The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1865-09-28

country in time of war; should be alloweu
to vote for members Of the Legislature
md other officers of the State, without
the ownership of freehold or the pay
ment of taxes. To extend this universal
suffrage to the "freedmen" in their. pres
ennt ignorant and degraded condition,
would be little less than folly and mad
ness. 1t would be giving to the man of
wealth and huge landed possessions in
the State most undue influence in all
elections. He would be enabled to march
to the polls, with his two or three hun
dred afreedmeu" as employees, voting as
he directed, and control all elections. The
Door white men in the Eelection Districts
would have no influence, or theirinfuence
would be overpowered by one man OF
large landed estate. In Connecticut,
Ohio, Indiapa, Illinois, and several other
non-slaveholding States, at the North,
free negroes and colored persons are en-
tirely excluded from voting. In most of
the Northern States thero is a property
qualification required of all voters, which
excludes them. If the New York quail
fcation of freehold for q person of col
or voting werc adopted in South Carroll
ma, very few OF the freedmen" in this
State would ever be able to exercise the
right of suffrage. In North CAROLINA,
Tennessee, and perhaps other slavehold-
ing States, free negroes formerly were en-
titled to vote, but it is understood that
they seldom saw proper to exercise this
franchise.
The Radical Republican party North
are looking with great interest to the ac-
ton of the Southern States in reference
to negro suffrage, and whilst they admit
that a man should be able to read sand
write and have q property qualification
in order to vote, yet they contend that
there should be no distinction between
voters on account of color. They forget
that this is white mans government,
and intended for white men only; and
that the Supreme Court Of the United
States has. decided that the negro is not.
an American citizen under the Federal
Constitution. That each and every State
of the Union has the unqucsfioned right
of deciding for herself who shall exercise
the right of suffrage, is beyond all dis
pute. You will settle this grave question
as the interest and honor of the State de-
mand. . .
" *
Gloomy as-thc present may seem, the
future will be bright and glorious. Moth
ing is ever likely to occur again to mar
the harmony of the Union. The great
cause of dissension between the two sec
tions has been removed. There are no
rival interests. The North and the South
are mutually necessary to each other, and
all the pursuits of the one are dependent
on those of the other The United States,
as n whole, combine all the elements of
national prosperity and greatness, in q
higher degree than any other people on
tho face of the earth. No empire in the
world ever united in so eminent degree
the three great sources of independence,
power and wealtil-agriculture, COM
mcrce and manufactures. AS long as CIV
ilization continues, this great Republic
will flourish. and increase in numbers,
wealth and grandeur. 1t can only crum-
BILE and break into fragments when igno-
rance and darkness shall have pervadcd
the land.
South Carolina, as an integral part of
this great power. must partakc Of its
richness and prosperity. The abolition of
slavery will give new energy and SELF
reliance to our people, stimulate industry
and promote economy in all the vocations
of life. In less than ten years we shall
realize in the loss of slavery blessing in
disguise, to ourselves and our children.
In resuming her allegiance to the Uni
ted States, know that South Carolina
does SO in good faith, and with perfect
sincerity to her plightcd honor. AS she
was the first to lead off in this great and
most unfortunate secession movement, it
now becomes her duty to set bright cx-
ample of loyalty to the other Southern
States, in returning to the Union, and
cheerfully performing all the obligations
to the Federal Government. She will re-
ceive, in return, from that Government, a
restoration of all her civil and political
c4a+o ,,,ith q nene-