Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1866-12-07
We VICTIS.

no Other consideration than the cork which
floats upon the surface, and indicates where the
current runs, says 1.-THE rebellion from the po
tornac 10 the Rio Grande, though disnrmed,
eill remains to be subdued" The Hcrcl1 first
opposed the Constitutional Amendments. After
the election in New Hampshire it suddenly
shifted soil aRd approved it, aud is now furious
because the Southern States do as it once said
they would do Dir Bennet now declares that
it ic rebelous in the South to decline approval
.oi every thrG the Radicals may propose. Re-
beiiious not against the Govcrnineut-uot
against the Constitution, hut against the Rs,li-
cal faction in their efforts to change the Con-
stitution and overthrow the Government. Loy
atty 10 the Constitution ID treason to the Radi
calls Io says "it is fully to talk of the rights
Of the Southern States. We ate in 4 uuas,
etate Of war The war is not closed up willie
these States remain Unrestored, and they are
completely under the power AMI ut the mercy of
the North. The will Of The Northern people
and consequently ofcongress, as representing
the Northern people, is the absolute law in the
case. The South has placed itself in its pres
ent excluded situation aud must bear the con
sequences. All appeals to former constitutional
tights are useless, if even a strict technical in.
erpretation might 10 favor them, because
the war power-the po'rcr IF tie con9ucror oyfr
the conquercd-iS superior to eurytAtng else"
We believe this to be the eXact expression Of
the sentiment of She party which controls tie
Government. The question hns all di.cuise
being thrown off, resolved ITSELF into one of
1o,cer and the willingness to exercise that power
f<,rt Al
the qualification of that envy and revenge
which low, selfish, vulgar souls are always
prone to indulge. For the sake Of humanity
for tie sake of our country, in n sense large
enough to include the whole country; for the
honor of man, we have long hesi,nted in Coming
to this conclusion. We did think there was Ill
tepigence enough left, at leust, 10 avoid suicide
But we con hesitate no longer. There can bc
no mistake in the matter. Madness: rules the
hour, and We are "clay in the potters hand
Under these circumstances we think it wise and
prudent TO take no further action in the prem.
ises. Let us not make ourselves '.particps
.crininis'' and become the agents and instru-
ments of this reckless spirit. Let the wild and
crazy mob of Radicals 60 their worst. We
have urged and pleaded in vain. The argument
is exhausted. II is perfectly manifest that the
'antm"s is not for the good Of the negro but de
voton to party and haired Of white men,
who cannot agree with ,hem.
They agitated for enamel patton. and wha, is
the resultf The race is infinitely worse of
than they were befsre, and is disappearing like
the mist of the morning. We assert that there
Is no candid man. familiar with the subject. who
would risk his reputation for intelligence and
truth by pretending that the condition Of the
race har been b-ttered by emancipation All
that las occurred and is occurring was predicted
and urged in vain upon these peopie-mai
with fanalicism. Our prophecies like those Of
Cassandra, though unneeded, were true Yet
this was all done in the name of humanity
philanthropy and christianity. "Oh liberty
how many crimes have been pei petra:ed in thy
name.
They now agitate for universal suffrage" OH
the grounds Of natural right and expediency
II has been proved thousand times that the
pretence of natural right is utterly unfounded
and that on the score of exreditncy they are
urging that which will lower the standard Of
citizenship, endanger the peoce Of the couptry
make the condition Of the negro still worse, and
that Of the white man, in States where the
white and black are nearly equal, in,olerable
and probably make the most fertile region of
the continent vast wilderness occupied by
mixed race3 Of monel els of all co;ors fran
snowy white to sooty." Yet all Iis is done in
the name Of patriotism and republican princi-
pies. They propose 10 abolish self government
in the Southern States. and govern them as con.
frf hair
principles. And this, shades OF Jefferson, to
be done in the name of RepuJlicanism! is it
not manifestly folly to argue with such people,
Montesauieu says somewhere that whene YER q
government. Republican in form undertakes,
contrary To the principles Of its own existence,
to hold another people in bondage, two things
inevitably foliow-fra the greatest oppression
on the part Of the subjsct people, and second
the destruction OF the government which i'm
pcses it. Both results will follow in this case
as time will show. The tyranny Of a party
upon philosophical and we'll known principles,
is worse than that Of any single man be be
Car, Emperor OF Kngi There hre many good
and patriotic men in the Northern States, who
.haEastood up against the monsters Of fausticism,
and deserve the appreciation of oil patriots
They number to nearly half the population Of
most of the States, and fhe time will cohne when
their views with be vindicated. Truth is mighty
and m,st.prevail in The long run; but for The
present they IRE in minority and are treated
.ssif they did notexist The dominant party,
although . minority of the people of the United
States, acts as if it were the State, and for the
present the beat We can do is to DO nothing, ex
cspt.to bear with for.itude. '.Ephiaim is Joined
tothis idols let him alonei" s
The Washington, cor respondent of the Rich-
inond Ezaysiaer says: The Radical chiefs,
Stevens Sum ner and all ara much agitated by