Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1867-09-21
Look to the Convention.

Look to the Convention.
The order having been issued for the Ala
bama election, similar one in regard to Sur
own State may be looked for shortly, says The
Athens (Ga.) Watchman."
Are our people sufficiently alive 10 thefm
portancc of this thing? From the n,aaner
i'll which they failed to register in some Sec
tions, VIC fear they are not
Are they willing, by non action nowa,) to
permit the State Government to fall into The
hands of the ignorant and corrupt classes of
the community? Ale they willing to sec such
Il Constitution adopted as will drive all tho de-
cent people to seek refuge in other lands2-
Are they willing to make cowardly surrcn.
der of all their rights and yield their heritage
in this beautiful land q prey to the spoier
DO they intend TO cxpatriatc themselves and
their children
Those who fold their arms and refuse to5lo
any thing, are practically answering all these
questions ahirn'ativcly This is fearful re
sponsibility, and VIC hope that every citLcn
will weigh well the Importance of the isEue,
and then eot cuvliy and uispnesio"~,ela1.l,yy .l,y
all means LOT him act in some hIannei IN Is
no time to stand still and supincly pcrmitS,the
last shadow Of liberty to pass away
We hold now, as we have held from tho
frst--tte Convention aoiV be hchi-and if the
Intelligent, conservative white Wcn of the
country, who have every thing TO lose, do not
take control of it, it will be directed by those
who have "othiny TO loSc and rvc,y Mi"g to
gain by the adoption of such Constitution
as agrarian tanaticism would dictate.
1t is true, that we do not--nor does any
Ia r ~, a. 4 Il
ding of this Convention, us a iatterof min.
ciplc. out, having been overpowcrcd and
placed in position where We cannot dictate
terms to t.e victors, it is the part of wisdom to
choose between evils, and take the least.
And right here ono word. We hear the
remark every day, aud read it in the news pa
pcrs, would rather submit to a mitary
government than to such an one as is provi
ded by the reconstruction measures f; there.
fore, will vote againsta Convention Now,
my dear sir, stop moment. Have we anv
assurance of such an alternative? The prcs
cnt Congress will remain in power until the
4th of March, 1869. 1t will convene again
on the 2lst of November. It's lust as much
bent upon carrying out its plan of rcconstruc
tlon rs it was when it adjourned in july
Obstacles thrown in the way will only intensi
ty that determination. Suppose the peonlc
of Georgia vote down the Convention what
will that body do? L.oavo us under a militia
ry government, and acknowledge itself whin.
ped Is there's white man in Georgia s;llv
enough to believe this I? Is any where re-.
corded in history that fanatcism was so easi.
y baulked Vote down the Conventions and
Congress will at once pass another rcconstruc.
ton act, coniineing the right of suffrage to
those onlywho can takcthe iron-clad oath and
this would secure the adoption of Constitu.
ton which would not only disfranchisc, but
also coniscatc the property Of all who partic
patedin, or sympathizcd with tho rebellion"
we perfectly agree with Gov. Perry il his
views on this pont-therc is no danger of
Congressional conlscation, none whatever.
but trust your property to Conventions the
members of which do not in the aggregate
own five thousand dollars worth of real cs
tate, and wnat will become Of it? Trust your
rIShtto the ballot to such Convention, com.
posed of men taught to regard YOU as their
worst enemies, and when will yorl vote aooin
People of George ponder we'll theso
things Act 'coolIy, calmly and dispassion-
ately. If by rejecting the Convention now
the matter could be STAYED off until another
Congress could take it in hand, there would
be somo sense IN such course but ren,om.
bcr, this same Congress will pass upon it and
will your rejection Of what they consider lib
eral terms have tendency to moderate their
demands? Nobody is silly enough to believe
so.
Thon your duty is choose nov the
least of two cvils--go to work and secure tho
control OF tho Convention, instead or supine.
~ suffering it to pass into the hands Of those
who will not hesitate to .disfranchiso yoal and
confscate yoNr property. DO this, trustine;
to feturhing Of justice on tho part Of the
people Of the North and West, and when Con
gress shall become purged and its halls filled
with better men, you can get full justice. q.
Your action now will not Bar your claik1 70
relief then. Butiti needless to discussfhia,
view Of the subjoot at tliis timc .Il 81