The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1867-10-09
The Real Meaning of the Recon
struction Acts of Congress.

The Rouad Gable, an able and vigorous
weekly journal, which has been steady
supporter of conservative rcpublicanism,
is painting in dark colors the effects of
Radical rule. It says:
The plain meaning of the pseudo-Ro;
construction acts Of Congress, now being
pushed to their most merciless consumma-
ton. is simply this {: First-To register in
the South the entire negro population and
such whites lis may unite with them in
supporting the Radical party in Con-
grcss. Sccond-To prohibit the rcgistra-
ton of the vast majority of the whites
who have real interest in the quiet and
prosperity of the country. Thrd-To
submit to the voters of the States t'.us
registered the question whether they will.
or will not hold a convention for the re-
construction of their States under the
Congressional plan. Under this mode of
procedure it may be seen what hopeful.
future lies before the South and the whole
country. Either the States will vote for
convention or no convention. The white
vote will be largely cast against conven-
ton; for the present military rule, with
all its disadvantages, at least affords pro-
lection, while reconstruction such as has
been perpetrated in the State OF Tcnnes-
see gives little protection but to negro
brigands The Radical whites and the.
negro voters who arc interested in sub.
verting all decent rule and authority will.
of course unite in favor of convention.
Now, suppose-although the case is hard
ly possible-that the convention is by such
ii mockcry ofsuffrage rejected. Then the.
Radicals will avail themselves Of the CRY
of Southern contumacy; Mr.. Stevens
"mild confscalion" is brought into play
the South is wholly ruined by this villa
nous atrocity for merely saying, as our
generous Congress has invited her to say,
that she prefers the rule of military s;-
traps to the harder rule Of uninstructed
negroes and white bravos. On the other
hand, supposc-and this is the only suppo-
sition justified by the registration which
is being made-that convention is de-
sired Then It'll practically a negro con-
vention. 1t willframc IL constitution that
will throw the whole power of tho State
into the hands of the negroes and white
men who hope to profit by the suffragcs
of tbenegrocs Tho proscriptionof white
men will be moro sweeping than Con-
grcssiona prescription. Confscation of
the property Of white men by their negro
rulers will be sure to follow and the in
direct cou6scation will be more destruc-
tive than con6scation outright. The rul
ing class, having no property themselves,
will look upon the transfer OF their sub
jects' property into their own possession
as the one great end Of government. With
a. pennilcss negro Legislature to tax, and
dctencclcss white men to be taxed, the
issue cannot long be doubtful. In every
county taxes will be laid in the same
way by negroes upon white men. In the
towns and cities negro councilmen will
vote themselves large salaries, create nn-
necessary offices for purposes of plnnder,
and for like ends undertake enormous
jobs Of tancful public Improvement. JUS
lice administered by negro magistrates
will be II farce redress OF wrongs will be
impossible Liberty Of outrage will be
amply secured. The liberty Of death will
be the only liberty secured to men whose
crime is that they were born white.