American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1867-06-01
r17v CONVENTION QUESTION.
uo,,sr Letter from Ez-Goy. Perry

The ,tnoDle OF Sollth C"l lo'i''' -
,onii,,dnd rnU six or seven years ago,
!, Lat heir only hope of maintaining
| 'c; c.;a.,, alavpTy was ia the deStruc- |
~ -, iI,t; nc thn American Union and the
cnnn,otion ttom ~ of a Southern ContedeIacy.
7 -, di% not think so, and raised my
rorrinr voice against the fatal deiu-
sion I said to them that slavery
Sro Mos safrr in the Union than 1t conia
be in Separate Colfinsci, aud m"",y ,-
them that the exit So, sr,---,5.,, ,.o, ,raIiT IL.
cndcu Iii the 2yoIition Of slavery
Now they alebGing persuaded, again
that the only way 70 save their land:
from the confscation of Congress-, i,
in adopting the provisions of the
Military bill, giving universal suf
lra9c to the negro, and dislrdnChis
lug their leading public men. IL is
with sad heart that | see iHdca.
tions, all over the State, Off prepara-
tion to adopt this second deluSion,
which will prove more fatal to the
State than the first has been. 1t is
true, they lost By the first, theil
property in slaves, and involved
their country in a long and bloody
war, which desolated the State and
sacrificed thousands Of their most
gallant sons; it is true, also, that
they were conquered, and have been
placed under q military government.
But now they are going to sacrifice
their honor as a people, and lose
their lands into the bargain! They
are going to cnfranchiSe G0,000 black
voters, and surrender the political
power to the negroes! The incyi-
table result of this delusion and
criminal folly will ae the establish
ment of the moss Ratocious govern
mcnt and horrible Ike ate Of society
that civilized people were ever sub
jcctcd to.
Already the negro watch-cry in
Virginia and elsewhere is, " land ior
the landless!p Homes for the
houseless !" Political equality to
all men, regardless ofcaste or color!"
What avail will $4,000 white votes
have in South Carolina, with this
watch-cry ringing at the polls! !
is against nature and IeQs0n to sup
pose that an ignorant and debascd
majority vii! nor 1lgsue their own
interest, regalllGs5 of right, ana
carry out their wicked purposes,
whatever they maybe. 1t ispos.-yio
20 restrain them nc first, before they
acquire concert Of action. Hence tile
Importance OF defeating tie call OF q
convention at the election, before
this majority is organized, and en-
boldoned by agitation and evil coun-
sells. 1t cannot be controlled after
wards, but will make South Carolina
a political and social pandcm0nium.
Is there an instance in the worlds
history of a class, who did not unite
to promote their own interests!
just as sure as GeneIal suffrage is
given to the negro, in South Carolina
he will feel his numerical strength,
and sooner or later, under the vile.
lead Of Black Republican cmISSalieS
seize the politica! power otthe State,
and exercise it to 0pprcsS and plum
der the white race. There are thous-
ands of pnprinciplcd white men
amongst us, who will unite their
destiny with the negro tor the sake |
of spoils and plundcr. They will
easily be persuaded, and persuade /
thatit is rightand proper
that the lands of the State should be
divided out equally amongst all her
citizens. Every one should have Il
lomC-the poor freedman as well as
.hc former rich master Having the
Dower in their hands, with this belief,
t is folly and stupidity to suppose
hey will not execute it. They must
serve on juries and hold Office, ride .
With you and your wives and dauSA-
ers in the ears, and cat with you at
lotcls, and sit with YOU in the church.
All this, and tel times more, yOu
must endure from your black political
masters. And can il be that the
ride of Carolina has sunk so low.
nd been SO degraded, as to vote for
ii this voluntarily, for the purpose
# getting back into that Union
Which her citizens proicssed to hate
nd despise so cordially a few years
ince? Are they willing to 80 to the
,olls and east their votes fox Con
cntion, with this dGstiMy staring
hem in the face, in order to save
heir lands from coniiscation No. !
hey will be voting the ultimate 5
OF their lands and their !
olitical rights as surely as they are /
oting away their honor as lucu and {
arolinianS. Z
There are in the State only ten 1
districts out OF the thirty in which q
le white voters are in the majority, Il
nd these Districts are the smallest; /
pnSequcntly two-thirds and morc OF
ne ConN entiOn may be negroes or {
lack Republicans. The Legislature c
i'll be similarly composed. Do the O
coplc of South Carolina really think o
t these consequences, or are they )
repaired to accept theme Better a y
times let Congress oonts- p
lte your lands than entail such 4 y
ovCrnment and such degradation b
nd misery on yourselves and pos v
'rity. Do your duty, and lcava the c
to God. Act like men Il
nd Carolinians. Declare, BY voting c
rainst a Convention, that yOu will =
yield the right OF self
overnmcnt. or place yourselves TN v