The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-11-09

and labor is decided in favor of the latter and
the wealth of the country Is proslrated at
the feet of those who have nothing at stake
but their daily wages and their daily bread How
will this power be exercised? Can it be supposed
for moment that it will be exercised in any other
way than to impose such burdens npon the tax
| PAYERS as will amount, in the end to practical
confscation of the small remaining substance Of
our people? But we must forbear. Such are
some OF the immediate consequences of the Recon-
| struction Acts upon the people OF the Sonth and
upon the whole country.
We have said, and We repeat, thatwe desire
peace but the policy now proposed cannot give
US peace It is contrary to the voice of reason and
the law of nature. Instead OF peace, under the Re-
construction Acts, we shall nave STRIFE and bitter
| ness Instead OF the South recovering from her
poverty, and contributing her share to the common
wealth and prosperity Of the country, she will be-
come more and more impoverished. The blight
of misrue will cut short her harvests and dry up
her resources. The law OF violence, which has
prevailed for more than two years in reconstructed
| Tennessee, will extend its sway throughout the
eutire South, and we shall reap, like her, the har-
vest of crime and blood multiplied two-fod.
| We have shown that free neglo labor under the
sudden emancipation policy of the Government
is disaster from which, under the most favora-
BILE circumstances it will require years to recover.
Add to this the policy which the Reconstruction
Acts propose to enforce, and you place the South,
POLITICALLY and socially, under the heel of the ne
| gro; these influences combined would drag to
hopeless luin the mcst prosperous community in
the world What do these Reconstruction Acts
| proposc? Not negro equality, merely but negro
| supremacy. In tile name, thcn, of humanity TO
both races-in the name Of citizenship under the
Constitution the name OF common history
| in the past-in the name OF our Atglo-Saxon race
and blood-in the name OF the civilization OF The
| nineteenth century-in in the name of magnanimity
| and tho noble instincts Of manhood-in the name
of God and nature we protest against these Acts,
as destructive to the peace OF society, the pros.
perity of the country and the greatness and
/ 90 f1tn
The people of the South are powerlcss to avert
| the impendiug ruin. We have been overborne; and
the responsibility to posterity and to the world
has passed into other hands.
Ex-Governor Perry moved that the address to
the people of the State be adopted.
| PROTEST OF GENERAL CHEsNUT.
Hon. James Chestnut, resgnng the chair to
Hon. W. +. Dessaussure, addressed the Conven-
ton as follows
GenNenen Of the Conrenti0n
livery much hoped that some member OF this
body would rise and express his objection to the
adoption OF the paper under consideration. But
finding that no one has thought fit to take that
course reluctantly and with great embarrassment
| l feel it my duty, on grounds ofexpediency, and as
representative OF the people OF Kershaw District,
| to raise my voice in solemn protest against its
adoption am practical man, and, while ac
| knowcdging the force of the truths so eloquenty
uttered in this paper, am compelled to enquire
what good is expected from its publication by this
body? l concede that it is arecital Of cnormities
which have seldom found parallel in the annals of
Il civilized people, but is this the time to repeat
these things2 If truth or reason could have in
| fuenced the public mind surely the eloquencs Of
our great men, whose voices nave been hoard IN n
legislation and upou the floor of Congress, would
have turned aside the desolating current OF de-
structior of which we have been the unhappy VIC
| tins. We exhausted argument. Nothing moro
| I Whoprv RI tal Qtr1n
ped ourselves for the fight. We fought good
| fight, and thanks be to God although we lost all
| but honor we have come forth from the struggle,
thus far, not self-degraded people. (Applause.)
| Now, gentlemen, when you come to review critl-
cally the effect Of this paper upon the condition of
South Carolina, what else but harm can you expect
from it? Filled with adjectiyes and epithets,
which can only increase animosity, we shall with
it put weapon into the hands OF our enemies
which, to the extent that it strengthens them,
weakens ourselves. I say more; do not regard
it as dignifed, honorable or proper 10 appear IN
the attitude of suppliants, much less to exhibit
spirit OF defiance. The utterances OF people ut
this time should 60 forth with more than ordinary
care. We cannot be too circumspect in word and
deed. To do futile thing now, is to do wrong
thing for it is to bring upon us additional humili-
ation and perhaps profounder contempt--a con-
tempt which thus far we have not deserved Or re-
| ceived.
have made these remarks, h >ping they may
evoke from members of this body who entertain
opinions similar to my own, afrank expression OF
the same. l have made thel., too, III spirit Cf
courtosy-for we are all linked together by COM
mon misfortune-and trust that such action as
may follow will be the result OF the gravest con-
sideration and most deliberate investigation.
SPEECH OF GOVERNOR PERRY,
Ex-GovEnNon PrRRY-Mr. President: | feel
quite sure that f the paper referred to had been
more carefully considered by my honored friend,
we should not have heard the objections he has
urged I concur with him entirely in the opinion
that it would be improper to show any defiance to
the powers that be. have an abiding hope that.
| bv patience and forbearance, the great mass OF
Northern people who have been hostile to us VIII
come to their senses, and that, after a reaction,
we shall be restored to our rights, and the country
| to it's prosperity. l made this prediction many
months ago. and / now read every day, signs OF
the times in the chang ing current OF public
thought at the North which give us assurance that
there will soon be settlement OF the difficulties by
which we are beset. / would be the last man on
this floor disposed to say one word that would ex-
cite anger at the North, or create anih:osles that
| would STAY the tide of reaction now taking place.
Ihave read this addreas twice carefully, every
| word and passage, and there is not an expression
in it that can be construed into throat, or con-
strued as defiant 1t IL possible that no great
good can suddenly come iron from Its adoption, yet t.
gether, we should set forth the evils OF negro
| supremacy and negro government, and temper
atey admonish the world of the abyss upon the
edge or which we stand,
| NAV mention that six pages of that document
have been stricken out because they contained
review of the results Of the war; The same course
was taken at the Philadelphia Convention with
carefully prepared paper submitted by Hon. Hen
ry J. Raymond, which contained history OF the
war; and which, on motion or ReVerdy Johnson,
| was stricken out.
The gentleman has said the paper can do no
good / think it can do no harm. When publish,
ed as it will be, throughout the North, facts and
he nfaH
to that community perhaps more clearly than
they have ever had them presented. There is a
great deal of. wholesome advice in it to our own
people, as well to those abroad, and having
passed the criticism of men of Judgment and de-
liberation sec no reason why it should not be
adopted and sent forth to the country.
| Mr. A. A. GILBERT, Of Sumter, said he believed
that the contemplated publication OF the address
would do no good. Occupying the position OF a
language might prejudice our cause, and check
the tide of revulsion now moving in the North,
which, if not disturbed, would accomplish all for
which we pray. He, therefore, desired to enter
his protest against the adoPtion @ ot the piper, per-
object in coming to Columbia was to contribute
This mite to the prevention OF evil, and he could
not imagine greater evil than the adoption OF
tho address. Silent processes were going on at
the North frcnl which We might expect good, and
he believed in letting we'll enough alone. He,
areiore, also desired to enter his protest against
the document,
II. W. ADDISON, Esq, of Edgefeld, thought
that if wo had arrived at that pitiable condition in
which we dared not in manly way express our
views we were slaves indeed. He saw nothing III
either of the documents that freeman might
not express with the utmost propriety. The one
under consideration was simply strong, but re-
spectful protest. II there was any expression in
it that brearhed of passion, he had failed as a
member of tho committee to see it. Both docu-
ments ought to be adopted, that the world might
be told somewhat of the wrongs we endure, and
the rights we ask.
MAJOR S. P HAMILTON, of Chester, was sorry to
enter his protest against the paper under consd-
Grafton. His objection to it was that it was too
controversial concerning matters on which argu-
mcnt had been exhausted. The address which
ought to be made should o. DC addressed to the
nlain narration of facts, which would appeal to
their nature as fellow men.
nn A p WyI1E. of Chester, favored the adop-