Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1867-06-04
RECONSTRUCTION.
Another Letter from Gov. Perry Of South
Carolina.


To the Editors ofMe Columbia Phenic
1t is most extraordinary, indeed, and will be
as terrific IN It's results as 1t is now strange and
wonderful, to see an educated, refined and gal
liant people seeking repose and protection from
apprehe1ded political evils under the govern
ment and control Of their former slaves-an in
ferior RAGE, utterly ignorant and debased. There
is nothing in the history of all the nations of
the earth, for the last six thousand years, COM
parable to it in folly and madness Future ages
will regard it as the most remarkable faulty
that ever possessed any people.
What change has come over the spirit and
feelings of South Carolina within the last seven
years The Federal Union was then benefcent,
republican and constitutional. There was not
an act Of Congress, for eight previous years,
which any one complained Of as unjust or op-
pressive. We were as happy and prosperous
as people could be. And yet that Union was
hated and despised The people rose up en-
naasse and solemnly determined to rid them
selves of it, Or die in the attempt Now, that
Union has trampled the constitution in the dust,
violated every republican principle, and heaped
on us tyranny and oppression which, it's Chief
Magistrate declares, no people. speaking the
English language, have ever borne for the last
five hundred years And the people of South
Carolina have so changed, within seven short
years, that they are now clamorous to get back
into the Union, and hug it's tyranny and op-
preston to their hosoms--to lick the rod that
has smote them to the earth and desolated their
State In order to hasten their return they
are not only willing to give up all the rights of
their State-all constitutional and republican
principles, and f-government-but to trans
fer the government of their once proud and
chivalric State into the hands of the negroes !
Intelligence, virtue and refinement are to be
ruled by ignorance and basenessl The wealth
of the State to be taxed and plundered by a
race Of paupers who will portion out the lands
and vote themselves homesteads, and whose
legislation will be such as to bring, eventually,
sooner or later, war of races, in which one or
the other must be exterminated Whilst wri-
ting, have been told that confscation was
boldly avowed by the negro convention which
assembled in Charleston last week.
1t is great mistake to suppose that, by all
this humiliation and degradation, we shall get
back into the Union, Or be relieved Of military
government. Congress has given no such
guarantee and leading Radicals assert the con-
trary The Union will not be restored till after
the next Presidential election-the votes of the
Southern States are not wanted in that election.
A military government, Or standing army, in
South Carolina, after the epfranchisement of
the negro, will be absolutely necessary, to pre-
serve the peace and keep down the oppressed
white race. Nothing else will do it. Instead
of being relieved from the expressions Of Con
gress and military rule, we shall have called in
to existence, by our own votes, a third power,