The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1867-05-08
Another Letter from Gov. Perry.
N :, "a III LIZ III sA:..

10 the -Edlt0TS OF R2 COtumOl0 THtcittI'
The people of South Carolina were per
suaded, six or seven years ago, that their
only hope of maintaining African slavery
was in the destruction of the Am erlcan
Union and the formation Of IL Southern
Confederacy I did not think 50, and
raised my warning voice against this fatal
delusion. said to them that slavery was
safer in the Union than it could be in a
separate confederacy I told them that
the extinction of the Union would be the
death knoll of slavery. They spurncd my
counsel, and madly rushed into bloody
civil war, which chacd in the abolition of
slavery. Now they are being persuaded,
again, that the only way to save their
lands from the con6scation of Congress,
is in adopting the provisions of tie mill.
tary bill, giving universal suffrage to the
negro, and DISTINGUISHING their leading
public men. 1t is with q sad heart that
I see indications, all over the State, OF
preparation to adopt this second delusion,
which will prove more fatal to the State
than the first has been. 1t is true, they
lost, by the first, their property in slaves,
and involved their country in q long and
bloody war, which desolated the State
and sacrificed thousands of their most
gallant sons; it is true, also, that they
were conquered, and have been placed
under military government. But now
they are going to sacrifice their honor as
q people and lose their lands into the bar
gain! They are going to enfranchlse
10000 black voters, and surrender the
political power of the State into the hands
of the negroes The inevitable result of
this deusion and criminal folly will be
the establishment of the most atrocious
government and horrible state of society
that civilized people were ever subjec-
ted to.
Already the negro ewatch-cry in Vir-
ginia and elsewhere is, Glands for the
landless "Homcs for the houselcss I"
"Political equality to all men, regardless
of caste or color!" What avail will 40
900 white votes have in South Carolina,
with this watch-cry ringing at the polls
1t is against nature and reason to suppose
that an ignorant and debased majority
will not pursue their own interest, regard
less of right and carry out their wicked
purposes, whatever they may be. 1t is
possible to restrain them at first, before
they acquire concert of action. Hence
the Importance of defeating the call of q
convention ut the first election, before this
majority is organized and emboldened by
AGITATION and evil cuunscls. 1t cannot be
controlled afterwards, but will make
South Carolina political and social pan
dcmonium. Is there an instance in the
worlds history of class of men, inves-
ted with political power who did not
unite to promote their own interests
Just as sure as general suffrage is given
to the negro, in South Carolina, he will
feel his numerical strength, and sooner
or later, under the vile lead of Black Re-
publican emissares, seize the political
power of the State, and exercise it to OPP
press and plumber the white race. There
are thousands Of unprincipled white
men amongst us, who will unite their des-
tiny with the negro for the sake of spoils
and plunder. They will easily be per-
suaded, and persuade themselves, that it
is right and proper that the lands of the
State should be divided out equally
amongst all of her citizens. Every one
should have homc-the poor freedman
as well as his former rich master. Hav
ing the power in their hands, with this
belief it is folly and stupidity to suppose
they will not execute it. They nnHst
serve on juries and hold Office, ride with
you and your wives and daughters in the
cars, and eat with you at the hotel, and
sit with you in the church. All this, and
ten times more, you must endure from
your black political masters. And can it
be that the pride Of Carolina has sunk so
low. and been so degraded, as to vote for
all this voluntarily, for thepurpose of get
ting back into that Union which her citi-
zcns professcd to hate and despisc so cor
daily few years since? Are they will
inc to 60 to the polls and cast their vote
for a convention, with this destiny staring
them in the face, in order to save their
lands from confscation? NO. They
will be voting the ultimate confscation of
their lands and their political rights as
surely as they are voting away their hon
or as men and Carolinians.
There are in the State only ten Districts
out of thirty in which the white voters
are in the majority, and these Districts
are the smallest-consequently two-thlrds
and more of the convention may be nc
groes or Black Republicans. The Legis-
lature will be similarly composed. Do
the people of South Carolina really think
of these consequences, or are they pre-
pared to accept them? Bcttera thousand
times let Congress confscate your lands,
than entail such q Government and such
degradation and misery on yourselves
and postcrity. DO your duty, and leave
the consequences to God. Act like men
and Carolinians. Declare, by voting
against convention, that you will never
voluntarily yield the right of selt-govern-
mcnt, or place yourselves under the con-
troll of your former slaves. Bcttcr-far
better-to remain as you are, under the