Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1867-06-01
Reconstruction.
[ From the Richmond Exarnincr.1

|
Such Of the people of South Carolina as fec
! called on to possess political opinions, at this
| time, arc dividing themselves into what nav
perhaps be called the Omand Perry parties
! upon the question of rcconstruction-botl,
agreeing in the indcfensibiity Of the Polandi
zing bills, but tho Que counscllin. coopera.
ton with the Republicans in carrying them
out, while the othcr-the followers of Gov.
crnor Perry-proclaim their preference for
! perpetual military control, over the Haytian
| government with which South Carolina must
he cursed, under the practical workings of
| these acts.
1T appears to US, with all Difference to the
views Of the very distinguished leaders of
these two parties, that they are wasting their
energies on question that has not yet arisen
We arc called on to consider very variant
propositions ut different stages of this great
political rcv0lution-t, ucStions so entirely in.
dependent nf each other that it is not ONLY un
necessary, but altoocthcr ncxpcdent to con
slider them together.
A man may very well take the necessary
steps to insure his right of suffrage without
ever designing to exercise it. lie may re.
solve also ia exercise it, without at this time
determining whether he will vote for or against
II convention, much less for what particular
candidate he shall east his ballot Aud al,
though convention be agreed on, he may
very well reserve the question what action he
shall take on constitution, the provisions of
which no living man can hrcscc. Many rca-
sous consp'rc to commend the application to
onr case OF the maxim malic haste slowly"
and chief among them is the very manifest re-
action that is taking placcat tho North. At
present, the people Of the South have but one
i..ff Al,
slider, and that is the pr"pricty Of registering
natural Indignation a, the entire system
the disgust which every freeman must feel
at It's Migrant iniractions Of almost all the
rights which the world has regarded as pccu.
lirr to our form Of political administration,
and, lastly, desire TO avoid all rcsponsibility
for the anarchy that impcnds, lave driven ma
ny men to the resolve to decline registrations
and thus formally aud finally sever their con-
nection with the deiilcmcpts of mob politics.
=. ~ @ II Il Nm i aasa -,
lusion. 1t is worsc--it is q disgraceful one
1t is throwing down our arms in the presence
of tho enemy 1T is a wicked abandoning of
our friends, who have resolved to fight with
what weapons they have for freedom. 1t is
playing into the hands of Radicalisr,.
Let MS be admonshed by the case of New
Orleans and Washington. nthc former city
the apathy Of tho people scconding the enor-
mcus abuses Of Shcrdan's rule, had given the
absolute control Of the vote of almost every
ward to the blacks and nothing but the or
der Of the President to thebarn- burner to pro-
long the time of registration, prevented the
consummation Of the outrage.
In Washington, however, the mischief is
completed, and it is beyond the power of my
authority, as it would appear, to save the
white votcrs Of that city from the consequent
try
lf this is not to be tho fate Of the South,
every citizen, old and young, who is'qualifcd,
should register, who is entitled by leave Of
eur masters to that privilege. Register, and
you arc free to vote or not as you please, and
have the further, the great freedom, ms time
will show, to use your power when you desire
to use it, : Refuse to register, and you can
never help Yourself, your friends or your
State. The time is coming, in tho progress
Of this revolution, when the solid vote of the
respectable people Of this State may throw on
Congress the responsibility of a perpetual mil
itary government, or practical disiranchisc-
mcnt for Virginia. When that day comes,
every voice and vote will be needed but that
is question Of tho future Suffice it for the
present to say, that without registry you are
as impotcnt as the dogs ut your doors to strike
blow for freedom here, or help the friends
who are battling for your freedom elsewhere.
Surely no demand of right or honor calls for
SO fatal a sacrifice.
The Republican Convention.
The following is a copy Of tho platform