Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1867-08-17


it wisely aud conscicntiously This highest
right of citizenship has been given to large
portion of the population Of the State, who
arc not fit for it, by power which you can
not resist, and which does not intend to be
resisted No action of yours in voting against
a Convention, can deprive chem of it,
assume, upon the general statement, al,
though | doubt its correctness, that there arc
in South Carolina about sixty thousand black
votes, to about forty thousand white onos--
But th, black vote is not, and cannot be made
combined majority, except in cases of a gen.
cral popular election. For Delegates to the
Convention, for representatives to the Legsla-
ture, it canEat act together. The disparity
in numbers is local. For example, if there is
majority of five thousand negro voters in
Beaufort or Georgetown District, the majority
OF the whole vote is SO much diminished 10
the rest of the State, and can count in such
election no more than majority of five, for
1t can only secure the return of members from
its own District. In fact, this disparity exists
chiefly III tho low country. In your own dis
trict, and those adjoining it, the negro vote is
in very marked minority, even if it act as
an unit. If, then, the nntagonism was all that
is represented by the most apprcbcnsive, you,
the white men Of the upper-country, cannot
be deprived without your own neglect, of your
fair representation in the Convention aud tho
Legislature.
But, what, in fact, to-day, is this antago-
nism between these two classes Of voters p
Not what it may be matlc--but what is it in
the opinion of practical men who govern their
every day action by their every day expert
ence? It is certainly not an exaggerated cal
culation to suppose that of this sixty thousand,
at least forty thousand are engaged in the
work of agriculture, in daily communication
with you, depending upon your capital and
thrift for profitable employment, utterly igno-
rant and utterly indifferent as to political
questions which they do not understand If
you are just in your dealings with these, have
you any doubt of your influence p, Has there
ever been time anywhere, even the most
troubled, in which finally brains and, capital
have not governed2 You kno these people
For two centuries you have held them as
slaves; were they not dooile, affectionate,
Trustworthy During the war, when ID MANY
seesati9ns Of this State, there were not at home
dom dom dopaoded 81 SSNs sss s
Industrious, less faithful 10 aif that was yours2
You have seen them now for two years III pos
session of their freedom-has there been vio-
lence or riot. AS general rule, has there
been even insocncc? They rcjoiccd in their
freedom Was it not natural? At first they
seemed like children, to think that their new
life was to be perpetual holiday; but the
crop Of last year was some evidence OF their
industry, and the universal testimony is that
they arc working this year hundred per cent.
better. know there are portions OF the
State in which the persistent mischief OF very
foolish or very wicked men have acmoralizcd
them, and that among themselves there are
not few who have had excited dangerous
and very prepostcrous ambition. But taking
them in the mass, see nothing to cause you
to fear that, with the land Of the State in
| your possession, with the capital of the State
| in your hsnds-with the education and intel.
lcct of the State in your service, you need
lose the influence which naturally belong" to
you.
do not mean to say that your position is
without difficulty. The position in which the
| State is placed, is an unaccnstnsncd one to
both white and black, and it will take time
| and good temper on both sides to adjust the
new relations tremendously. On the ono side
there will be old prcjsdiccs, invctcratc habits,
rooted opinion. to be overcome. On tho 9th.
or, there will bo suspicion and an angry cx-
actingncss of oxtravagant prctenslons. In
the Convention itself, you may be Obliged to
see much done that you disapprove, and L,uch
left undonc that you think the interest Of the
| State requires. Miserable men will bring
| their basencss to market, and until their quail
ity is known, may succeed in driving 'raud
uicnt bargain to the danger and disgrace OF
their State But this will not last. You are
not acting for six months, or year you are
preparing the future Of your State-not less
your State to-day, because she no longer owns
four hundred thousand slaves
You need neither fear the negro nor tiattcr
him but you must do him justice. Not sim
ply the Justice between man and man, but the
higher justice between citizen and citizen
The rights and privileges which have beer
given him, he will use. If he becomes a,
industrious. educated and conscientious cIti
zen, so much tho better for you and the State
If ho is ignorant and insolent md vicious, yo'
must realize that he is to be checked and con
trollcd, Just as ignorant and insolent and Vi
, cious white men arc controlled DO not suite
u yourselves to be frightened with the dcusio'
oossful in her caab RrY}aegss will make hi"
Of detection, and returned to wilma, os..ir
down with grief, and in declining state of 7
health She dragged on melancholy exit.
ence for some time, but at length resolved to |
put an end to her life. With that object she
seated herself in an arm m.ohair, having first
surrounded it with large heap Of par cr, and
then sct fire to tho mass. The smoke attracted |