The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1867-09-07

Government for you. Until that is done, the cart
| ridge box can take the place of the ballot box,
md the bayonct is n good substitute for the
law. 1t is better to be governed by these than to
give to your State Constitution which misrcpreJ
sents the wishes of the people, humiliatcs their
pride, dcbauchcs their society, destroys their pros-
pcrity and dcgradcs their State. 4
| have the honor to b. very respectfully, your
! friend and fellow Citizen
WADE HAMPTON. B
| 1t was clear to my mind that the true policy
OF the South was to remain passive, observing.
with the most scrupulous fidelity, the obliga-
| tions we assumed when we laid down our arms,
and making no concessions beyond those en-
praccd in the terms upon which VIC surrender
ed. | held that the United States Govern
mcnt had not only offered terms to the South,
but that it's faith was pledged to the observance
| OF those terms. Every official act Of every de-
| partmcnt OF that Government during the war,
declared that the Southern States were still
members OF the Union. and Congress, by an
almost unanimous vote, in the most solemn
| manner,
"Resoirc", That this WAY is not wagcl, on
our part. in any spirit Of oppression, nor for
any purpose Of conquest or subiugaton, nor
purpose of ovcr,hrowinS or Interfering with
the rights or established institutions Of the
States, but TO defend an'. maintain the suprc-
macy of the Constitutions and to preserve the
| Of the several States unimpaived That as
| soon as these objects arc accomplished, the var
! ought to cease"
They same body gave the strongest evidence
that ticy regarded the Union unbrokcn, even
durin.. the war; by their recognition of Mr..
Carlisle as Senator from Virgini;,-L NEAR the
noble 'Old Domi.ion.' and moi her illo.itmatc
and degenerate child, West Nirginia-anl al
lowing him TO retain hi. sc;,t Until near the
close Of the war. The very Iaro.es given to
the Southern soldiers promised the protection
of the United States Government to those hold
ing ihcm. so long rs they obcycd the laws of
thc States whcrcim they resided :" thus rccog-
nzin:s. ;lol only tie Southern States rs States,
but the lars oi' those States. We had every
reason, ns far rs we could trust to the faith Of
our opponents, to believe that the Southern
States would nc received unto the Union with
paired US soon as thcy renewed their ale
glance to the General Government and ac-
Snowlcdgcd its supremacy.
1t would be foreign to Tie purpose of this
communication 10 discuss what faith has been
kept With The Sou;h--,nanl;,.l has already
affixed to that sort Of faith the name Of punic
only touch on these poiuts 10
1takess scUnifiItsd7'y the South when it cons
formed 10 those demands Of the North which
were incrpolatc,l into the conditions. u;icr our
surrender. Oar State Conventions we're mis-
takes, 20 were the changes Of our Constitu-
lions; greater than all others was the cyisla-
tion ra;iiying the amendments of the United
States Constitution known rs Article -.
am well aware that tie action OF the Southern
people, ut thattinic, was dictated by an honest
desire to secure tlc blessings Of peace, and by
a high sense Of honor, which prompted them
t-c Al Il.
do everything that would tend to the rcstora-
ton Of the Union on honorable terms | have
no hesitation in asserting that the Southern
States would then have been brought back to
the Union with more of 'loyaty"--to use IL
favoritc expression of the North--than had cx-
listed amongst them for forty years past, had
the North proved itself TO be rs ma.nanimous
rs it had shown nsclfto be powerful But it
was the misfortune, not only Of the South but
of the whole country, tlat the party which had
o,,h,taincd possession Of the Government was
more ntel,,.. nn securing its own power than Of
rcstor;in, the Union - its own pristine glory.
After acquiring power, on the SCI" ground Of
bringing back the Southern States 70 the com
mon fold, with all their ''dignity, equality and
rights unimpaircd," they bascly betrayed the
people Of the North by subordinating the in
tcrests and rights of ten States to the effort to
pcrpctuatc the power Of their party, talsilyiny,
while they did so, every pledge which they
had made during the continuance of the war.
The war, which was proicsscdly waecl solely
for the restoration Of the Union, in its progress
dcgcnerated into the open attempt on the part
Of its authors. to consolidate and pcr,ctuatc
radical rule, and a Government which was
founded on the noble maxim, that Govern
mcnts derive their inst powers from The con
seat OF tic governed" las been perverted 70
the base ends Of sublcc;ing ten millions of its
people TO 4 military despoisn
That | may rot be accused Of stating this
proposition iii stronger language than is war
ran:cd by the facts Of the c,sc log 10 call
yonr attention 70 the following cxjtac from an
article w!,3h cmauatci from Massachusetts.
Bearing the np,41nofw Of Boston, its Ian
euagc, vhich had it been uttered here might
have slneckcI Of treason, can be regarded only
as loyal:
"Thc principle" says the writer, zen which
the war was wn.cd by the North. simply
this ! hat men ,,ay ri4ltlu'y be compelled!
to submit to and support Government ;ha;
they do not want; AID that resistance on their
part makca them traitors and criminals No
principle that is possible TO be n,nicd can he
more sclfcydcn!ly false than This, or more self
cv;dcptiv G,iol to all noliti,n) freedom Vet II