Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1865-09-27
The Revolution in South Oarolina-Govern
or Perry's Address.

The Revolution in South Carolina GoVern-
or Perry's Address.
That terrible French revolution which
changed the most presumptuous, oppressive
and offensive monarchy in Europe to the re-
public of Liberty. Equality and Fratern-
itv," as an astounding transformation, Is al
most eaualled by the revolution which has
come upon South Carolina. Mark the con-
trast between the Speeches OF her ruilng Oh
igarchy at her secession convention OF lSb0
and the address of her present Provisional
Governor Perry to the convention called to
reorganlze the State as loyal member OF
| the Union See what four years OF wlther-
| ing war have done In her case. Where now
is that gorgeous fabric of animperial South
ern confederacy, resting upon the corner
| stone of slavery, and bringing the destlnles
| of all nations under the sovereign will OF
| King Cotton :? Ii has all vanished like
mirage in the desert, and the once imperlous
| city of Charleston, which dreamed of the
glory of Rome, has narrowly escaped the
! fate of CARTHAGE
The ruins of Sumpter tell the story of
South Carolina The condition of the fort
ress is the condition Of the State. 1t must
be rebuilt from its foundation. The local
| oligarchy, the institutions, ideas and class
distinctions of hundred years ripening
have all been shattered by shot and shell in
to heap Of rubbish. From these ruins
Governor Perry is called by President john
| son to rebuild the fabric of the State, and
with a hitch or two, he goes to his task like
| skilful workman. The convention sum-
moned together by him has assembled, and
he has chalked out the work which it is re-
auired to do. He tells the members, first
in general terms, that it is their duty to or
ganize State government, whereby JUS
| tice may be established, domestic tranquility
| insured and loyal citizens protected IN all
| their rights of life liberty and property,
and whereby the State may be restored to
her constitutional relations to the federal
government, and then he proceeds to his
| specifications.
He admonishes the convention that 'Afri-
can slavery, cherished institution Of South
Carolina from her earliest colonial history,
lis gone dead forever, never to be revived
or hoped for in the future of the State.
After the sacrifice, in an exhausting war, of
the white bone and sinew OF the State, and
property to the extent of two hundred and
| fifty millions of the three hundred millions
of her wealth, and all for the perpetnation of
African slavery, this tremendous fact, that
lit is gone, dead forever, is presented as
the starting point for the convention. They
must build upon the corner stone of Abra-
ham Lincoln's emancipation proclamation
They must declare slavery abolished in their
new State constitution. 1t is the fixed con-
dition precedent of the President amnesty,
the condition to readmission to Congress,
from which there is no escape. This may
be painful duty, but the Governor is sure
| that the members of the convention, patriotic
and honorable men, will fulfill it. He next
advises them AID all concerned that ''by a
,fr
freed men and woman you may attach them
to you as strongly in their new condition as
they EeEso Wills YoqFc 5c ffaBf5 f5cres 10 rvou
mend ''popularizing the State constitution
III several particulars. The representation
in the State Senate is arbitrary, unjust
and unequal 1t ought to be recti6ed, The
ernor and cast the Presidential electoral vote
of the State. These powers should now be
given to the people. Upon the suffrage
question Gov. Perry thinks. that to extend
the suffrage now to the freedmen, lin their
present ignorant and degraded. condition,
would be little less than folly and madness y
But in his argument upon this subject the
Governor permits his zeal to outrun his dis
cretion. He talks of the radical republican
party Of the North, as if that party had
no vote in Congress upon the acceptance OF
the work of his convention. He erepeats the
old exploded notions of South Carolina be-
fore the deluge that this is the white man 5
government, intended for white men only
notions which, since the deluge, are, even
in South Carolina, utterly absurd and un-
meaning nonsense. They are calculated to
do no good, but will be apt to makenischief,
as excellent ammunition for Northern radi-
cal agitators.
We must say, moreover, to Governor Per-
ry, that the exclusion of the blacks from the
benefits OF the government does not enter
into the programme of President johnson.
The institution of slavery having gone by
the board, the blacks must be recognized as
citizens, whatever their restrictions for the
present in view OF the general interest of the
community. It is pity that this other
wise admirable address of Governor Perry
should be spoiled by his exploded heresies
concerning the negro rights. 1t never was
wise, and it is now exceedingly foolish, for
any Southern Provisional Governor to recall
the inhammatory precepts of the Dred Scott
decision. But considering the stupendous
revolution which South Carolina is called to
recognize within her borders, it is not strange
that even Governor Perry should fail to meet
it fully In the main he has done well a: but
we apprehend that he must drop the Dred
Scot decision or he he will fail to touch bot
tom in Congress. T. Herald
Judge Soofeld's Address.
The Utica papers contain the address of