Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1867-08-14
Our Political S;tuation.

ion as to its character. Ono pnrty is charmed with
the face of this Monster, and in its lineamens
nothing but amiability and lovelinoss; second
party fears it: flowing manc, in which it discovers
tho naughty power of the king of beasts. Some
end its paw clothed with velvet while othors aver
it is the hoof of the devil.
That portion of these Acts dsfranchising GER
tain class Of our better citizens, is, and must ever
bs, revolving to all Southerners; save the Freed
men, Who have boon cheated by Its assembling
features, and few political huckatcrs, who hope
to use its prori,ions for the purpose of obtaining
money and little brief authority.
The Radical Party have in mono of their acts
exhibited more subtlety than in that particular
disfranchiring clause. They shrewdly calculated
that it would be an apple of diseord in our midst; ;
and unfortunately their calculation has proved
correct. Tho South utterly prostrate at tho close
of the war, conquered, humiliated and helpless,
sued for, and vainly expected from her conqueror,
moro msgnanimous pcace than is usually ac-
corded TO the conquered. Human nature is tho
same yesterday, to-day and tomorrow; and she
ought not, judging rora the past, to have expect
cd maguanimity from people who never rejoced
in magnanimous reputation; people naturally
colder than those of her own sunny clime; peo-
MIA in whose veins flowed tho blood of tho author
of " Poor Richard" whose cold and calculating 6
principles had long since freczed the genial cur
rent Of heir souls. Nor should she have expect
cd, from the teaching of history, aught save the
doom OF tho conquered that doom which in tho
day. Of Egyptian bondage, was heUing mood and
drawing water; with the Grecian, unconditional
slavery; with tho Roman, tho Caudino Fork ;
and as late as the day of the great English
Roundheud, exile and confscation. She had al
rsady suffered the inevitable consequences of an
unsuccessful revolution, an inflated currency,
financial embarrassment, insecurity of life and
property social and political Generalization, and
naturally sought roposd; indeed was ready and
willing to accept the protection oven of strong
concentrated de,potism.
Such rcpose was guaranteed by President JOHN
SON, provided she would, in Convention assem-
bled, abolish Slavery in tho different States This
was done--in saekoloth and ashes. But with that
abolition came neither poacs nor repose. The
Provisional Governors appointed in the different
States, then urged the passage of the Civil Rights
Bill, as the ultimatum, together with the repeal
Of tho Ordinance Of Secession. This condition
va, also complied With. And the South awoks
10 nnd out too late that she had been wOfully de-
eeirod. Tho Radical party who we're, and still
are the dominant majority. declared by Congress
ional legislation that President JoHSsoN had e1
ceeded his powers, and refused to endorto hi:
promises to tho dcluded South. Tho President
true to tho instinct Of tho Politician, and losing
sight of tho fact that the Army and not the Peo
pls govern country Immediately aftor all revo
lutions, appealed to tho masses, and met with
signal dctoat thereby rendering the Executive
powerless, and leaving the South at the mercy
the Shcrman-Shellabarger faction.
Then came the connecting of the late Recon
struction Acts According to an erposc OF th'
motives uf the Radical party, by one of its OWL
members, such an Act Was to be framed as would
divide and thereby weaken the white men rf th'
South, and render the freedmen unit. 1t wa
said that the South had swnllowed, contrary Il
their expectation, the bitter pill Of the abolition
Of slavery, had passed the Civil Rights Bill, ro
u.aled tho Ordinance OF Secession, &c Indeed
all this had been done unanimously; and th'
Radical party, dcspairing of creating any division
lin the South, at length found in certain provision
of tho lato Reconstruction Acts, di'franchi'inI
most of tho old political leaders tho country
that apple of discord which they so earnestly
sought. Thad Stevens himsclf is said to haT
contended against the policy of disfranchisemon
on account Of participation in the "robelllon'
because that would have disfranchscd tho who'll
Southern people. But with his accustomed shrewd
ness be insisted upon DISTINGUISHING that clas
who had held political Offices and boldly announc
that what Jack,on had said of his appointeeS
"few dio, and mono resign" might bc promised
Of tho political leaders Of the South. His judg
ment has proved correct and to-day nc are una
lie to form sny white mans party, because of tn
Division in our ranks caused by this Radica
Scheme. Some, like Gov. Brown, hops that b.
0erleaping even the Radicals themselves, Con
press may be induced to remove their disability
ethcrs aattcr themselves that because they ar
slowed to vote, they will be also permitted t
hull Office without taking the iron-clad oath
nhlc others, who are hopclcssly disfranchi'cd
look upon the whole thing rs tho acme of dcgra
dstiOn.
And hence it is that there has been no precon
corted move in the State, or in the South, as
tho formation Of any Conservative Party. Th
proper course, under NIL the circumstances, wou
be for the State to haYo had an understanding
upon the subject of Convention or NO Convention
so as 10 render herself, if possible, unit. l
this could be effected and the policy of voting 70
the Convention be adopted, (for ne regard the Con
vcnton as foregono conclusion) white mon nigh
be sent from most of the upper Districts, and man.
from the middle Districts, who would control tn
Convention. And although this Body must con
form to the provisions of the Reconstruction Acts
yet we might, by pursuing tho course sketche
above avoid tho conlscation which Congress, hav
ing despairsd of by Federal Legislation, hopes t
effect through legitimate State channels; nm
might be enabled also to fill our State Offices wit
white men, and to protect our property from ruin
Gus taxation.
N3- General Sickles has issued an order in re
lation to certain money advanced by South Caro-
lima banks, during tho MAR, for the purchase
horses for tho Confederate servics, but which, no
being expended, had been distributed sinn' tn
MAR, under chancory decree, among the bank
and other claimants The order annuls ths decre
Is afraud against the United States and appoint
a receiver, on tho part of tho Government, t