The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1867-05-15
Letter from Major 4. W. Woodward.
To The Editor Of the Winnsboro Nc,cs:

aooooA 1lolu mdUol IL W. uOUWItu,
To thc Editor Of the WInnsJoro Ncos:
In your recent comments on the letter of
Elk Gov. Perry, the following paragraph oc-
ours: eve arc glad to SEQ that so far as We
know, Capt. 7. W. Woodward aud q few
others Of this District arc all who endorse
MIR. Porry." thank you. kindly for The
compliment Intended although there is an
awkwardncss Of expression which might
lead somo TO doubt whether or not you real
ly intended ono. The compliment paid is
OF SO high character, as understood by me,
that accept it cordially, proudly, for you
have hcraldci my name to the world as one
| who dares get to believe that the South has
| rights, aud that am willing to say 80 oven
though it brings upon mo oonfscation of the
small pittanco left. Sir have beon amaz-
| cd, disgustcd, at tho trucking cowardicu
OF our people at tho bear mention Of con-
Gscation. Con6scation of what? There
is not ono i'll hundred Of us who have
moro than from two dollars and half to
thrco dollars worth of property that has
not already been confiscatcd, and yet VIC
just now at this late day bcgin to fear that
we may be made poor. | for ono shall cs-
tcem tan honor to have my PROPERTY con
fscatcd twice over rather than lend my en-
ergies to tho accomplishment Of their he'll
lish designs, and sir, I am proud and hope.
full for the country, because you inform me
that there are ''fcw morc' Of the same
sort left. The ruckiing alluded to above
is unbccoming a noble people, people who
hn,. nl. L. 1
insigniticanco Of property, when II great
principle was involved; and in Gods name
protest against the State and the South
Ignoring this principle, that Of all others
covered them with most glory.
You set out upon criticism Of Mr.. Per.
rvs lottcr in advance of tho appearance Of
tho letter itsclG i'll your paper--n rather
unusual procedure OH your part, as though
you dreaded tho effects of The letter upon
the community, and wished to foresall it,
and instead of going into the subject matter
Perry rs far back as 1860, and then Gigrcss
again by giving your personal views and
notions, about things in general and NJ
though they have nothing to do with the
letter in its bearing now, shall give thom
passing notice. "Wo accord Mr.. Perry
great foresight in The posc,ion he then as
sumcd, and grant thntif We had then follow
cd his advice We might be better OIL" This
admission upon your part ccrainlyEnccords
great wisdom TO MIR. Perry, and commcnds
his teachings Of 1867 to our careful sober
consideration. "But there is a trcmcnd-
Gus difficulty just here, was not the war in
evitable e. u so zoe arc certainly not sole
eve bonslcd Of Tho Institution Of slavery
i5ut was not ii an obstacle in our way ,"
tiease lookat our formerp prosperity under the
OLD regeme, and ourpresent starvation under
tho now; tho question answers itself. .NWc
never saw poacc for thirty years during its
existence" True, vcry hve, and ,oithomi Il,
at our present speed, wo will he Mrcc tines
thirty IN overtaking it. especially if many
moro orators of the Wilson strinc coma
amongst us. How happy am Mr. Editor
that no one has invited him to Winnsboro.
congratulate the District that he seems
disposed to pass us by, he is probably hur-
ryinG on to Tennessee 10 see Brownlow, Mt
any rate, hope So Tor if he does come into
these pnrts, shall have to telegram 10
Gen. Sicklcs for u guard to keen ME-
STRAIGHT, or he might show signs of tnr
aud feathers when ho leaves here. No sir.
peace, benign peace, is far disthnt from
these American shores. The witches arc all
hung md burned, in New England. and
the "niygers" all freed down South, il ~
true, but Republican fannticsm is not vet
satisfied, they would yet drink our hearts
blood, like barbarinns of old, in cups made
OF our skulls but to rccur; you ro on TO
say, "for ono. wo to.tlay do moi regret TINT
the African raco in our State has been cman
ciratcd." You do not sir |! |! lrcgret it exceed. i.
ingly regret il for the ruthless and sudden
manner in which it was thrust upon us.
regret ithccruso of tho great suffering immc-
diateiy transmitted to the black man. Ire.
grct it because all history teaches that in
omancipatcd countries the dcmorilization Of
tho black Is progressive. ! roget il because
OF the great loss Of useful labor TO thc
world. regret 1t, yea. and am EXCEEDING
~ sore IN my gastronomicat proportions, oven
now, and because of the grim and a,pnllinp
starvation that Is npon u.s. Like Yourself
and Gov. Perry, |. TOO like colorcd brother
but don't feel that have done any wrong
In rescuing him from the barbarisms of his
African brother of to day. by holding him
TO serYitude,, nor 10 intend TO say so. ]
for ono feel that have no sins to rcpcnt of
on this core Whatovcr of civilization ia in
him, is due solely to his former Southern
master, and if left to them, hc will bc made
useful mcmbcr Of Southern society cycn
IN his new garb.
'But let us come right down TO tho sub-
stance of Gov Porry's letter to the Iho,u;, -
You first combat his prosposition that "pc
are going to enfranohise GG,OOO blacks,
| &c., anu say that "Victory against us in n
terrible war has already done it," II is
true that negro enfranchiscmont is n very
prominent feature Of the late bill, not mora
so however than the fact that ncgros wore
free before the ratification Of the emoncino.
ton proclamation, and yet We wero called
upon to ratJH it by our own acceptance, lust
as we are callcdupon no@ to ratIfy the suppli.
mentary bill. If this be not so. whv wonId
Congress be guilty Of tho s,olid stupidity Of
| allowing us tho vote, "convcntion'' or ..no
convention," fthe thing were a forcronn
conclusion. If there DO no conyent;on
there can be no legal, NJ honest CHANCE in
tho State Constitution, and this is the dim.
Guilty that Congress has found in admins
toring the dose. Let us, let we'll cnoucb
alone. wo have an ablo, aud believe
good man over us. Brownlow is too busv in
Tennessee, and Butler and Sheridan have
other fish to fry just now, 80 we have no.h.
ing to fear.
It is evident TO mo That they feel their in.
ability even with tho bayoncts, to choke
down tho truth, and that vital and almichtv
principle Of the Constitution which fromtbs
days Of Washington, 0hatglorous old reb)
L.