishment OF State authority in entire har-
mony with the government of the
United States. I apprehend that in
this large meeting, there will be but
one opinion on the subject.
/ might stop here, but presume you
desire to hear something of my late visit
70 Washington. At the instance of
some Of our most influential citizens, /
went on to see the PRECEDENT of the
United States. l had been well &C.
quainted with him as q member of the
Senate of the United States. l had
heard so much of him, his talents, the
obstacles he had overcome, and the con-
trolling influence he had acquired in his
State, that took pains to form his ac.
quaintance, and observed him with deep
interest. / knew that man who had
accomplished what he had, who from
the most adverse position had risen, to
be successfully, a, member Of the Legis-
lature, member of Congress- Governor.
and Senator was no ordinary man. I
respected in him the man who had
erected his own statue, and found Mr..
Johnson to be man Of remarkable tai
ents, immense energy, great good sense,
a strong will, with perfect selfreliance,
a man who belonged to himself and not
to another.
No one can have greater adherence
of that inefiably stupid crime, the assasi-
nation Of Mr.. Lincoln, than have, but
| do not think that thereby the Southern
States have fallen into the hand of a
cruel tyrant as has been imagined by
some Emancipation is conceded to bea
fixed fact. President johnson, am sat
isGed, will deal with our people in no
ungenerous spirit. All who accept the
existing ORDER of things, who, in good
faith, desire to be peaceful and loyal citi-
zens, will, as general rule, in my opin.
ion, experience The clernency OF the gov.
ernment. On the great question of the
right of suffrage in these. States, Presi.
dent Johnson has taken the conserva.
tive position of referring the matter to
the States themselves. For this he has
required the opposition Of tile extreme
wing OF the Republican party. We
cannot but attend the Issue Of this differ
ence of opinion with GREAT interest and