The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-05-06
wlLsox has done us II gricyOus wrong when be

W1LsDS has done lis II gricriolIs wrong |hen be
makes such d charge upon any such authority
The eff it is true" does not help the matter
Those in the North who trust Mr.. WILSON will
believe that he considered the charge probable
before he made so serious declaration; and
coming from him it goes to the freedmen with
q gravity which its original inventors could
never give it, and which can only excite ,suspi-
cion and i'll feeling. What would Mr.. WILSON'S
constituents think of threat Of con6scation
of the mill owners of Massachusetts who
should be charged with an attempt to influence
their. employees at OH election-and if the
stock of the mills was to be divided among the
;laborers where would be the difficulty Mt any
heated election to prove to q jury of the de
feated party, the criminal interference of the
parties accused.
We confess that TO us this declaration out
radicals radicalism-it is simply war between
rich and poor, between employer and employed.
Wewill guarantee that no one case can be pro-
duced in the State which will support this
charge, that so far from any such interference
it will be found that the farmers and planters
will advise their employees to register, and
will not in any degree interfere with their
votes. Where there are large numbers of
freedmen collected together, and where they
are excited to suspicion and mistrus, there will
-bo misunderstanding and mistrust, but as
general rule nobody anticipates either confu-
sion, discord, or ;antagonism, in the full and
complete exercise of the suffrage of the State.
&c. We honestly think that the denunciation
which has been heaped upon Mr.. WILSON in
his journey through the South is not only un-
wise but unfair. Of course it is not pleasant
to see our own citizens gathered together to be
argued and aattered into antagonism against
what we believe to be our true interests. Bit
these citizens are free and voters. They have
right to hear. Mr.. WILSON has the right to
be heard And if we think that MIR. WILSON
does not speak tho .things:we would, let US
| speak them ourselves. There is no use and no
wisdom in playing ''disgusted." If the po-
iitical fight is worth the fighting we must meet
our antagonists with their own weapons.
5 But we have the right to ask for fair play.
We do not object to Mr.. WILsoE's asking the
freedmen to adhere to the Republican party
and convincing them, if he can, that it is their
interest to do 80. But when he comes into a
community like this, which, in spite of old pre-
judices, listens to him withrespectful attention,
l
he owes it to them not idly OF maliciously to
increase their difficulties and multiply their
dangers TO listen to the calumnious exag-
! cerations of small and mschievous men who
would Use his name and power for their own
purposes: He owes it to himself to speak as
with the authority, SO with the moderation Of
Senator of these United States, not as the
partizan orator of on Executive Committee
and he owes it to the whole country that nc
word Of his shall contribute to embitter class
against class, to obstruct the peaceful solution
Of an issue upon which not the welfare of this
State, or of the South, but the prosperity, the
strength, the safety of the republican institu,
itfons depends.