Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1866-10-06
[.VOL. 2--NO. s.

Union, as if she had never formed part of it.
The North professcd to fight for the Const;tu-
ton. AS soon as she had the power to do so,
she changed that Constitution, and she viola
ted its sacred provisions The North protest
ed that she did not fight for conquest, OF for
| plumber. The Southern States arc at this
moment practically conquered provinces, and
more OF their movable property is now in tho
hands OF Northern soldiers, who stole it, than
rolo which Southern soldiers received, prom
iscd, as have already said, that they should
not be interlercd with, so long as they obcycd
the laws of their own States And vet on
their return to their States, they were not al
lowed to exercise any right pertaining to free
citizens, until they had, under oath, endorsed
all the ncts of Congress and declared the abo-
lition of slavery fixed, irrcvocablc and consti-
tutionnl. Amnesty for the past had been re-
pcatedly, promised to the South, yet how many
rot her citizens arc still, in the brothcry Ian
guagc Of Che Radicals, only unpardoned rcb-
els whilst her most honorcd and best beloved
son languishcs in a fclon's cell, denied the
sacred right guaranteed by the Constitution,
of "spccdy trial by an impartial Jury" The
Southern States were to be recognized as equal
members of the Union They are still cxclu-
dcd from that Union and even in the impos-
ton OF taxes, there is no equality, for the cot
ton of the South has to bear n heavy discrimi-
mating tax, for the benefit of the North All
the rights of the South were to be held sacred.
She has only the right to live and to labor,
perhaps to complain, though to do so may be
treason.
| have placed before you the record of the
South and that of the North. Let the world
decide which is entitled to honor; which to
shame. have drawn in dark colors, but alas
in too true ones, the condition of our country,
and now turn to the discussion of what
should be our policy. In the anomalous con-
diton in which we arc placed, it is a matter
of great difficulty to mark out the proper
course for us to pursue but there are certain
cardinal principles Of which We should never
lose sight, The first Of these is, that as we
accepted the terms onercu 10 lis uy Tic .yv, tl,.
in good faith, we arc bound by every dictate
of honor, to abide by them fully and honestly.
They are none the less binding on us, because
the dominant and unscrupulous party at the
North refuse to accord to us our Just rights.
let us at least prove ourselves worthy of tho
rights we claim; let us set an example of
good faith, and we can then appeal with doub-
Ic chect to the justice and magnanmity of the
North. These virtues, would fan hope, arc
not totally extinct amongst that people, and
there are bravo men there, who arc battling
for Justice, for constitutional liberty, for tho
equality OF all the States, and for the rights
of the South. The only hope, not alone for
the South, but for freedom itself, on this con
tincnt, lies i'll the success of this party We
are their natural allies, and would sacrifice
much-whcrc honor and principle arc not in
vadcd, and then would not yield one iot or
title to strengthen their hands in the great
contest, which is soon to decide the fate of
Constitutional Liberty and Republican Inst-
tutions in the United States. The President
of the United States has lent the great infl,1.
ence which his high position, his strong intel
lect, his firm purpose and his indomitablo
will, give, to this new conservative party,
and to his support every Southern man should
rally cordially. We may perhaps feel that he
has not gone to the extent of his power or of
our expectations, in carrying out his policy
to its legitimate ends, but We cannot forget
that he has boon the only bulwark to stand
between our unhappy country and certain, ir-
retrieyable and everlasting rum. But for
him, tho horrors we endured during the war;
would have been far surpassed by those Of
peace. And though differing with him in
many points, chccrfully accord to him tho
highest praise, for the brave and patriotic
stand he has taken in defence of the South
and of tho Constitution. There is one other
point on which there should be no msundcr.
standing as to our position, no loop on which
to hang possible misconstruction as to our
views, and that is the abolition of slavery. T
have already intimated that the mode by which
the North secured the ac1uicsccncc of the
South in the consummaton Of this purpose
was breach of faith on her part. Of all the
Inconsistencies Of which the North has been
guilty-and their name is I.cgion--nonc is
greater than that by which she forced the
Southern States, while rigidly excluding them
from the Union, to ratify the Constitutional
amendment aboishing slavery, which they