Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1867-06-15

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ardent champions of the principles upon which
it was founded, and of the system of human
bondage with which it was identified. 1t was
the act of men who were heart and soul with
the Confrdcracy, not merely in its efforts. but
IN its fundamental aspirations.
| AS the news was flashed across the country
that its Chief had been stricken down III the
hour OF general cxultation, his first assistant
IN the Government evcn more foully stabbed
and manglcd on bed Of sickness and pain.
and that co ordinate efforts had been made to
destroy the lives of other heads of the Gov.
crnmont, cry of wild and passionate grief
and wrath arose from the whole people Those
who had been blending for magnanimty and
mercy to the conquered had been an
pcallnS to not unwilling cars in the few DAYS
intervening between the close OF the war and
the occurrence of that terrible calamty-wcrc
sllcnccd in II moment by this appalling crime
| committed upon the person Of our great and
good President. The Nation could not fairly
! consider, amid its blind rage and grief, that
this assassination WAS the work of Il ft :. un
authorized by and unknown to the great mass
OF those against whom their fury was directed.
| 1t was an unspeakabc caan,ty--a calamity
to the Southern quite as much as to the North.
ern part OF the country.
The Military Trials which followed that
cvcnt--which, | might say, completed the
tragedy y-wcrc qualifications of tho popular
wrath which rather tended to stimulate thnn
to nppeasc it. They were the expressions of
what the popular heart felt and desired ut the
time. For my pnrt, | was opposed to them !;
and trust that all Americans have, by this
time, learned to regret that the regular aud
ordinary tribunals of the country had not been
al fJ, IL Il IL, a,
deal with others. Appauscl
Before the popular frenzy had had time to
suhSidc, there assembled, under the military
order of the President of the United States,
Conventions or Legislatures in the several
Southern States, representing only, or mainly,
those who had been defeated in our great
struggle. | say the Southern Conventions or
Legislatures which then met represented
mainly those persons; and the first aspect
presented to the people of the North by the
action OF these Legislatures was one of what
may mildly term unfricndlincss toward the
colored portion of the people Of the South
am not here to discuss what absolutely
was, but what was very apparent at that time.
The Southern Legislatures pct. and began at
once either to enact or revive laws discrimjna-
ting harshly aud unjustly against the colorcd
people of the South, ns if the object had been
tn punish them for their sympathy with tho
Union in the struggle that had Just closed.
will here merely glance ut the substance
Of these laws You arc familiar with them :;
tnr some Of them were passed in your own
State There, for instance, are the laws in
relation to Marriages., to contracts for Labor,
to Arms-hcaring, and to giving testimony in
Courts, which, if they ever had been ncccssa
~ or wise, had utterly ceased to be applicable
after the overthrow of Slavery, and the insti-
tntions based upon it. will not dctain you
by ony comments upon these laws. but will
content myself by bringing your attention to
two ot them, which have been revised in,nost
of these States.
There are, first, the laws furbidding the
Black people Of the South to bear arms. Now,
other States. OF the South, it was perfectly
reasonable and proper, 30 far as anything
growing out Of Slavery was proper, that Blacks
| should be forbidden to have arms in their
hands. You may find fault with Slavery, but
! you cannot find fault-Slavcry being admit,
ted us Il fnct-with slavcholding legislatures
for forbidling the colored people to hold and
! hear arms. 1t was not deemed compatible
wiz, public safety that Blacks should be al
lowed t. keep aud use arms dixie White per
sons. But. tlu moment Slavery had passed
away, all possible prc!cStsfor disarming South
crn Blacks passed away with It. Our Federal
Constitution gives the right to the people cv-
erywhere to keep and bear arms; aud every
law whereby any State Legislature undertakes
to contravcnc this, being in conflict with the
Constitution Of the United States, had no
longer any legal force. And when it was
seen that Confederate soldiers in their uni
forms of gray went around to Black mems 8
houses and took away arms which they had
earned by fighting for the Union, and which
had "cen assigned totllem for honorable ser
vice. w;,i:t coaid this look like but u revival
Of the RcbaI,:nn?
Then, as to this matter Of Testimony
believe that sounl enlightened jurists, the
world over, arc agree. that it is the true rule
of judicial procedure to I'd nit all testimony,
and allow the Court and jury to decide as to
its value. This is tho just rule with regard
to children of tender years to persons OF evil
rcputc, to persons presumed to be halt-witted.
~. lot witnesses of all sorts and characters
come forward and testify, and an clightcucd
judge, on intelligent Jury will have no diff
Guilty in determining the value of the evidence
We in New York have admitted the tcstimo.
ny even Of wife for her husband without
detrimont, so far as can be asccrtained, to the
cause of justice. There should be no cxclu-
sion from privilege so palpably just and fair
no thso oil nh al,