The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1867-08-15

Il
to-day, because she no longer owns four hun
dred thousand slaves.
You need neither fear the negro nor aa,tor
him but you must do him justice. Not sim
ply the Justice between man and m an, but the
higher Justice between citizen and citizen
The rights and privileges which have been
given him, he will use. II he becomes an in
dustrious, educated and coasoientious citizen,
so much the better for you and the state. II
he In ignorant and insolsnt and vicious, you
must realize that he Is to be checked and con-
trolled, just rs ignorant and insol.nt and yioi
Gus white men are controlled. DO not suffer
yourselves to be frightened with the delusion
that these rights and privileges will make him
the controlling element of the political and So
cial life Of an State on this continent. The his.
tory of your race since history has been written,
ought to cure that fear. Whatever capacity he
manifests oday for the exercise Of those rights,
whether in your interests or a sainst, he owes
to his association Of two centuries with you,
and that association will retain its influence if
you will use it as an influence, and not as .
menace. What you have to fear 1, that the
negro will mistrust you, and that a foreign
and hostile influence will be brought to bear
against your common interest. To vote
against, Convention is the surcst way to ag-
gregste both Of these evils. II you refuse to
call Convention on the avowed ground that
such Convention will perfect his possession
Of the political rights which have been given
him, his rhistrust will naturally be excited,
and he win become what he is not yet, the
readv fool of tt,osA x,b, ,..,,.t L.. :. . -
to injure you. Your refusal will furnish
ready argument to the radical agitator, who
will appeal to your action as proof to the ne
gro that you will not do him justice, and as evil
dence to the Republican party that tho intor-
ference Of the Government is still necessary.
Surely you have seen enough to know that the
chief dibculty in the way Of the most kindly
relations between you and the freedmen 10 the
constant presence of an outside interfcrepce.-
Military governments, frecdman's bureaus,
radical agitators, who are sent and kept here
for the avowcd purpose Of protecting him
against you. As long ne no secs tho energy Of
n great government employed in this way, ho
M turally susI Gets you, and the moro impos.
ing the machinery for. his protection, the
greater his suspiciciou, and tho more OK
aggerated his self-importsnce. Surely you
havo seen enough to know that just SO long as
You refuse to the freedman those rights which.
whether wisely or not, the American people
have determined to give him, just 20 long will
tins nischievous Interference with your social
and political life continue. If you W ish to be
lott to yourselves, to your own industry and
energy to restore your State, accept frankly
that great revolution which, unintent ntionalIy,
you have yourselves accomplished. Let the
freedman exercise freely whatever rights the
laws give him--give him ample 6eld-aid and
encouragement TO achieve all that he can
achieve. Make him your friend, who nevor
can be your rival, and trust 10 your own man
hood, ability and blood to work out under this
change new prosperity for you and him.
Above all, do not ropress the frecst expires
sion of opinion and action among the freed.
men. Let them say what they think, and
what they want, and teach them, rs time will
aid you to teach them that what they
want-what is best for them and the
State, Of which you and they are citizens, they
can obtain through and with you, more wisely
aud more thoroughly than with the alliance o,
new and strange friends. Do not, in n panic
abandon your duty, but form at least, If you
can do no more, nucleus around which the
temperate and virtuous aud patriotic of al
colors aud classes can rally 90 renew with
wiser experience and n chastenod judgment
the ancient and honorable life of the State
Remember, that when the Constitution hal
been adopted by tho Convention, it has to b,
submitted to the ratification of tho people. If
in the Convention you have done your duty tC
| the freedmen fairly, you may thon successfully
resist the foolish ambition of vain black met
and the selfish designs of unprincipled white
ones against tho evil which will then have tn
ken palpable shape; you can appeal not onl!
to your own people, but to tho efficient sym
pathy OF that great mass OF your countrymel
who may be willing to give the negro politica
priviisscs-who may be willing to use him 70
the purpose Of preserving power in tho mex
Presidential election, but who have no NOR
| idea than you have of destroying the civiliza
tion of this country by making this q blael
mans government ..a.-. o . .. .- 7.,s
| Fellow citizens of Anderson, you are deopl,
interested in this issue. You live in a section o
the State from which the negro will soon disap
pear-a section which po ssesses great capabil
tiles for rapid and permanent improvement
If in any portion of the State there is pros
pect ofthat immigration ofwhite labor and cal
ital which will develop the benefits of varier
and profitable industry, 1t is in this region, s.
well adapted for large manufactures an,
1 small farms. hut until this political question
\ ofy onr restoration To the JJn;on L. mt havo,,
angry controversy, you can take no step to
1 wards prosperity. Neither men nor mono
will venture into o country torn b, intes,in
fsuds. or controllod by the absolute and IRE
sPonsible power Of a military commander. r
ssNee.---
!. zs e. GovEuSoR Nor sr.. of M;rsis.;pn; An