The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-11-09
THE CONSERVATIVE STATE
CONVENTION.
ADDRESS TO THE PEOPLE OF SOUTH
CAROLINA.
HIGHLY INTERESTING DEBATE.
SPEECHES OF GENERAL CHESNUT, EX-GoVERNoR
PERRY. JUDGE ALDRIcH. JUDGE 1NGLIs
COLONEL BLANDING, GEN. WADE
HAMPTON, AND OTHERS.
SECOND DAYS PROCEEDINGS
[REpoRTED SPECIALLY FOR THE CHARLESTON DAILY
NEws.l

ment, at 70 o'clock. The President, Hon. James
Chestnut, in the chair.
judge John ]. Inglis, from the Standing Com
mittee on Business-a Committee of Twenty-re-
ported two papers for consideration one an ad-
dress to the people of the State, but intended Is
an address to the civilized world. The other was
a remonstrance, setting forth the great WRONGS
suffered by the people of both races, especially the
white, by reason Of the great change winch mas
taken place.
The first was read by Hon. Joseph Daniel Pope
the author; the last by F. W. Fickin, Esq.
On motion of A. A. Gilbert, ESQ.,, the papers
were considered in the order in which the! were
read ,o
TO THE PEOPLE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
FELLOW CITIZENS In times of great pubic DAN
ger the instinct OF selfpreseryation prompts d
people to assemble and confer together upon tne
issues that the stern logic OF events i0rces upon
their attention. The citizens OF South Carolina
stand to-day in this position. 1t becomes our
duty, therefore, to take counsel together, ana 70
announce our conclusions temperately, Dut hrniiy ~
and fearlessly, to the public. In performing tnls
DUTY we shall avoid all terms of animadverslon
upon men, parties or sections. The vice OF ms
representation and detraction has become the or
der of the day, and both North and South nave
suffered from the evils which had their origin III
this fruitful source Of mischief. Inc Nortnern
people, flushed with victory, have not been soncl-
tous to ascertain the temper OF the So9tnern
mind; and the Southern people, crushed by the
loss Of their cause and their most cherished hopes
have been alike Indifferent to events for whcn tney
do not feel themselves responsible, and over
which they have not the power OF control: In tlie
meantime, wicked and designing men, Dotn at Tue
North and at the South, have not been wanting,
to keep alive the fires Of sectional hate, until now
they threaten to Involve the wnole country Ill Ills
rule and anarchy.
OF the late war, it is not our purpose now to
speak-the sangunary fact will stand forth forever
in the history Of these American States. Our duty
now is with present evils and their future colse-
ouences. The emancipation policy OF the Govern
ment was and is the great tountaln-hesd rom }
which springs, and will continue to spring, the
thor:sand evils by which we are environed.
What but disaster could follow IN the lootsteps
of the hasty and inconsiderate policy, by which
0O0 900 of slaves, without education, ana wlthout
the least preparation for the change, were turned
adrift from the disc lino and Interested care OF
the master to provide for themselves! Must IL
not be self-eyident to any thinking man, no mat
ter what his preiudices that nothing he can now
propose will be able to convert an ldle, rovlng'
thriftless free negro population into the steady,
healthy, laboring population that we formerly em-
ployed in our fields at the South. But, gloomy as
the prospect may be- the people at .ne aopen IN sn
regard this disastrous result as now liked and set
tied beyond recall. Slavery is at an EMU. we 40
not propose that what has been done should be
undone but we do propose to show that, with the
present free negro labor, the industrial resources
of the South are in no condition to contribute 10
the prosperity OF the country. 1t is the part OF
wisdom to look our misfortunes in the face: we
should not deceive ourselves, either at the Nortn
or at the South Three years OF experience, by
both Northern and Southern men, attest the fact
that the cultivation of both rice and cotton-the
great staples OF the South-is, under the present
system Of free negro labor the most uncertain, the
least remuneratiye, and the most harrasslng en-
ployment in the world. Had o gradual system OF
emancipation been adopted, men would. by de-
prees. have accommodated themselves to the grad
9al change, and the industry OF the country would
have received no such shock as now prostrates the
South and overwhelms her in despair Upon the
agriculture Of the country mainly depend the
Wealth and prosperity OF the country.
But few years ago. the cotton exported from
the United States controlled foreign exchange, and
held the monopoly in foreign markets. how Is II
to-day, and how will it be in the future instead
Of 900 OF bales, sent forward to exercise the
former influence upon trade, we have not more
than one-third Of the crop. Of 1860, coming INTO
market, and that at q price per pound, IN cur
reney-the revenue tax consldered-Very nttie,
| ANYTHING, in advance of what was realized per
nound tor the large crops of former years, paid in
gold. Why is this it may be asked. The LANDS
are the same-the seasons are the same-tne Gu
mate is the same-why, then the diferenceF we
answer, the labor is not the same. Instead OF in
dustry, We have idleness; instead OF system Sue 1--we we
! LOSSES Shall we be able to drive out compehtlon
in the future as we have in the past! Surely not.
But few years before the war. one OF our most
intelligent planters represented TINS STATE at tne
Worlds Exhibition, in Paris; and, upon his return,
reported that he saw upon exhibition there tne
| cottons from Algiers and from the East, when
we're in every way equal to the finest productions
of the United States. He asked WHY cannot these
cottons compete with the American cottons Inc
| ror00upn the article
| for the same price; we are compelled TO hire the
| labor WHICH you own-ours is unreliable, IDLE ana
COSTLY while yours is under control, steady ana ana
cheap. For these reasons, you Will always pe aDie
| to drive us out Of the market. But what now IS
the condition of the Southern planter? His labor
| is much more costly than that OF Aglers or the
East, equally unsteady, and, probably, less under
his control; and he finds himself now, after an eA-
hausting war, driven from the market by prices
| which his former competitors can afford to take.
The present low price Of cotton is but the evidence
of the causes already stated. And it may be that,
| in few years, we shall be importing cotton and
/ rice into the United States instead OF exporting
these great commodities we are now eati9g, ,I, IN
| China, and we have been credibly informed tnat
| East Indian cotton has been imported INTO New
York. How soon the State-craft of Great Britain
may find it expedent to impose an import duty
| upon American cottons who can toll
But 1t may be asked, is there no remedy Ior
these calamities to the Southern peoplef we
answer, most probably no immediate remedy.
Time is the great master OF the situation. Ii our
people will give up the delusive hope OF growing
rich by the cultivation Of ootton-thereby proba-
bly, working their utter ruinif they WILL cultlTate
less cotton and more breadstufs. raise for then
own use, and for sale, horses, mules ana STOCK o.
all kinds; cure their own hay make 5neiI To own y
butter and sell the surplus-f they Will lapor te
fill the land with plenty, they WILL IN a short tlme
realize change for the better in their own condl
zion and the condition Of the South-at least tne!
shall not haYe debts and disappointments aoose
to theii other calamties 4no II raising ON owl oMl
manufacture our own cloths and implements upol
our own soil. There can be no more ausplclous
moment than the present to begin at the Soutl
the manufacture OF goods from our own raw mate
rial This was done to a great extent during tne
war; No matter on how small scale, let the W0ri
begin. To be successful We must begin at the pc
ginning and work upward, as our population an(
wealth increase. We repeat, that we w0uiu no
now, reestablish slavery at the South IL ls to'
late to correct the error of its sudden extinction
It is to our interest to make the most OF the CIR
cumstances by which we are surrounded; VIZ
cannot recall the past. "IIet the dead past Dur.
its dead. But let us not be entirely hopeless
the future.
Little more than half century ago the Grea
commodity exported from this State was indigo
II ceased to be profitable here, because it could bt
more cheaply cultivated elsewhere. Cotton wal
introduced in its stead and was cultivated witt
unparalleled success Tobacco ana rce Gontrlp 60 i
nted to increase the wealth OF the South. If thes
staples cease to be as remunerative in the tutur
as they have been in the past, we still have erea
country left to US, and with something Ike GOO
eSDdi' eeSpedients To conquer our difficulties, we mus
meet them with patience, fortitude and ID courage
But shall we have good government? That .l. Is tn
great question presented in the next point that !"
propose to consider. , l.. l.
To admit as fact, as has been assumed to D D.
the result of the war; that the Government n OF tn tn
United States is supreme and that the States ay
no rights or if they have rights, that they sa az
States; Or, which is the same thing, subOrdinat
to the will Of majority having control OF 10 th
t Government, is to admit the, abrogation OF I IN
In other words, it is to acknowledge that wo hay
q Government OF absolute powers, instead OF !
/ Government Of limited and delegated powers. l
|, is admitted, that any Government, hoWeve
limited, may for time usurp all power. A SIN
! gle man may rise I'D and say ~ am the State.