The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1867-04-25

nth. It has already com
D Connecticut, and wilt sooner
<er, sweep over the whole North
eslern and Middle States. Then We
enall be restored to our rights in the
Union, with honor unsullied and the
right of suffrage unchanged. Let us
await this Democrats triumph, be IL a
hundred years, rather than seek new
associations with our Black Republican
Ityrants and oppressors, and be guilty OF
the baseness Of abandoning our friends
at the North, who have nobly defended
our cause, for two years past, and sacri.
feed themselves in the struggle for
Southern rights and constitutional free.
dom. s,se ,tey2s-t ~
If we are unwilling to bear the ills
to which we are subjected, for the,
maintainence of honor and principle,
then we deserve our destiny. Il is
said that, IL We do not accept the de-.
grading terms now offered, worse will
be imposedl Have we any assurance
that worse may not be imposed, If we
do accept? Like the woman who con-
sented to her own dishonor 10 save the
life Of her husband, and was then made
TO witness his execution There is no
faith in tyrants. Threats Of confisca-
tion are futile. Almost every one has
been pardored, by taking the amnesty
oath, or by special application. The
Southern people may be robbed and
murdered, but their property canno, be
con6scated.
In order to debauch prominent
Southern men, offers have been made
in Congress TO remove theif disabilities,
and, il would seem, not without sue,
cess! Threats 10 the many, and bribes
to a few, is the policy adopted for radi.
calizing the Southern States. Witt uni
versal negro suffrage and debauched pol
iticians, we may bid farewell 10 all hope
ofrepublican institutions. Virtue and
intelligence alone can sustain republic.
When the negro bas acquired intelli-
gence to understand his political rights,
and property to make him feel an in.
terest in the proper exercise of them, he
should be allowed TO vote. This prin>
ciple has been adopted in most of the
Northern States, and is wise and Just.
But il is wicked 10 put ballots into the
hands OF those who will be the passive
tools Of their employers, or the mischev
GUS agents of Black Republican emissa
ries. as a - -.
Nothing oanb be more unjust and ini
quitous than the discriminating di<fIsn
chisement of the military bill A
Union man, whose life has been spent
in trying TO maintain the integrity Of
the Union, but who was a member OF
the Legislature or Judge ten or tween
" years ago, and who, after his State
seeded, fed or clothed son in the
Confederate army, is di,franchised -
But the man whose hole life NAV
have been spent in reasonable efforts
10 destroy the Union and involve the
country in a bloody civil war, who was
a leading member Of the secession Con
vention, and afterwards a distinguished
General in the Confederate army, hurl-
ing his command against the United
States forces in hundred bloody
helds Of battle, is not disfranchised, unr
less he bad previously taken an oath TO
support the Constitution of the United
Statesl There are many instances Of
this character which. nigh; be mention.
ed, showing the Injustice and folly of
this disfranchisement. II is believed
that neither Generals Beauregard, HifE
Magruder, nor General Lee himself, the
illustrious commander-in-chief of tho
Confederate forces, is disfranchised.-
But the humble Union magistrate, who
relieved the distresses Of a son or friend
in the Confederate army. is diafianchis.
ed! ...-.
There is not the remotest hope or
probability Of the Southern States be
ing restored to the Union Till AFTER the
next Presidential election. Why, then,
shall we voluntarily degrade ourselves,
and give up our dearest political rights
for a delusioni If dishonor must
come, do not embrace il. If we are to
wear manacles, let them pc put on by
our tyranis, not by ourselves. IF . man
threatens to kick you. self respect
would forbid your exposing your per
son to him and ssking him to kick.
you at once and be done with it,
We have lived already two years un.
der military rule, In great poverty and
distress, and have been cheered all the
time by the consciousness that we are
not a degraded, though q conquered
people. We can continue to live in
the same way two years longer, or, II
need be, ten years, and feel q pride
in knowing that we have maintained
our honor, and made every effort pos
able to preserve our freedom and con-
stitntional rights. A man who feels
that he has disbonored h;nsslf 4.