The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1867-04-17
The Crowning Insult of the Hour

In view OF the TACT that the feeble ana
often defeased Democracy of the North
have recently given symptoms of re-
stored life and vigor, the recent speech
Cat Petersbnrg) of Wilson, of Massachu-
setts, is full OF meaning.
In that speech the Southern people are
solemnly warned against placing any
confidence in either the strength or good
intention Of the Northern Democracy.
After the fashion of certain sulphurous
parsonage, who figures largely in sacred
and protans history, the Natck shoema-
ker takes the Southern people up "into q
lofty mountain," and, while denouncing
the Northern Democracy, tempts theha
with splendid promises of future rewards
if they will only sell their souls to the
political miscreants who have deliberate
fy annihilated our civil rights, disfran-
chised our ablest and .purcst men, and en-
franchised every male negro in the State.
Coming among q people thus outraged,
humiliated and trampled upon by himself
and his party, be lifts his brazen voice
and procaims that he has not sought to
humiiate the South; neither does he de-
sire that the ban of prolonged disfran-
chisemcnt shall rest upon class Of South
ern statesmen, the latchets OF whose shoes
this vulgar and insolent demagogue is un-
worthy to loosen. Reeking from the
most active and envenomed participation
in the fagitious legislation which has de.
prived us Of all our rights, he has dared
to advise the victims of his coarse and
brutal fury as to their future political
course. And the truculent impudence Of
this ignorant demagogue almost touches
the limits cf the sublime when he recon-
lnends for our especial admiration, re-
spcct and love the party which has de
stroyed every vestige of our political
rights and left us at the mercy of the
soldier. The advice OF Wilson.smacks so
strongly of the "Pirate's Own Book," !"
that we doubt not he is thoroughly satu-
rated with the morality of that species Of
unwholesome literature. A. merchant
man is overtaken and captured by pi-
rate. The prize is robbed of every arti-
Gle of value, the unfortunate sailors ei-
ther have their throats cut or are made to
walk the plank, the captain of the cap
tured vessel is murdered in the presence
of his sllrieking wife by the commander
of the pirate ship who, while coolly
wiping the blood of the murdered hus-
band from his cutlass, proposes IN alliance
with his hcart-broken widow, and urges
his suit by the tender assurance that if
his offers are rejected she will be handed
over TO his brutal crew. Wilson's propo-
sal to the Southern people to hug Ralical-
ism to their breasts is strictly in keeping
with the above. He has added insult to
the most terrible injuries ever inflicted by
u conqueror pretending to civilization
upon defeated nation, by asking us to
support II party which has been more
merciiess in legislation than the soldier
WAS in the heat of battle.
We regard this mans speech at Peters
burg as tho crowning outrage of two
years of oppression, and insult of an un-
armed people, and there is not a Vir-
ginian with one spark of manliness in his
bosom who will not spurn the thought OF
aflliation with the party which Wilson
represents, and which has crushed our
liberties and stripped Lee, Hunter, Wise
and thousands Of good and able men of
political rights which they have given to
the most ignorant and demoralized blacks.
This coarse and iLliterate tempter of the
people OF o proud and noble old State re-
commends for our approval party which
has proclaimed the absolutism ofmaj ajorities
The maxim of bis party is that all the
guarantees of the Constitution must yield
to the mandates of the mob. His own
votes proclaim that there can be no per-
sonal rights, no private rights ofproperty,
no inalienabe rights, which a furious,
blind majority cannot trample upon, pol
lutte and disregard through :heir agents
in Congress. 1t has been justly and elo.
quently remarked by distinguished
journalist, that from "one-third of our
people the protection of law has just been
withdrawn by solemn and deliberate act
of Congress. In the ten unrcconstructed
States there exists to-day no organic or
statutory Law, no law to protect personal
liberty or life. Ten millions of people (by
Wilson nnd his party) have been delibe-
ratcly placed in this condition. Redress
for wrongs, protection against violence to
person or property, we have none but the
will of military dictator. Yerdicts OF
jurics, decisions ofjudges, avail us nothing
if they do not meet the approval of the
soldier. White and black. helpless women
and children, are all condemned TO live
for an indefinite period with no protection
against spoliation or injury by unscrupu-
lous ncighbors, except in such possible
justice as the armed despot may permit.
Widows and orphans, even, cannot succeed
to an inheritance without his permission.
Did the disfranchiscd, outlawcd and insult
cd people of Petersburg, who listened to
Wilson when he plead tho cause of Radi-
calism, think of these things, and re-
member that all of their wrongs are the
first fruits OF that party, whose virtues,
humanity and charity the speaker blatant
ly advocated. Oh! for an hour of the in.