The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-07-17

black men who, to-day, sleep the
sleep of death upon numerous hotly
contested battle fields, where they
fell fighting for liberty and defending
the Union.
L have, citizens, thus called
your attention to these facts. which
arc found in history, to show that.
while it is the duty Of all Americans.
irrespective of race or color, to re-
joice for the liberty we enjoy. and
commomc rate the birthday of our
national independence 1t is rs well
our duty to call to mind what oui' an
cestors-Om forefathers-did for free
dom's sake. We are here Justly and
properly, and let us rejoice upon this
day for what the founders of the Go
Ternment did by way of recognizing
and respecting our manhood in legis-
lation for what our fathers did hv
way of manly daring on the battle
field, by sea and by land, for the pre
servation OF our liberty.
But leave the past, and come to
the issues of the present. And let
me say, to begin witlA that l am
radical. Washington, and Jefferson,
and Franklin have taught me to be
radical. For the same reasons that [
believe they would, to-day, be radi-
calls, should they live, l am one. If
they lived to-day, they would be in
favor of the Government being ad.
ministcrcd Dy the consent of the 60
verned. AS in their day, so now they
would be in favor of political cIuali-
ty, irrespective of race or color; and
by all exercising that right, they
would hope for general peace and
prosperity i'll the country.
Let me- say to you, white citizens
of South Carolina, that for forty long
years our country has been rent with
political and sectional strife. Social
hate and prejudice, too, has played
its dangerous part. Now we want
peace and harmony. We want sec
tional peace. And [ am radical be-
cause desire 70 eradicate everything
that may give birth to sectional or
social discorl. The great source Of
sectional strife aud hatred III any
country mas been oppression. If (
shonld tin( III my orchard = tree
whose fruit, BY touching the tongue.
would even cmdangcr life, l should
think II best 10 take that tree out by
the roots, and not attempt its de-
strUction by merely nippin~ of the
ends OF the bouglls. SO 1 believe
that now we should MT once obllteratc
everything that may tend to dis
scnsion and disturbance. Political
equality will bring peace to this dis
'racted land. The white citizens
must be willing that the negro shall
ENJOY complete political equality.
Whether the negro should be free
and equal before the law, is the vcxed
question which distracted our coun-
ellis and rent our country. Will the
South accept this condition of peace,
or will it prefer strife?
saw, recently, the conservative
platform of South Carolina. The prin
ciples therein laid down were about
the same rs those laid down in the
Union Republican platform of South
Carolina. tits evident that principle
is not Mt stake in that case ut all.
Then, II there is no difference Of OPT
mon; If there is no difference of poll
teal faith; if there is no difference as
to how the Government should be
administered, then why should not
these men come and Join the party
that first avowed those principles?
1t looks Just as if these conservative
men intend to organize party merely
tor opposition and strife. They are
like Gen. Longstrcet, when, as he
says, like other Southern men, [
naturally sought alliance with the
Democratic party, because it was OPP
posed to the Republican party"
But as far as L can Judge, there is
nothing tangible about it, except the
issues that were staked in the war.
and they were lost.
Finding nothing to take hold OF,
except prejudice, which cannot be
worked into good for any one, it is
proper and right that 1 should seek
some standpoint from which good
may come. Gen. Longstreet doubt
less represented large class OF con-
servatlve Southern men, who, for no
better than imaginary reasons. are
opposed to the Republican party,
because there is nothing tangible
upon which to build a party. except
prejudice. Now, wish to know of
you, white men of Carolina, if you
have not had angry strife? For many
years, the North did much to satisfy
the South. for the sake Of concord.
At the bidding of the South, the
Missouri compromise measures were