Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1866-03-10

l.COnIeucracy, TaCucr, ttlatl iuVoifc Iuc cou"t'y
in cruel, bloody and unnatural war to en-
fnrcc an unwilling political alliance. If they
could have forcseen the horrible results of Sc
ccssion in the dcsoation Of their country, the
abolition of slavery, the destruction OF their
property, four years war, and the sacrifice OF
200, 900 Southern lives no sane South Caro-
linian would have thought OF. much less nd-
vocated, such ~ doctrine and it is hardly
probable that if the Northern people could
have foroseen the loss Of 100000 of their
fellow-crcatures, and the increase OF their ma
tional debt to more than So 600, 600, 900, that
they would have been willing to have paid
this horrible price as Christian and civilized
people for the sake of living under the same
Government with the Southern States.
Under these circumstances, the people OF
South Carolina, with those of ten other States,
did sccede from the Federal Union and estab-
lish National Confederacy Calamity and
heroically they fought for that nationality, and
maintained it for four long bloody years,
against the gigantic armies which were hurled
against them. They made hcrcucan efforts
and heart rending sacrifices in its defence,
which will live in history with the most re-
nowned achievements Of Greece or Rome In
the end their strength and resources were cx-
bers, conquered and subducd. Brave and
honorable, they have accepted the results of
the war as the decree of God. The fortunes
Of battle decided against secession, and they
have abandoned it forever. They now nc
knowledge the Federal Union as perpetual in
| the spirit with which it was framed In obe.
dicnce to the Presidents proclamation they
have prepared themselves to resume in good
faith their position once more in the Union.
hey met in Convention; repealed their ordi-
nance of secession, restored their obligations
| to the Constitution of the United States, and
abolished African slavery, which had been a
cherished patriarchial institution with them,
and under which the negro had multiplied
and increased in manner which proved that
he had been kindly treated and cared for in
his slavery. In doing this they gave up
| $500, 900, 900 worth of property. They ac-
ccpted and ratified the amendment Of the Fed
crli Constitution declaring that neither slave
ry MIR involuntary servitude should ever exist
again in the United States, unless for crimes
whereof the party had been duly convicted.
They rcmoaclcd and popalarzed their State
Constitution. ,abolisbing whatever was Of aris.
tocratic tendency in it, making representation
and taxation equal throughout the State, and
giving the election of Governor and Tresidcn-
tial electors to the people. Their Legislature
afterwards assembled and secured, by law, the
rights of the freedmen to life, liberty and
property, the right of giving testimony in all
cases where there interests were involved, and
establishing for them a fair and impartial trial
in their courts of justice.
All this the people of South Carolina have
done in good faith, and arc this day as loyal
to the Union as the people of any other State.
They arc now as earnest and Jealous in their
support of the Constitution of the United
States, and the honor Of the Republic, as they
were few years since in their efforts to cstab.
lsh and maintain Confederacy of the South
ern States. Evcrywhere, all over the State,
they are quiet and pcaceablc, obeying the laws
of the Federal Union, and trying to redeem,
by their industry and economy, their broken
fortunes, and restore the State to prosperity
and happiness! They have no wish Or thought
of dishonoring their national characters by re-
pudating the national debt of the Union;
nor have they wish for the United States to
pay or assume any Of the liabilities Of the
Confederate Government Their earnest de-
sire is to have restored those kind, social and
commercial relations which formerly existed
between the different sections Of the Union.
Slavery having been abolished, which was the
! great disturbing element between the North
and the South they see 40 reason why there
should now be any longer discussions between
| the two sections Thcy are mutually depend