The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-04-04
GEN, SICKLES' ADDRESS
TO THE
CHARLESTON BOARD OF TRADE,

In accordance with our promise yesterday morn
ing, VIC publish in full, to-day the address Of Gen.
D. E. S1oKLEs. at the dinner given by the Oh rles-
ton Board of Trade on Tuesday evening last. It
will be read with interest. General sickles said:
Mr.. President and gentlemen, thank you
for your kind expressions of CO. hdcnce and
commentator. The re alton I bear to the
people Of the Carolinas. while temporarily
charged with the supervision Of th il gov.
ernment, imparts additional interest and gratlhca-
ton to the honor conferred upon me on the pres
ent occasion by so many persons OF consideration
nations as to my line Of conduct. shall not. 1
fear, gratify even reasonable degree Of curiosity
on that subject. But at all events may, without
departing from the reserve imposed upon me by
ny ya e1 s R9SS6n 6 aRd mall its Bo Sp anu
First shall not tor q moment think OF deprly.
ing myself of the able and efficient cooperation of
my old friend Governor Orr. (G1eat cheering.)
Nor shall fail to avIil of the aid and assls-
tance of any other civil officer in South Carolina
who performs his duty as zealously and faithfully
| as know Governor Orr has endeayored to dis
charge his duty. (Cheers.)
Gentlemen, am sure I can add, not only for my
self but for every officer OF the army of the United
States, serving under my command, that under no
circumstances will We sanction any act OF injustice.
spoliation or wrong committed upon any citizen OF
| North or South Carolina.
Gentlemen, VIII offer to you another assurance;
you have my authority for the statement to capital
| lists, traders, to manufacturers oil who desire
to embark in your agricultural field OF labor, and
to all who wish to invest moneys In your securities
and in your lands, that the military authorities will
do nothing tending to impair the value OF your pos
sessions or to increase tho risks Of those who have
heretofore embarked in enterprises on Your soil.
Whatever we can do to strengthen confidence IN
your resources, and to promote the material pros
perity of the com mmonwealth shall be done.
concur heartily in the onident expectations
which have been expressed as to your future. I nm
one Of those who believe that there are few things
| impossible to Americans. believe that the civil
and political misfortunes, the disasters in trade
and agriculture, the privatons hopes aud dis
couragements you have Suffered and which would
have crushed almost any people who had not ex-
traordinary energies. perseverance and 1alth IN
| the future, will all be conquered by the elias
ticity, vigor and forttuda characteristic Of
the American people. There is nothing in
the history of South Carolina that suggests
that you are an exception to these traits OF our
countrymen. It may not be unbecomlnS in me to
saying yi so yourselves that, in the war which has
Just closed the people Of the South have shown
such resources, and the ability to employ then,
and such energy, and resolution, and courage, rs
will, if wisely directed, sul1nount greater difficult
| ties than any now before them.
| will 20 further, and venture q suggestion In
reference to your line Of a"tion. Ofco1rse shall
not trespass upon the ,litcal arena; for as to
that am as much disqualified as his E1cellency
the CfOYcCuOT, UuOuSu uOS Jy " CoHoelUOVioliaL
amendment. O. lughter.; shall abstain, as I
am required to do by tho duties Of my position,
from any allusion to the political bearing Of any
matter which you have to consider. With this re-
servation, let me say to YOU gentlemen, In al can
charge to yourselves and to your fellow-ctizens is
to remove all dstrust as to your purposes feelings,
and intentions in he future tnWa.as
lIass;, tsfis dlstrust is, in my Judgment, the
main obstacle to the cordial co-opeTa5aon ana
for the existing alienation should, perhaps. be
looked for in the ear history OF your State and
her former institutions. But tlese are con ,idera-
tons of tho past. I do not see from my point of
view any reason why the undoubted identity OF In
terest that uoes exist and must ever exist between
the white and colored races In South Carolina,
shall not result in tleir pursuing IN commoa all
the ends OF society and government Us heartily and
slave had nevor existed. (Applause:l Ono method
Of reconciliation is so nearly allied with the dis
charge of my own duties, that Will add to thus
suggestion an illustration. think 1t behooves
white man. and most especially every T1ro Tne
lima to exert that influence, be it little or much
for the fair honest and impart al execution OF the
Laws, which secure protection to person, character
and property. Whosoever Is concerncd-be ne
white or colored-be he rich or poor-yoa must
carry this resolution with you to the jury box,
to the balotbox upon the seat OF justice, IN your
municipal government, in .ur halls Of legislation,
and to your reconstruction convention when It shall
meet Justice Should Ot 90 oniH + s
your interest to have contented, prosperous and
hanny laborine population, but for higher reasons,
beca1se it is just and right. Cheers. II the col
ored people are ignorant and poor and prone 10
error, the evident lesson must commend ltsell 10
the heart and conscience Of every good Citizen,
that the poor and ignorant should enjoy the Pro
tecton Of the rich Intelligent and influential cti-
zen. It is my belief, that when y u have convinced
the colored people by y?ur laws ana your
Won will have so red the most difficult problem you
have to consider in your affairs. You will, at the
same time, obviate ninoteen out OF twenty OF the
instances in which TIC exercise OF military au-
thorty your affairs becomes necessary. lCneers.J
| MIR. President and gentlemen, 9How me to make
remark for the purpose of dlsabuslng your minds
OF any err neous impressions IN reSar to the seu-
Iments Of the people of the North toward tie
people Of the South. affirm as my real conVIc-
Hon. that the measures of Congress now to be
executed here under my direction, have not boen
adopted with any purpose OF retaliation or host!h-
ty. nor to impede or impair the prosperity
and welfare OF the South. Tne people OF Of thc
Government anywhere in this country. Tney
regard that sort OF Government as 1epugnant to
our institutions, and deprecate It's pioongatlon
anywhere as o misfortune. They do not de-
| sire on the other hand that the people,
enfranchised by their action, shall be left alto
kgether aud wholly subject to the control OF those
bby whom they have been heretofore held in seryi-
t1de. Nor do they desire that this numerous
race, by reason OF any oppression or obstacles
placed in he way Of their wel-being here, where
they belong shall be constrained to cut loose from
their moorings here and emigra,e to other anu
less congenia parts Of the country, where they
could find no suitable or adequate demand Tor
their labor. Other similar considerations aaye a
contributed their influence 10 the adoption OF the
measures now to be executed. Il was apparent
that the reorganization of the political nsti utions
or the South would most speedily terminate tile
necessity for military occupation aud military
cessary. to enforce the rights OF the freed,
men. the obvious remedy, in republican form o
government, was to give the enfranchlsed race, by
means Of the ballot, the power to enforce resi- ec
their privileges as ctlzens Inc a. m h so y
ored people; therefore it is certain they wish n:
misfortune to the communities IN which the coioree
people must continue for veal or woe. to dwell
Far from it. On the contrary, tney Deneye ta ina q
this addition to the representative popu~ tlop o
the country, in addition to it's military power ane
its means Of production must result, not only II
great and substantial good to the nation a: large
but that great and substantial blessings mus
follow to the people Of the South. 1t is not es
much my purpose to convince you that these mea'
sures will accomplish the bene6cent results con
templated By Congress, as it is to commend then
to your Judgment and appreciation III tneIi u III
purpose and object according to my oesei s t ai'
sense. and with these hopes that, so far as my du
ties are concerned, these acts Of Congress WILL b'
! executed That the result. to yourselves, to you
posterity, and to our common country, ma:
: strengthen and endear the ties that must hence
] forth make our destiny inseparablc is my praye
and will be my earnest endeavor.
Gentlemen, commend to you the brighter as
5 pet. OF the future. There has mover been an I'M
portant experiment in public affairs, that has no
Suggested the gravest doubts anu difficulties, an
r ESPECIALLY is this true in the matter of suffrage
Every large addition to the voting population OF
country has excited the alarm OF many who fancie
themselves among the. .wisest OF their generation
. When universal suffrage was granted to the whit
race, it was predicted that it would involve tn
: downfall Of the Republic. Tho naturalization
: Laws and the consequent encouras cement slvca {
emigration, have brought to our shores millions
Europeans Of every race aud cline. At the outse
I redictcd Lint this foraign elpmeut MOul