Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1866-01-20
MISCELL a N i.
From the Abbeville Press.
Governor Jenkins.


pire State of the South. He is one of our
first favorites. We have observed his course
and read everything that has fallen from him
since " the huge eclipse" Of Appomattox.-
He has not published word in reference to
our difficult public affairs, which has not
touched responsive chord in our heart; and
we have not had thought or feeling on the
subject, which he has not expressed much
better than we could have done ourselves. We
well remember his eloquent speech in Angus
ia last summer. Brave, though not defiant
frank, though not scrvilc-urging rcconstruc
ton, but in such sad tones, and with SO much
grateful tenderness for the Confederate dead
that it was plain he spoke the honest convc-
tion of brave, frank, true heart.
The views he suggests in reference to the
negroes in our midst are truthful, just and
marnanimous 1t is most true that they were
happy and contented in slavery; that they
increased in ratio unparalleled in the history
of population; that they were made multi-
tudc by that institution which also raised
them to position of comfort aud civilization
never attained by any Of their race before i'll
their own country or elsewhere. 1t is also
true that in the main they were faithful du-
ring the war. They were indeed, in most
cases, rs loyal and as anxious for our success
as our own people. 1t is most just that in
this their day Of trouble, we should be kind
and gentle and humane to them. We should
give them the amplest protection in their per-
sons and property; but that same kind regard
for their welfare should make us sternly with
hold from them "social and political cquali-
ty." That would be their utter and speedy
ruin--that is the forbidden fruit to them. If
they are ever nominally made the equals of
the superior race, and thrown into fierce com
petitions with them. their doom is sealed and
that speedily. Their safety we'll as their
happiness must come from their weakness,
from their depcndencc-t their acknowledged
inferiority.
But we were even more struck with the re-
marks Of the Governor, upon the political sit
uation. Touching our very anomalous position
Id regard to ~5Rc Union, he speaks like leader
in Israel He invokcs his fcllow-citizens not
to be discouraged at the "tardy progress of
reconstruction or at the suspicion aud distrust
so palpahy manifested towards them" 1t
has struck us as strange that the vctors in
war avowedly for the Union, should, when
offered, refuse the very thing they have been
fighting for. It has seemed to us still more
strange, that they should desire the process of
reconstruction to be carried on by those who
skulked, rather than by those who did boldly
what they conceived to be their duty 1t
would seem natural that they should desire
the very men who fought them to be the in
struments of re construction. This would be
the case unless they distrusted them. What
mistake The brave are always true Val
or and truth are indeed "twn sisters" Those
who conducted the war on our side were guilty
Of no (" duplicity" Our victors will find no
where " the trail Of the serpent They did
what they thought they had right to do, and
acted in the face Of day. They used no du-
plicity because they are not conscious of any
sin. They obeyed their States. They did
not rise against or attempt to overthrow any
Government, but simply to withdraw from one
and establish another. There was not the first
element Of insurrccton in the whole move
ment. They acted under the form Of law,
peaceabiy and quietly. They were loyal to
their friends, their principles and their immc-
date governments. They do not feel ashamed
that they were so. We are Of opinion that
any Southern man, who could remain in the
Southern States during the four years Of trc-
mendous sacrifices and struggles, and not feel
a sympathy for his own blood engaged in
desperate contest is either more or less than
man. We believe that in most of such cases,
the ruling motive was ar of bullets or fear
Of losing property These are not the men to
be trusted but rather those who went with