The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, 1866-11-15
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south Carolina and the Radical
PrOgra m me.
STONG LETTER FROM HON. BENJAMIN
F. PERRY, AGAINST THE CONSTITU-
TIONAL AMENDMENT.

F. PERRY, AGAINST THE CONSTITU-
TIONAL AMENDMENT.
One by one the leading men of the
South are taking position squarely and
publicly against the constitutional amend
ment 1t gives us pleasure to lay before
our readers the following manly letter
from the Hon. b. f. PERRY:
GnEENvlLLE. S. c., October &c. 1866.
Charles W. Wood~ard, Esq, Phiiadclph'a
My DEAR SIR Il had the pleasure
of receiving your letter few days since,
expressing kind interest in the condition
Of the Southern States, and urging that
South Carolina should adopt the consttu
tional amendment proposed 10y Congress.
You also expressed wish to know my
views in reference to this all absorbing po
ltical question.
1t has been said that man can never
be dishonored except by hiDself, Others
may injure him apd oppress him, but they
can no more d:shonor him and render him
Infamous that they can defame virtue, and
truth and honor. The same may be said
va pSOpfC vi a w uIlSI Lucy nuT-
sue an honorable and patriotic course they
cannot be dissraced by the insults, wrongs
and expressions of stronger power, how
ever tyrannical and cxacting that power
may be.
The Southern people may be deprived
of all Political power in the Union, their
property may be coniscatcd and their
most distinguished and virtuous citizens
gibbetcd On the gallows, but they cannot
be rendered infamous in history by any
such barbarous aud inhuman conduct
Such course will only dishonor and rem
der Infamous their oPpressors.
do not concur with you in supposing
that the constitutional amend lent will be
adopted by three tourtlrs of the States.
am sure this will not be the case. There
and this will require the adoption of the
amendment py twenty seven. The rejec
ton OF the amendment by ten States will
defeat it. 1t is morally certain-as Ger
tain as any future event can be, depending
on human action-that Souh Carolina,
Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina, Ala
bama, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana,
Texas, Arkansas and Kentucky-clcven
States-will not dishonor themselves by
adopting the proposed constitut onal a
mendment. There are not, therefore, as
you say Northern States enough to make
the requisite number to adopt the amend
ment." If adopted, it must be by the aid
of ,wo rccreant States of the South besides
Tennessee. This cannot occur
You state that you greatly fear worse
u,;lI t,,, ,,,n.,l h. :. 81.
amendment be not adopted. What secu-
rity has The South that the worse terms
may not be imposed, if the amendment is
adopted. We have no guarantee whatever
that the Southern members will! be admit
ted to their seats in Congress, after the
amendment is adopted. Nothing OF the
kind is intiinated; and, whilst the test
oatl. is exacted, it would be impossible for
the Southern States to be represented in
Congress, except by those who would dis
honor and disgrace them. We have no
guarantee that Congress may not still hold
the Southern States as conquered provin-
ces, and appoint Provisional Governors
over them, with instructions to convene
"loyal" conventions, elected by universal
negro suffrage, and have formed State
Constitutions, by which all shall be en-
titled to vote and hold Office, without re
gard to caste or color, to the exclusion of
every one who has aided or countenanced
the Z" rebellion"
The first section of tie constitutional a.
mendment proposes to make citizens of all
the negroes in the Southern States, with
out regard to moral character or attach
ment to Republican principles, which are
required OF all foreigners who become citi
zens, after residence of five years in the
United States. No matter how Infamous
may be the character Of the negro, as a
liar, rogue and murderer, he becomes
an American citizen by this amendment,
and entitled to all the rights and privle-
ges Of citizenship. But the Irishman,
German and Engishman must first satisfy
the court that he is man of good moral
character, and we'll attached to the princi-