The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1867-04-11

1 .
men, in all candor, that one Of the
first duties you have to discharge to
yourselves and to your fellow-c citizens,
| is to remove all distrust as to your
purposes, feelings, and intentions in
the future towards the colored race !;
this distrust is in my judgment the
main obstacle to the cordial co-opera-
ton and good understanding of the
two races. The causes for the exist
ing alienation should, perhaps, be
looked for in the early history of
your State and her former institu-
tons. But these are considerations
of the past. I do not sec from my
point of view any reason why the
undoubtcd identity of interest that
docs exist, and must ever exist be-
tween the white and colored races in
South Carolina, shall not result in
their pursuing in common all the ends
of society and government as heartily
ard successfully as if the old relation
Of master and slave had never existed.
Applause. One mcthod7:of recon-
ciliation is so nearly allied with the
discharge Of my own duties, that |
will add to this suggestion an illus
tration. I think it bchooyes every
white man, and most especially every
white man Of consideration and in
flucmcc in South Carolina, to exert
that influence, bc it little or much,
for the fair, honest, and impartial
execution of the laws, which secure
protection to person, character and
property. WEcsocvcr is conccrncd-
be he white or colorcd-bc he ricli or
pqor-you must carry this resolution
with you to the jury-box, to the lal-
lot-box, upon the scat Of justice, in
your municipal government, in your
halls of legislation, and to Your re-
construction convention when it. shall
meet. Equal justice should be
cardinal maxim in the polity Of your
State, not only because it is your
interest to have contentcd, prosper
Gus and happy laboring population,
but for higher reasons, because it is
just and right. Cheers. If the
colored people are ignorant and poor
and prone to error; the evident lesson
must commend itself to the heart and
conscience of every good citizen, that
the poor and ignorant should enjoy
the protection Of the rich. intelligent,
and influential citizen. 1t is my be-
lief, that when you have convinced
the people by your laws and your ad-
ministration Of them, that you mean
to do them justice, you will have
solved the most difficult problem you
have to consider in your affairs. You
will, at the same time, obviate nineteen
out Of twenty of the instances in which
the exercise of military authority i'll
your affairs becomes necessary.
[Chcers.
Mr.. President and gentlemen, al
low me to make remark for the
purpose of disabusing your minds Of
any erroneous impressions in regard
to the sentiments of the people OF the
North toward the people of the South.
1 affirm as my real conviction, that
the measures of Congress now to be
executed here, under my direction,
have not been adopted with any pllr-
pose of retaliation or hostility, nor to
impede or impair the prosperity and
welfare of the South. The people of
the North do not desire to maintain
IL military government anywhere in
this country. They regard that sort
of government as repugnant to our
institutions, and deprecatc its prolon-
CATION anywhere as misfortune.
They do not desire, on the other hand,
that the people cnfranchiscd by their
action, shall be left altogether and
wholly subject to the control Of those
oy whom they have been heretofore
held in scryitude. Nor do they desire
that this numerous race, by reason of
any oppression Or obstacles placed in
the way of their we'll being here,
where they belong, shall beconstrain-
ed to cut loose from their moorings
here and enigrate to other and less
congenial parts of the country, where
they could find no suitable or ade-
quate demand for their labor. Other
similar considerations have contribut-
ed their influence to the adoption ofthe
measures now to be executed. 1t was
apparent that the reorganization OF
the political institutions Of fthe South
would most speedily terminate the
necessity for military occupation and
military control. If the presence of
troops was necessary TO enforce the
rights of the freedmen, the obvious