Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1867-09-14

brought with 1t an Had Of woes-to barter
away the few rights remaining to us? Yet
this is the course we must follow, if we nc
copt terms which VIC know to be contrary to
tho conditions on which We surrendered
which are ,nimical to all true reconciliation,
and Whtch are IN open and palpable violation
of the Constitution of the United States
Of fthafconstitution which We swear to support,
at the very moment we arc grossly ourasing
its most sacred provisions Would not those
who vote for these laws, knowing then, to be
unconstitutional, be guilty of perjury What
good can come of laws which begin in fraud
and can be carried into effect only by perjury
| Let mo not be understood us making any re.
| fectiohs on those Southern men who honestly
and couscientlously advocate our acceptance
| of these military bills. Any divisions amongst
us arc to Ec deprecated, and it is unwisc us it
is unbind to impungu the m )tivcs of men
who, Oh many u field. have proved their de-
| votion to the South Especially do I regret
| the vihient attacks which have been made on
that gallant soldier who so long and so ably
led the illustrious First Corps of the Army
OF Northern Virginia 1t has been his hard
fate Ia peace as in war, to be wounded by his
owu. people. That charity which hopcth
| all tt!'gs' and n natural dstrust of our o,
Judgment, should make us treat the convic.
tions of such men with at least kudly and
proper consideration. But for those " who
sec the right and yet the wrong pursue"
who, while their country seems to be strug-
cling in the thlocs OF death consult only their
own base fears and low nstncts--who, to save
their vile property or still more vile persons,
would degrade their State-who bid us accept
dishpnor rs the price of safcty-laneuagc has
no terms strong enough to brand their iufamy.
| They are rs far beyond the reach of adequate
punishment i'll this world as they are beneath
the scorn and contempt of all honorable men.
| But to return to the consideration Of the
RecoNs,ruction acts, from which this digres-
sion las led me. What Inducements do the
advochtcs of these measures hold out to US to
acca,t t'em Z Can they promise us peace
l.ooE at Tennessee, and learn what kind of
ade&e are to have. Can they promise us
an Sssiiptahe State cunstitution--onc that
willnot Tie interfcrrcd with hy Congress p
Look at Delaware, Maryland and Kentucky
three Loyal sovereign Statcs-which are
to be put on trial before Star Chamber com
mittee, on the charge of not having republi
can constitution Can they promise n rcsto.
ration of the Union? The Radical rulers
expressly declare that their measures are not
" fnalltes." Can they promise, even that
! doubtful good, representation in the Congress
of the United States? I refer you to Ken
tucky, whose representatives arc ignominous-
ly rejected because rcbriS rntca ror them =
But suppose that the State accepts the terms
proposed by the military bills that she agrees
to the permanent and total exclusion from her
councils of the intellect, tho experience, the
wisdom and the patriotism which, in times
past gave her lustrc that. instead Of these
noble qualities and virtues, she commits her
political dcstinies to the guidance of igno-
rance, inexpercncc, folly und radicalisn !;
that she adopts constitution DISTINGUISHING
forever tho men who, in ohnying her command
to dciend her, believed that they were serving
God that she
Buys--ignominious pnrchasc-shor rcpose
| With dying curses and the groans of those
| That served and loved, and put in their trust"
! Suppose she does all these things, and that
the Radicals then gracously permit her to
send her representatives to Washington, from
| what class will she select the men who are to
fill tho places once honored by Lowndcs Cal
houn, McDuflie, Preston, Chcvcs, Ilayne, IIu-
gcl and their glorious compccrs? The same
body which has shown such wisdom and mag
namity in framing these Reconstruction acts
that arc to bring so many blessings in their
train, gives you the answer in the following
act Of Congress
~. Hereafter any person elected or ap-
pointed to any Office of power or profit under
the Government of the United States, either
in the civil, military or naval departments of
4 the United States, shall before entering up-
on tho duties Of such Office, and being enti-
tied to any of the salary or other cmolumcnts
thereof, take and subscribe the following oath
| 'lao solennly swear, that have never volun.
tarfly borne arms against the United Statessnce
havcbcen citizen thereof; that have voun-
tarily given no aid, countcnance, counsel OF
encouragement to persons engaged in armed
hostility thereto; that have neither sought
nor accepted, nor attempted TO exercise, the
functions of any office whatever, under any
authority in hostility to the United States
that ] have not yieldcda voluntary support TO
any pretended government, authority, power
or constitution within tho United States, hoa-
tile or inmical thereto. And do further
swear that to the best of my knowledge md
ability, will support and defend the Constitu-
ton of the United States against all enemies,
forogn and domestic; that will bear true
faith aud allegiance to tho same; that take
this obligation freely, without any mental req.
eryetion on purpose Of evasion and that l
Twill we'll and faithfully discharge the duties
Epf tle{office on which am about to enter--.
so.help me ,Godg And any person who shall
falsely take tho said oath shall be guilty of