The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1867-05-08
bx-Provisional Governor Porry and Re-
OOnStrlOtiOn

COuSGiuCUlOu,
We rcpublish from the Columbia
IH@nam q letter from Governor Perry
in regard to the matter Of Rcconstruc-
tlon. This is remarkable produc-
ton. Gov. Perry published in the
Charleston Courier, in 1860, a most
able and elaborate argument to prove
that tho election Of Lincoln to the
Presidency would not be u justiliable
cause Tor Secession. We opposed Mr..
Perry, and yet we regarded that argu-
mcnt as the most convincing we had
ever seen.
We accord Mr.. Perry great fore
sight in the position he then assumed,
and grant, that if we had followed his
advice then, VIC might have been bet
ter Off
But there is tremendous diilicul-
ty just here. Was it-that war-not
inevitable 7 We boastcd of the in
stitution Of Slavery. But was it not
an obstacle in our way. We never
saw peace for thirty years during it's
existence. We did restrict agitation
upon it once, by adopting the Mis-.
souri, Compromise. But we Of the
South repealed, or at any rate, aided
in the repeal of that compromise,
which involved Quietns to the qucs-
tion of the African race.
There were abuses, it is true, in the
history of that institution, and if ever
we felt that VIC could chccrfully aban-
don our position in regard to Slavery,
it was when VIC saw parents and chill
drcn ruthlcssly torn asundcr, and sent
in opposite directions.
For one We to day do not regret
that the African race in our State
has been emancipatcd.
We, therefore, arc prepared to say,
with Mr.. Perry, that We have no un-
kind feelings towards the African
race.
But let us como right down to the
substance of Gov. Pcrry's letter to tho
PhDnic.
Ii may be proper to state here that
this letter is the second one publish
cd by MIR. Perry since tho passage of
what arc commonly known as the Re-
construction acts. III his first letter
Mr.. Perry took the general position
that South Carolina must prevent any
Convention bcirg held under those
acts of Congress. With II view to ac-
complish this he advised every one to
vote "No Conventions"
some, arguments to prove that his
former advice is the part of wisdom.
The first proposition of Mr.. Perry is
one which surprises Us, coming as it
does from SO able L man. IIc assumes
that VIC arc ''going to cnfranchisc 60
5000 black votes, and surrender the
''poiitica! power of the State into the
''hands of the negroes"
Is it not very strange that Mr. Per-
ry says we, the people Of South Caro-
lina,are going to onfranchiso what vic
tory against us in terrible war has
done. 1t is not sswc" who are en-
franchising that thing is n part of
tho result of our defeat. We fought
to maintain tho Constitution making
this White Mans Government.
we went to war upon that iasnc.
We left the issue with tho decision of
the sword against us, and VIC have in
good faith accepted that decision. A
part of that decision is, that tho negro
IS no longer slave, 1, G. 2 commodity,
but nc Is member of society. But
Society forms Government, and in
Democratic Society it is maintained
that tho majority must rulc.
The very acknowledgment that tho
negro is not a slayo, is equivalent to
the ono that he is citizen, and boinc
citizen ho must be entitled to on
franchisemcnt.
Now Mr.. Perry assumes that the
100000 black votes" will be consoli-
dated against tho 100000 white
| votes"
Hc also assumes that refusal on
the part Of those 10000 voters to cast
their votes for Convention, will
frustratc the purposes of the party
IN power to carry out their policy in
regard to tho ten excluded States.
We deny most emphatically both
those assumptions.
MIR. Perry reasons most abstractly
when he denies virtually the influence
of the whites over tho blacks in this
State. Thorc is unity of self.inter.
A L. a.