The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-05-18
COW. PERR,,s LAST LETTER.


even more emphatic and indignant than MS
others. We may, therefore, infer that If he
can find encouragement he means to become
the political leader Of party. That not
simply content with on expression of his opln-
ion, which was very natural in one occupying
his distinguished position in the State, ne IN
tends, if possible, to give practical effect to that
opinion, and induce such of his fellow-citizens
nc he can to ioin him in the course Of action
which he recommends.
This letter reaches US at the same time with
the announcement that the Supreme Court has
refused leave to the States of Mississippi and
Georgia to file their petition for injunction.
The field, therefore, is clear, and the issue
very simple one.
The Reconstruction Act is to-day the law Of
the land, with no possible obstacle in the way
of its execution.
The preliminary arrangements for the regis
tration of the voters of the State have been
ordered.
The qualification of those voters is deter
mined by the Act, and as soon as the registra-
ton is complete an election for members OF the
Convention will be held.
| All this has been done and will be done with
out the slightest reference to our wishes OF
opinions, and Governor PERRY and the whole
State, if it agreed with him, could not undo
what has been done or prevent what will be
done.
The simple question submitted to us, now, is
whether we will use such power as we have
left us, and go into the Convention for the pur
nose of doing our best to make its action bene-
6cial to the interest of the State, and prevent
| ing the mischief which our absence will most
assuredly provoke
Governor PERRY advises the State most
earnestly not to do 30. !. Because, IT we DO
not, matters will, with the help of the Demo-
cratic party, right themselves one of these
days.
With or without The Democratic party; we
have NO doubt that as has been said long ago,
Time and the hour r4ns through the rough
est day. but to US the impSrsssnt point is
when?" Governor PERRY does not pretend
to assert that even this reaction can come be-
fore the termination of this Congress, that is
two years hence, and az the Convention will
meet some time in the coming autuIan. al the
evils the confscation of our land, the subju-
cation of our race, which the Governor pre-
diets as the result af the Convention, will have
been accomplished. Indeed. the plain state
ment of this argument seems to be. ss Governor
PERRY told Governor MEANS, "That the State
was going to the devil, and he was going with
it," he is unwilling that anybody should in
terfere with his journey, for the Governor will
scarcely admit that we had reached that nncom-
Portable point during his Provisional Govern
ment
.. Because, do what we may, we will not be
admitted to representation when we have
done it.
This is Gov. PERRY's opinion, formed in his
mountain solitude and under the influence OF
that melancholy which always infects the minds
of great actors in public affairs when they re-
/ tire from the stage. CHARLES V. in the Rscu-
rial, NAPOLEON at Fontainbleau, Mr.. WELL
ER the elder, when he laid down the reins of
his Government, took the same gloomy view of
| the future, and their Successors. But against
even this opinion, we think practical men can
safely put the opinions of leaders like SHER-
MAN, and FEssENDEN, and WILSON, and CoLrAx,
and FRELrNGHuYsEN, the open and almost
unanimous declaration of the Northern Republi-
can press, and the whole current of events
since the adjournment of Congress.
And when the Governor says, "The Union
will not be restored until after the next
Presidential election-the votes of the South
ern States are not wanted: in that election"
we would ask if this is so! i; the Republican
partyis so overwhelmingly strong, where is the
hope of that Democratic reaction, which is to
be the result and the reward of our patience?
g. Because the Convention will be controlled
by the vote of the freedmen in the interest of
the widest radicalism.
We have as yet seen nothing to justify this
prediction. Indeed the Governor himself says
at present out of the towns and villages, the
negro cares nothing about his right of suffrage
and knows nothing, unless influenced by bad
men, he will not trouble himself to register or
vote. This however, will not always be the
case" Does it not occur to the Governor then
that it would be wise for us to act, while it is
the case-that now while according to his own
account, the great mass of the colored vote of
the State is willing to trust political power to
the white, that we should use it, use it wisely
and justly, so that as they do take an interest
in their right of suffrage they may continue to
feel that their confidence has not been mis-
placed?
We have endeavored at various times to put
this issue gravely and honestly before our peo-
pie; so often, indeed, that we do not think it
useful to reproduce the argument. II comes
too near home to our dearest and most sacred
interests not to force itself upon the attention
of every man who feels that he has any re-
sponsibility to his country. With judgment,
perseverance and energy we believe that the
Convention to be held in this State can and
will be controlled for good. Of course there
will be much to discourage, some things to dis
heartcn and even disgust US. But isolation
from the active struggle will save us not one
humiliation or misfortune With our genuine
respect for Governor PERRY, with our knowl- !
edge of the courage with which he maintains
his convictions, and the influence which is |
justly due to his long and honorable life, we
would have hailed with peculiar pleasure the
cooperation of his ability and influence in the
effort we are making to meet the difficulties of
a painful, but an inevitable position. While |
we respect the honesty of his purpose and
IL L..