Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1867-10-09
The Time Has Come When Men must
Make a Deliberate Choice,

Six months ago, in our cxtrcmc desire for peaco
aud reconciliation, We wrote: "Aa at present ad-
vised it soems to US ths, our policy is not only to
have Convention, but, if possible to control
that Convention; and we can do so only by en-
toring the lists with energy and zeal, and an
honest purpose to promote the practical welfare
of the State"
Some weeks later, we wrote: The uncertain
tics, difficulties, and dolicacies Of the position,
are such, that it is with fear and trembling We
offer our readers any definite, positive, and en-
phatc advice; except rs to two things, viz: en-
tire obedience to tho military government, and
universal registration of all who shall be allowed
so to do. By. the time the election is ordered,
we shall perhaps have moro light, and know bet
ter what TO do"
In the meantime, every Southern man has had
abundant light, and has clearly seen that the OBJ
ject of the authors ofthe Military Bills, as proved
by the manner in which their sn,raps have en-
forced them, il the subordination of the white to
tho black race in the South, and, by means of
this, the perpotuation of Radical power And
truth, honor and honesty compel US to deliberate
ly advise every man to cast his ballot and his
influence against q Convention. Or what is
better, cast his influence against Convention
and bis vote, as regard; this question, not at all
Setting aside every other consideration, even the
lofty ono of maintaining through woe and veal
the principles of the Constitution, the matter of
universal negro suffrage is alone quite sufficient
to deter any sound Southern or Northern Conser
vativc from advising otherwise. That Constitu-
tun guarantees to each State tho right to control
the matter of suffrage within its OWN limits.
Therefore, let not the South become responsible
by her own act for so revolutionary a change in
the government which was frnrpcd BY cur fathers.
Every intelligent reader will readily recollect
the frequent assurances made by Congress that
the only object of the war was to crush the ere
bei,iop," and secure allegiance to tho govern
,nent, obedience tn the Constitution and laws-the
reconciliation into a common nationality Of
land torn by civil dissension and bloody war.
But upon the end of that war, and after the de-
feated party had thoroughly and honorably sur
rendered, instead of summoning their country
men of the South to the equal assumption of
common trust the mouths of tho leaders Of the
faction that essay TO control the Union full of
bitterness and denunciston, and tho time of the
nation is consumed in angry wrangling over the
question how much shall we'hold back from those
cvun,rymen lest they do US harm in the future.
Spies arc sent out TO canvass the whole South, 10
hunt up and eIaggerate cases of mi.rule and in
them TO Congress as preteIts for expressing the
Southern people.
And thi. the people Of the North and West, ns
eviuced in late elections are beginning to realize;
they are beginning to rebuke their representatives
who have spent months in arguing, discussing and
disputng, and whose highest achievement to-day
III project that overthrows civil authority 10 ten
States, and places their people under the rule of
the bayonet and tho nsgro-thus developing the
Radical idea of republican form of government
And regarding these Military Bills, do they
hold cut any reliable prospect Of the restoration
of the Southern States calm examination of
the bills and the motives aud declarations of those
who passed them compolls negative response
They do not moan, and none of their manipula
tors undcrstnnd them to mean, that the Southern
States ere to bo admitted under the provisions
between this time and the next Presidential elec-
ton. 1t is the fixed purpose of those in power to
zion in that election.
These bills ignore .hs Constitution for one third
of the Union. No mnn'a freside is free from the
intrusive tread of the military. No mans prop
erty is exempt from its usurpniions. Free speech
is 4 mockcry. Every intelligent friend Of civil
liberty will therefore turn with scorn and loathing
from the tyrannical and abominablc measures
which Congress has framed for the enslavement
and destruction Of tho South. The only terms
upon which the South is offered release from
thraliom are tho voluntary Acknowledgement Of
thousands of her pursst and ablest citizens, the
elevation Of tho whole negro race to a political
equality With the white, which it outnumbers in
many places, and tho formation Of such Stnte
to approve. But tho mass Of tho people Of the
South have too mnch self-respect, We verify be-
lieve, to voluntarily comply with dictates Of the
conquering section which involve the sacrifice Of
all that's left them of liberty and honor. They will
no. endorse plan Of reconstruction which wields
the sword in one hand and negro suffrage in the
ether, however plausibly pf"Farcd.
Moreover, thOy must know perfectly we'll that
Congress intends, if it can, either NTH or without
their consent, to sot up State governments in the
South which are to represent and be controlled by
tho blacks and paltry minority of the whites;
and that those governments arc to be the agencies
through which the Radical party expects to de-
spoil and punish the Southern people. They must
know that under no state of circumstances does
Congress intend to restore to tho majority of their
people the unobstructed right of sof.guvcrnmont,
and that no standardization on their part can
purchase it. Thoy must know that if they dis
franchise their leading men and allow all the ne
groes to vote, they might form in each State
twenty consecutive Constitutions, but that Con-
gress would ,ccopt none but such as might con-
Gde the destines of the State to sono scoundrel
like Brownlow. They havo nothing then to gain
by closing with, and nothing to lose by rejecting
the false and shameful offers now rendered theIu.
The Constitution is for the present dead, and me-
gro suffrage can never resuscitate it in the South.
Nothing i, left to tho people of our own race and
blood in ten overthrown States sare to suffer oith
'erene and unfinching courage whatsoerer military
ie,poti,m or anarchy may hare in store for them,
md uuait the certain subsidencs Of the rerolusiOn
,ry storm, that has Frustrated tAs R:Rullie.
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