The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1867-11-28
TERMS FOR SUBSCRIPTION.
The Black Majority.

In Lancaster District the negroes have
elected their nominees for the Convention
by majority ofupwards ofthree hundred
votes over the white candidates. CHARLES
JONES, formerly the slave Of the late G..
B. NoRTHRor, Esq and ALBERT CLINTON,
formerly the slave Of Irwin CLINTON, Esq =,
are the fortunate recipients Of the honor
Of representing Lancaster in the approach
ing Convention. Both are negroes Of
good character, and were doubtless good
servants Of tn cir former masters; but they
are without education, without knowledge
Of the commonest duties Of the legislator,
and, Of course, utterly unfit for the respon-
sibIities which have been thrus: upon
them.
Their election is the result Of the apa
thy Of the white voters, and not Of nu,
mercal superiority OF blacks in this Dis,
trict. After the registry lists had been
revised under the rigid orders of Gen.
CANuY, the number of registered whites
were sixty in advance Of the blacks. The
whites, therefore, could easily have elected
mon Of tbei, own color In, uonv wo,o
of the opinion ,ba. i, was bes, not TO vote
at all, and that tho true course was to
patiently await the result Of this expert
ment Of negro suffrage. We counseled \
different policy, and the maiori.v Of whites
agreed with us, but there were still enough
Of the opposite faith TO defeat the iplen.
tons Of the majority. Hence the negroes
have been successful in tier first experience
at the ballot box in this District.
And now we have a word to say to the
colored people on the subject OF their
triumph over the whites, and It's probable
consequences to them and to us. Doubt.
less your imagina,ons arc already running
rife upon the prospect Of negro supremacy,
and you look with confidence to the time
when you will occupy all Of the biob
places in the land, and when the whites.
as class, will become subordinate to you
in all the civil and political relations of
life.
This, let us admonish you, is vain
ieIusion The American people are al.
ready becoming jealous Of your new born
political rights, and any extravaganza
which you may commit, in the exercise Of
your power, will but serve TO hasten the
period when these rights will be wrested
from you, and the experiment OF negro
suffrage pronounced failure. Nothing
short OF the utmost moderation and the
highest ability on your part Qualities
which we know that you do not possess)
can secure to you continuance Of the
rights and privileges which have late
ly been entrusted to you.
In arraying yourselves against the
whites OF your own section, you have
committed most fatal mistake. Drilled
by the agents Of the Union League, a
society which doubtless originated with
the emlssaries of he'll, you have, with the
regularity Of machinery, pitted yourselves
soiidiy agains. the whites Of your section,
thereby initiating sentiment Of hostility,
which, however it may affect us, will, in
It's ultimate results, be no less fatal to you.
Instead OF confding your interests to white
people who possess ability and experience,
you have chosen to send to the Conven
ton mep OF your own color, whom, some
OF you at least, have intelligence enough
to know, are without The first qualification
necessary to the discharge Of the duties
which you have assigned them. How do
you suppose body OF Legislators, such
as you have chosen, will deport them
seIVes' Have you no apprehensions that