Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1867-11-27
Congress Invoked by the Republicans
against Universal Suffrage in the
Snufh

against Universal Suffrage in the
South.
The Radical party have become alarmed at
the condition OF confusion and anarchy into
which the extreme Views of the negro Con-
ventions, called into existence under their
auspices, threaten to plunge the interests of
the whole country Mindful Of the recent ex-
preston, through the ballot box, of the public
Judgment at the North, they stand in fear and
trembling, lest the hour of their doom has
come.
Everywhere, therefore, their. press are re-
plete with counsel to the Conventions Of their
own creation, advising moderation, and con-
demning extreme views, as ruinous of their
policy and party.
They are seeking a refuge from tue storm
of peoples just verdict. They are only fear
full that they may not be able to control the
whirlwind WHICH they have called into being.
The Albany Ecen,ng Journal has at last
aroused to the conviction that ignorant and
paupcr blacks at the South should not be ad-
mtted to suffrage, and modesty, at this late
day, coafesses "that it is certainly rot unrea-
sonablc to believe that where majority of
the voters in any district are degraded and
ignorant, their political action will be gov
erncd by prejudice. Or caprice, or other i'm
proper influences, oftencr than by principle"
Speaking, therefore for the Republican par
ty. it characterizes its heretofore leaders as
"the bilious Stevens, and the pseudo phios
opher Sumner" and says, "thc time has COME
to pause, to take an observation of our bear
ipgs, and decide whether we shall not pra-
dentiy avoid the breakers toward which we
arc drifting. There is an ominous roaring Of
the surf along the coast lines of New York,
Pennsylvania, Ohio and California. Shall We
not put down the helm little? Or shall we
follow Stevens and Butler, in their prograile
Of impeachment, currency initiation. conisca-
ton, and general arrangement, until the party
disa tiers, which are now local and temporary,
have become national ard incurable?'
So It seems that Diana of the Ephcsians is
no longer to be worshippcd. Stevens, Butler
and Sumner, are all, in view Of the recent
popular decision, to be overthrown. The Re-
publican party processes to have discovered
that there was mote in its eye, and that uni
versal neglo suffrage is "not what the SET
tied judgment Of the Republican party de-
minds or approves"
Under these circumstances the New York
Times avows that the Republican party have
never taken the ground, or held the doctrine
that voting was powe- to BIZ exercised Is o
matter OF right without any regard to quail
lica;ons. IF the questions were simply
these: Are the negroes Of the South as be.
dy, unaliiied to take part in the reorganizn-
ton of the Southern State governments ? Is
it wise or safe to leave them to dectlewIat
principles Shall be embodied in the State Cor
stitutions what shall be the form and powers
of the State Governments and what shall bc
tue securities ior lie and property under
|. them ? there are M: ten men our OF Il thous
and in the Republican party who would not
say no. Nobody b,licvcs they are. How
should they be? Tic great mass Of them have
been kept in the mostss,olih, ignorance al
their lives: they can neither read nor grite.;
they have heard mo- hing Of po'i,ics: anG know
nothing of the simplest fac. Of our history or
our Government; they have neither the ca
paci,y to form opinions ror the material to
| form them from; ard AS matter Of nee s:ty.
as we'll as Of tact, they vi be and are SIM
plv tools in the hands Of party leaders and
wircpullcrs OH tie one side or tie oiEer.'
This is certainly ca=did confession. They.
have fallen into the hands OF the Union
Leagues here, and the directory of the Re.
publican party at Washington. These are
1.-The party leaders and wire pu!lcrs" OF whom
they are the manifest tools.
Finding, therefore, that the country has
condemned the pcr:loos farce which is being
enacted, it calls up)n Congress 20 administer
the remedy. In the name and on behalf of
the Radical party, it takes the ground that
"t.e Reconstruction Acf reserves TO Congress
tie achols business Of 1crisiag the ConstiM-
tions that may be sent up .fi'ors tie States Jor
lis approral;' and that ii the Conventions in
the South shall, Ly their doctrines Of di, i,fraa-
chiscmcnt, coniis:a:ion, or cvcn of universal
suffrage, hazmd the position Of the Repabii-
can ,ar:y North, that then it is the duty Of
the party il Congress "t0 strike t'tem out, and
send then, back for rerision GMd amf,'dmenL"
II is even more emphatic than this. This
power, It a"ers with great carucS.ues', should
be exercised freely and boldly" and impar
tial suffrage must be substituted Fur universal
suffrage.
The Ralical party have even sowcd the
wind and are reaping the whirlwind. They
ale in strait. The avengmg hand of the
popular wrath is behind them. They have in
their flight abandoned their heretofore dog
mas of universal suffrage and negro suprema-
cy. and are calling upon the rock of congress
sioual interference and impartial suffrage to-
cover them.-Charlesto Courier.