Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1865-12-09

Hed to conform to this imposing decision In all
the powers granted in tho Constitution &c :!io Hed-
eral alGovernment, it is supreme aud sovereign, and
must beobeyed and respected accordingly. Where
the rghtsof State are disresarded, or puconsti-,
tutional acts done by any department Of the Fed,
erM Government, redress 0an no longer be sought
by interposng the sovereignty OF the State, either
for Or secession; butthe remedy is by
petition or remonstrance; by reason. which sooner
or later will overtake justices byhn appeal to the
supreme judicial poser of the Union; orSby revo-
luton, which If unsuccessful, is treason.
Tho decision was far. more Imposing and oblig8.
tory than If had been pronounced by the Supreme
Court of thS United States. Had it been tried
thore, effort to reverseit might have been made,
because its members and opinions often change
But the God Of Battles has pronounced an irrever-
sible Judgment, after fongs desperate and san
culinary struggle, and it would bo neither polite
or patriotic eycr again to invoke new trial Of the
fearful issue. E .&
The clemency which President johnson has so
generously extended to many of our citizens, in
granting full and froc pardon for participation in
the late revolution, does honor to his statest,an-
ship and to his sense oft,h,stcc. lie is the ruling
power Of great and triumphant Gayernnaent, and
by his policy will attach by cords stronger than
ttrpe steel" the citizens of one entire section Of
the Union to that Government which he has SO long
and 80 ably SUPPORTED and haintainrd. He was
well acquainted with tho SoutA-with her politics
and politicians, and knew however erroneous in
hisjudgmcht may haze been their political princi-
pies, that they honestly entertained the sentiments
which they profcssed, and for which they perled
their all and afterfailing in their end when they
proposed to return to their loyalty, that humanity
and policy dictated TINT they Should not be huutcd
down for ignominious punishment.
shall give his policy of reconstruction an carn-N
est aud zealous support. ~.
TIC war decided, second That slavery should
be totally and absolutely externinated in all the
States of the Union. The Convention of this State,
with singular unanimitytand promptness accept
cd the result Of the issue made, and declared in
the Fundamental law "that slaves having been
cmancpatcas by jhc action of tho United S,ates au
thorites. slavery should never be re-esablsled in
this State" Hs&.
The Legislature has followed up the action on
7the Convention, by passing the Constitutional
amendment proposed by the Federal Congress pro-
and conferrihg on Congress power to carry the
same into effect Slavery in America is, therefore,
forever extinct. The people of South Carolina,
have acquiesced in this sequence Of the war with
remarkable checrfulness, especially when 1t is
nncd that herpeoph have been the snunthest de-,
Tenders Of the institution, on principle of policy,
for more than a century--that her interest iA the
institution was greater, relatively, than any Of her
sisters, its cash value at the beginning of the war
being morsthhn two Hundred millions or 7t0llar5-;
and that, From settled conviction, her two great
staples uf cotton and rice could only be suocessful
ly cultivated by compulsory labor & ss 'tSsss@s
The Convention and the Legislature, both re4,
Gently elected by the people have no doubt fath-i
fully represented the sentiment os their constu-S
cnton this subject. aMd it cannot be doubted that
sinoc the slave is omaucipnted it is the fxetl pur-
sposeyot the people secure to him his rights of
person aud property rs frcedmap-that n inst
Remuneration shall be paid him for q labor. and
that he shall be protected against the fraud md
violence of the artfu and the lawless Tie impor-
tance of your Legislation, regulating the relative
rights and duties Of tho Whites and the freedmen
at your present session, cannot be oyereSti iniate
The vital interests Of the State in my Judgment
are dependent solely upon the laws you may pass
with reference to this population. They must be-
restrained from theft, deness Sagrancy andsciime
tani taught the absolute necessity Of strictly COM
I'D protected in their person and property and,
shondsbe established to rntfy contracts for labor,
nnts their experience and increasing knowledge
may teach them to. guard against the craft Of the
,,dscrupulous. TO insure his protection of person
and property. and "a guard society against tnmpl-
tuous disturbances Of the peace Against trespasses
retaliations and nssassihations-i will be inds.
penshby necessary to modify the rules Of evidence
so 'as to permit the negro to testify in ell cases
where his rights of person and property are in
wolyed. Mlt .. S.iI
'fhe labor Of evcry negro in the State is needed,
If not to till the eisoin some other useful employ
ment-tor the c4Ittire Of cotton md rice; and in
all menial occupations, tits very doubtful whether
any laborers in this county or in Europe, sup
ply'his PLACE His long and thorough training in
these employments give him q certain skill and
aptitude which n stranger can only obtain by ex-
perence. Il Is. therefore. Of the first Importance
4 .lo.t