The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1867-10-09
mo-. Is
[Rrom tho London Times, Sept. III
The Position of tho South,

Inv OoltlOA VI Gu9 SOuGu,
! THE SOUTH WITHOUT PROTECTION AsoR
PROPERTY OR REDRESS FOR aRIEvAN~
cEs-TnEiR POSITION UNDER A rY.
RANNY-TIE PEOPLE AT BAY,
| The position Of the excluded States
during this discussion will be memora-
bic in all future history. They know
nothing Of the constitution or Of federal
law i'll any form. They have no pro-
lection OF property and no means for
redresslng injuries or grievances, They
are being taxed and governed, and their
State laws are cancelled and new laws
made for them, at the uncontrolled will
OF majority of twenty six States. 1t
IS said by Northern writer's that the
tyranny of subordinate officers Of tho
military government bureau agents.
tax assessors, colleclors--it oppressive
and irritating to Tho last degree. "With
very few exceptions" writes a CORES.
pondent ola Republican Journal from
Georgia, "thc lesser officials are bitterly
hostile to the residents, and speak to
them and OF them in tho harshest man.
''S'' 'C'hSS thCoC olllGldlS uluSy KNOW
that any excess of authority upon which
they may venture will he regarded as
a certain indication Of loyalty in tho
North, and that clcmcncy would
expose them to suspicion and unpopu.
hrity. their alleged liac of conduct is
very nutural. Tho Southern people
still exaspcrate thei; rulers by refusing
to extend to them the commonest hospi.
talitics or civilitics, and Congress has
not yet attempted to pass laws compcll-
ing the Southern citizens to give Fedc.
raj soldiers a welcome to their house
holds.
The Legislature is, indeed, supreme,
but there are some things it cnnno, do,
an one of them is to eradicate the ha-
tired OF the conquered towards the con-
qneror. General Wade Hampton, whlo
advising the people OF Sonth Carolina to
encourage tho exercise Of the franchise
ny tho blacks, urges them to abstain
from taking any part in the government.
1T is" ho tells them, "my honest and
firm belief that the voluntary apccp
sSS6a S6aa of sai2 shesG measures r by om eIpIe n
South, but to The Wnole coEttrv ov;ls
far greater than any We have yeSS ,urnr
ed 1t may possibly be recognized H.
alter, even by tho most strenuous advo-
cato OF total disfranchiscment, that moth
ing was to be gained by asserting tho
principle that State government Is u
system which exists only 80 long MS tho
majority of the hour chooses to pcrmi, II.
The whole Southern population, II We
may trust tho accounts in Northern joul.
nails, has been driven to bay, and States
which assisted to mako the constitution
arc demolished Mt the fiat Of n Congress
IN which the majority Of a section have
obtained tho exclusive reprcsenta,o"
III this anomalous state tho Govern.
of the United States must remain ug
tho people consent to listen again to
interpreters OF Il written law whic. was
supposed to DO ;ncorrup,iblc. WIih an
ntrovcrsion of the protecting pownr
which might be amusing to the cynic wn
find negro candidate for Congress, in
tho State Of Georgia, promising, i! elect.
cd, to cd all lie can TO amcliorate tho
condition OF the whites" Could we find
striking commentary upon the work
of reconstruction done by Congress, or
upon the condition Of the South, than
that which this single sentence pre-.
scnts