The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1867-05-29
POLITICAL AGITATION.


yet unwilling to abandon entirely the scheme of
mischief :: = - :.
..The Southern. blacks are mainly ignorant
they have been reared under the Illumination of the
law of forcc-thcy have not been trained to rev
erence the rights of property-thcir experience
does; not accord with the truth that the way to
comfort and competence lies through persistent
daily industry and frugaity. To5teM such men
strong only in muscle and in numoers-that they
have only to wait till o Judge is cut. of the way
when they may ''hold high carnival" and that
the property around them is rghtfully theirs and
will be made over to them after q while-what is
this but to arrest productive labor and enthrone
general anarchy
s.Never before was there such urgent need Of
wise, considerale judicous canvassers as there is
to-day in the South. They should be thoughtful,
loving, noble, generous men, who know what to
leave unsaid as well as hnt TO say-who will IN
culcate charity and kindness, not wrath and ven
geance. In short, we need hundred such men
as Henry Wilson to speak throughout the Southfo
the next six months"
We hardly think that if we read carefully the
speeches of Mr.. Wilson, Mr.. Greeley would have
referred to them as specimens of what he consid-
ers, blowing, noble and generous" In his speech
at Richmond Mr. Greeley himself furnished bet
ter model; and putting aside the disorganization
of labor which all such agitation must provoke at
time when the steady, unremitting application Of
that labor is vitally important to the welfare of
. t..l l., drrb fror
some good would result Eut no care caution
on part of the Executive Committee can secure the
services of the men who could safely be trusted
to follow Mr. Greeley's example.
Nor is it reasonable to suppose That even good
men who come here with honest intentions but
very bitter prejudice-who work themselves upto
the enthusiasm of missionaries, who are doing bat
tie with the powers of darkness-wil long be low
ing noble or generous. If they find open opposi-
tion their work of conversion will become work
of controversy, and it is not in nature that m EN-
barrassed orator will be scrupulous as to the sort
of weapon he. uses in reply. Words, even dry
words, like dry sticks rubbed together, will pro-
duce fame.
The object of this agitation is clearly the success
of the Republicans, not the benefit Of the freedmen
Emancipation and universal suffrage are establish
ed beyond peradventure; and travelling orators
who would undertake to convince the colored vote
of the South that they were in anT danger-that
there was any power or intention to unsettle them
would scarcely be the sort of men whom Dir
Greeley describes as fit to send.
Now, if this be SO, the only questions before the
voters of the State, are who shall be sent to the
Convention, and what changes shall be made in
the State Constitution. These are questions upon
which the colored voters OF the State certainly
need no advice. They know better than any
Northern counsellors who are the men from
whom they can choose. They know their charac-
ters, their antccedents, and, above ALL what and
how sincere are their present opinions. as mani
tested by their daily actions. They ore perfectly
competent to elect their own candidates.
AS to the changes in the Constitution and the
Legislative action necessary to secure full opportu
mites for education, provision for the poor and
in6rm, wise taxation. just npportonment of rep
rcscn;ation, and oil other benefits of free and
wise government there is just as little need of adj
vice from abroad. And the coored voters of this
State are surely intelligent enough to understand
that if, as the result of such an agitation, the
white and blnck vote of the State are marshalled
in opposition that while in some sections of the
Stnte the numerical superiority of the blacks will
secure representation, yet the general represen-
tation of the whole State will be overwhelmingly
of the white majority, for they will not overlook
the fact, If they are practicarme that this nu-
merical superiority is not difused over the State,
but concentrated in special sections. 1t may con-
troll district, but it cannot control either the
Convention OF the Legislature. II is clear, that
their interest is not TO so in;o the Convention or
the Legislature as compact, but small, minority,
but SO to use their general influence as to secure
in these bodies representations who will cheerfully
recognize their rights, and whose superior influence
and experience will govern those bodies in perfect
ing the requisite. laws.
We are glad to see oil over the State evidences
that this conviction is growing, and in the recent
meeting at Sumter several of the colored speakers
expressed opinions which were creditable alike to
their sense and to their feelings
We would be glad to be spared summer of an
cry excitement The condition Of the State is
such TINT all the glowing" talk in the world can do
us no good. What We want just now is steady,
work, which will enable the laborer
and the employer both to look forward hopefully
across these months ofabsoute suffering to the re-
turns of successful harvest.
We see that Judge Kelly, although he may re-
sent has profted wisely by the troubles in Mobile,
and at Montgomery has made speech which
might be listened to by all without offence. 1t was
as we have ii reported, glowing prophecy as to
the capabilities of Alabama, and their future pros
porous development. Judge Kelly can serve that
development even better than by speech-makng,