The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1867-03-20
2. T. Daniel-Virginia Convention.

We make few extracts from letter
Of Mr.. Daniel, on the question of a State
Convention, to Messrs. Ould, Crump,
Evans and Lee, delegates from the city
ofRichmond. A letter says the Enquirer
and Sentinel from one whose voice this
people have long been accustomed to
hear, and always with respect and con-
fidence:
Twill not, however, abuse your patience,
but will write in language the plaineSt and
most concise can employ, to enforce..tne
profound and absolute conviction Of my
mind, heart and soul, tha: neither by
thought, word nor dede, should this peo-
pie aid or countenance the atrocious
usurpation which would consign them
and their posterity with their own con-
sent to irredeemable disgrace and in
fanny; which would not merely place the
negro on equality with the white, but,
by its full success, degrade the white to
lasting political inferiority, and which
plainly aims in its ultimate consequences,
by a horrible crime against nature, to
sink the superior into the inferior race.
For in several of the States the negro is
in the majority, in all, it is hoped BY our
enemies that with the adventitious aid of
a properly fashioned organic law, and the
votes of all of every "race, color, and
previous condition." who may come or
be brought into their limits, he will en-
JOY secure political ascendancy. = x *
In Gods name, sirs, what right have We
to dc this thing, or to aid in doing it? |
speak not Of statute right, nor political
right, but of the natural right which all,
men, women and children,-haye in
the society Of which they form part;
a right which is not the creature of
statute law nor organic law, but which
exists superior to both, asserting its
sanctify in the heart Of man, impressed
there by the hand ofthe mighty Maker:
Now, have sought sedulously for any
motive which could properly prompt the
adoption of this measure; and | declare
upon my honor have found and have
heard Of not single one (that is not
corrupt and detcstable on its face and
which could be addressed to decent men)
but FEAR-,fear and the love Of present
ease-the most ignoble passions Of the
heart, and the parents of half its vices.
Let us submit, lest worse te behind!
Our property may be taken Come shame,
come dishonor, come negro rule, with all
its horrors, but save our property ! With
such, it is vain to reason. We read in
the book of living truth OF q man who
turned from the appeals made by God
himself to his soul, land went away
sorrowfnl, for he had great possessions"
But can it be supposed that ifa confsca-
ton law is passed it will be allowed to
stand And how loag would property
be safe under the mongrel government
such are willing to choose? Then the
terrorS of martial-law are brandished
before US. But is that new thing in
Were there not martial.law
and provisional government herefor a
twelve month and more and were they
not superseded by constitutional govern
nent inaugurated blythe same President,
who will have, so long asst is not annull-
ed By the Judiciary, the execution Of
this law ?@>F =,
) One consequence of fthesstep to which
we are invited, should never belost sight
OF. 1t viii be irretrievable. Why this
pressure upon as to assent to our. own
degradation? Surely the power which
can annul our government is sufficient
to substitute another suitable to its pur-
poses The answer is plain: The reign
of violence cannot last forever. Reason
must at some time resume her sway, and
with her return, the work Of these arti6
GERS ofruin, if forced on US against our
will, must be swept away. Not so if we
give it the semblance even of popular as
sent; not if they shall be able to quote
against as hereafter, the estoppel of COM
pact, by whicha new class of political
rights will have been created, and by
which re-entrance into the Union, and
re- admission to representation, will have
been acquired. In vain, in such case,
would be our appeal to.the sense Of JUS
tice of the other members of the Union
in vain orr appeal to the Judiciary for
relief. The step once taken, settles our
destiny forever. A people who resign
their liberty never regain it. 1t is
national suicide. As we'll cut the carotid,
and pour ont all the. blood, then expect
the patient to retain the choice of life.
While oppressed nations, who have op-
posed to oppression all they could
passive resistance have often been resur-.
rected and restored to their pristine
rights: i
4 believe I know my own heart, when
say as do, that sooner than help in
any way TO fix this damning, inefaceable
stain on myself and those who will come
after me would go forth homeless, and
houseless to-morrow-nay, would rather
be led before file of soldiers and shot
to death. But recollect my promise to
be brief, If fpossible, and subscribe myself,
Respectfully,
Your constituent and fellow citizen,
r. T. DANIEL.