Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1867-03-13
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. the Ni;;ht4
Wesconfesy fhatthg rnere, we examine ii
iSiAusoE-tbe Military Bilfths better Sd

WatcI,a,aai,Nfh w hat-of the N;;;ht2 80
Wesconfess fhatthg more, we examine I'll
provisions ofthe Military Biltths better sat
isfied we bcreme thakths ruepoley of tn
South is aonraction. By non-action, W
1 would iot.be understood to say thafiF; m th
Icourse of events, an attempt should. be mad
By a,ryaportion Of tie inhabitants ef the Stat
to inaugurate actim booking tp the convoca
ton: oe.a State Convention; shat the>tru,
Southern people should, not take stogs to con
troll such o. mevement. But utail such NOSE
ment is, seriously begunr the, white peopl'
should strictly pursue the course which VI
have assigned OF. non-action.
+ Neither would we advise any Of the South
ernr people to stay away from the polls II, il
our State: elections, which COME OF in thi
fall, the negroes should be perinitted'to vote
All. qoodci.zens would, in such en- event. bt
placed Under imperativea Obligations TO moi
only vote themselves, but to Use I'll the in
l:Guence and power which they possess ta con
troll, in legal gay, the result, of such elee;
tions. 1t is perhaps premature. Just now, tc
enlarge further upon this idea. Every reflect
Tag mind in the State will perceive at once
the vital importanre Of the course which we
now suggest in relation to this subjec = .
But we would urge, with aA.the power 5
which we arc capable, that the Sou ihern peo
pie should not throw themselves forward into
the trap set for them in tthe Sherman Bill
We can dose nothing by -waiting-Ve certain
ly can gain nothing by acting. Prudence
dictates thai we remain. quiet aud passive.
We know that it is urged by some that, by
acting a! once, We may avert other and furLh-
er wrongs. That our rejection OF the pro.
visions of the Sherman Bill viii entail upon
us conGscation, and, perhaps, exile or irnpris-
onme.it. The course which We adyse is
neither to reject or approve. If We were dis.
posed to reject It's degrading terms we have
not.the power to do so; and, on the other
hand, our. approval would only haston the
operations of the measure without, in the
slightest degree, mitigating its rigor.
It is further insisted BY some that course
of non-action on the Part Of the South, would
safiect us. in the eyes of the Radicals, to rhc
i'm putation of contunacy and defidncs Of
their power We do not -tliipk. that the line
OF policy which we Indicate liable to such o
construction. We are not required by the
Sherman Bill to call State Convention. I'VE
arc not required to form StateCsnstitution.
We are not required to apply for, admission
into the Union. The requirements are that,
in all elections in the State beld under the
provisions of that Bill, ,all the negroes and
only part Of tie whites shall vote. Shall
we. by any act of ours, seem even to approve
and endorse s,Ich-a a cruel ard degrading pro
position? This is. the true issue 1t is not
whether we can avort or change hc charac-
ter-ef the terms proposed, but simply whesl or
we shall voluntarily accept and opprore thea
as the best we can get, or, as we think is de-
cidcdly preferable, whether we shall notleave
the whole mattcrlto be worked out under the
provisions lf the Bill when its machinery
Shall have been put in motion in our midst.
Let us not, in seeking to avoid present
evils, rush into greater and more desperate
danger. Indecent haste in this matter will
surely prejudice our cause. Indeed, We be-
]ieye fhat the over-senstivepesse es;our people
upon this subject for the last six weeks has
gone far to assist in forging the chains which
are, by the operations of this Bill, to be put
upon us. On the other hand, we must dep
rscate anything like defiance'or c:;aspcration
of feeling, either towards the authors Of the
measure or those cf our own people who are
disposed to accept its, to us, degrading terms.
We beg and imp.ore the people of Georgia
to remain quiet and patient, for awhile at
least. We assure them that they cannot pos
sibly lose anything by such course.
We know whereof we write-that the
highest civil officer Of the State, chosen By
the unanimous voice Of the people to dis
charge the function Of the Executive office,
is not sleeping over the rights, interests and
welfare Of the people. He is fll'Y alive to
tue importance AID peril of our situation, and
will give sucl advice and direction to our
people as, from the lights which ne mar, from
his official position and visit to Washington
be able to obtain, seem ,moSt iiudicious and
proper in the premises, We know that he
contempatc< visiting the Federal Capital i'm
mciiatey with tue view Of asccrtaining to
what extent and under what restrictions, il
any, the State government viii be permitted
to exercise its fuuciions, We know that steps
have been taken to secure concert Of action
among the Executives Of the several excluded
States, in view of the Inauguration of the
military rule provided for in the sherman Bill
We insist that, pending these movements,
any action which we may take may seriously
embarrass and cripple the Efforts of our civil
rulers 10 protect our rights and, secure TO as
living terms under this cruel legislation.
The greatest danger which threatens us,
Just now, is the possibilityof Divisions among
ourselves LIT every man in the State strive
to prevent such. condition of affairs. 1t is
TOO apparent, that, if we divide, Radical emis-
saries, aided by.a. few mean Southern whites,
will begin to manipulate and cajole the blacks.
If we but remain united the black elcuent
in our midst will be as clay in the potter's
hands,, takirg SUCH Impressions and .dirsctions
as we may. CHOOSE 10 make and direct ..,t
We know. that some of our people are really
slarmed at the present condition Of affairs.
The Sherman Bill is a raw-head-and bloody:
bones to many otherwise good and respeota-
bic psople. The bideous back ground ghicl
loenls up In The distance, Of coafscatou and
penury, shocks their nerves and destroys their
courage. The knees of many sidito together
under the terror of great imrending danger.
For this class we confess that we do not have
much hope. Many Of them would doubtless
do we'll to 90 and hang themselves at once to
prevent The Radicals from doing it for them.
But these are few -apd far. between. and are
mainly to be found in the cities and large
towns. In the rural districts, we are glad 10
learn, the people are generally hard at work,
restoring their, waste. places apdjrebuildinG
! their destroyed fortunes. To them we need
only to say that they have adopted the better
and wiser course. Every one should bend his
whole energies now to the restoration of the
material interests of the country. Do not hes.
itate to- act, because it may be that, in the
providence of an aHvise God, your enemies
may reap the fruits of your toll. Do your
duty. faithfully manfully and frmly, and leave
the results to. Proyidence--Chropirle-& Sen
tinel.;