The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1867-09-07
NUMBER
since the question


will be made On that issue.
These, gentlemen, IRE the conclusions to
which have been brought blythe most anxIt
ious consideration Of those "important mattersIn
soon to be submitted to the people of the
State" They have been laid before you at great
CIR length than intended, but it seemed to mo si
best to let you have my premises, as my cpp-e7
clusions, in order that you might judge of tho
correctness of both. can only say tlatfT
have discussed this momentous question. Mithov
the single desire toEarrivo at the truth, and ] .,
hope that it has Mt least been discussed in
temperate and dispassionate spirit Lett anG
bring other subject, suggcstcdsby yourilet-lo
ter, to your consideration aud I Ishall tax your .
patience no farther. ~ /.
You say, truly, that I, we'll as yourselves,
"have hoped and striven for entire harmopya
of action among our people" It has been my.
most earnest desire to secure this harmony, as
it has been my constant effort to allay excite
mcnt, and to counsel obedience to the laws.ii
This has been the prevailing sentiment among,
our people, and if it fails Of its object it will
not be our fault.
AS it is Of the last consequence to maintain {
the same amicablc relations which have hereto &
fore existed between the whites and the blacks, ,
[ cannot too strongly rciterate my counsel, that
all classes should cultivate harmony and dxcr;.
else forbcarancc Let people remember
that the negroes have, as general rule be-,
havcd admirably, and that they arc in a man
ncr responsible for the present condition of az
fairs. Should they. in the future, be nislcd
by wicked or designing men, let consider
how ignorant they necessarily arc and let us,
only the more, try to convince them that VIC
are their best friends. Deal with them with
perfect justice, and thus show that you wish to
promote their advancement and enlightenment.
DO this, and the negroes will not only learn to
trust you, but they will appreciate the
fact so evident to us, THAT WE CAN DO WITH q
OUT THEM FAR BETTER THAN THEY CAN DO
WITHOUT Us. 9t ar;iaits
On late public occasion, where many of +,
you were present, expressed my perfect will
ingness to sec impartial suffrage established at
the South, and l believe that this olinion is 4
entertained, not only by large majority of the /
intelligent and rejecting whites, but also Of the
same class IS among the blacks. Idcprceate uni
versal suffrage, not only on general principles, g
but especially in the case before us, because H.
deny the right of Congress to prescribe the. II
rules of citizenship in the States. The SUI
prcme Court has decided that a negro is not a
|scitizen Of the United States, and Congress i,
cannot reverse that decision by an Act The
States, however, arc competent to confer citi-
2enshir on the negro and / think it il
the part Of wisdom that such action should
DC taken ny Tic OOutllcrH Lt9UcS. w G nave y
recognized the freedom of the blacks, and have
placed this fact beyond all proba biity of Doubt !,
denial or recall. Let us recognize in the same
frank. manner, and as fully, their political
rights also For myself, confess that am 4
perfectly willing to SEQ Constitution adopted
by our State, comforting the elective franchise
on the negro, on precisely the same terms az II
is to be exercised by the white man, guarding q
against the abuse of this privilege by establish {
ing slight educational and property qualifcay
tion for all classes. - DIV ,l1ig %
I have thus, gentlemen, cndcavorcd to COM
ply, as fully as possible, with the request con-
veycd in your letter. a sense of duty to the
State, and an eminent desire to show my re-
spcct to my fellow citizens, from whom have
received so many marks of Kindness and conf
dcnce, are the only motives which could haze. .
induced ME to take any part in public affairs. !
If the crude views thrown out for your consid-' !.
Grafton, are instrumental in arousipg any one ..
to sense of the dangers surrounding us, or if
they can be of the slightest benefit to those who
have called for them, they will have accom-.
plished their ends. Thanking you again for 8
the honor you have done me in asking counsel,
of me, and praying that our efforts to save our i,
beloved State from ruin may be successful, r =
am, with great respect and esteem: your friends
and fellow-citizcn, a.. a9E 2ily8 5YsIs
II 9, b,g WADE HAMILTON. .z!leu,
To Mcssrs. D. W. RAY, W. H. TALLEY, y,
p THOMAS, e. NJ. LAW, and others.
Columlia, august Z. 1867. i- s'''"
a. -, q. :. q. - ees'a . q