The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1867-12-11

to citizenship. lfe must prove, in adli.
dition, good moral character. and thus
give reasonable ground for the belief
that he will be faithful to the obligations
which he assumes as q citizen Of the
Republic. Where pc,ple-tho source
Of all political power SPEAK by their suf.
frages, through the instrumen,alty Of
the ballot box, it must be carefully
guarded against the control of those
who arc corrupt in principles and enc
mics Of free Institutions for it can only
become to our political and social sys-
tenn safe conlac,o: of h"n!.hy popular
sentiment when kept free from demoral.
zing Influences Controlled, through
fraud and usnrpation, by the designing
anarchy and drspousm mast inevitably
follow. In the hand OF the patriotic
and worthy, our Government will be
p cserved upon tic principles Of the
Constitution Inherited from our Mthers.
1t follows, there!i,ar, that in admitting
to the ballot box new class Of voters
not qualified for the exercise OF the cleo
tive franchise, we weaken our system
of government, instead of adding to its
strength and durability" II yield to
no one in attachment to that rule of gen.
cral suffrage which distinguishes our
policy as nation. But there is y limit
wisely observed hitherto, which makes
the ballot privilege aud II lr,.st, and
which requires Of some cmsses time
suitable for probation and preparation.
f'o fr;,o ~ ;n1;,,rin,;n,t,l 10 =, ,,,,,.
class, wholly unprepared, by previous
habits and opportunities, to perform the
trust which it demands, is to degrade il,
and finally to destroy its power; for II
may be safely assumed that no political
truth is better established than that such
mdlscriminate and al.cmbracug cxten.
sion Of popular suffrage must end at last
IN its overthrow aud destruction.
TO AFRlCANlzE THE sOurH IS DANGER.
I repeat the expression Of my willing.
ness to join any plan within The scope Of
our constitutional authority which prom
iscs to better the condition Of the negro
in the South by encouraging industry,
cnlrgh,cning their minds, improving
their morals and giving protection to
all their just rights as freedmen. But
the transfer of oar political inheritance
to them would, in my opinion, he an
abandonment Of duty which we owe
allie to the memory Of our fathers and
the right Of our children.
The plan Of putting the Southern
States wholly, and the General Govern
ment partially, iuto the hands Of ne
groes. ls proposed at a time peculiarly
unpropitious. The fonndations Of socic-
ty have been broken mp by civil war,
Industry must be reorganized, justice
Te.cstablished,spublic credit maintained,
aud order brought out Of confusion. TO
accomplish these ends would require all
the wisdom and virtue Of the great men
who formed our Institutions originally.
! confidently believe that their descend
ants will be equal to the arduous task
before them. bn, it is woysc than mad,
ness to expect that negroes will perform
it for ns. Certainly we ought not to
ask their assistance until we despair Of
our own competency.
The great difference between the two
races in physical. mental and moral
characteristics will prevent an amalga-
NATION or fusion of them together in one
homogeneous mass. II the inferior OBJ.
tains the ascendancy over the other it
will govern with reference onfv to its
, interests--lor it will recognize no COM
mon inlerest--and create such tyran.
nv MS this continent has never yet wit
messed. Already the negroes are inhu-
cnced by promises OF conGscntion and
plnnder. They are taught to regard as
an enemy every white man who has
any respect for his own race. lf this
continues it must become worse ard
worse, until all order will be subvcrtcd,
all industry cease, and tho fertile fields
o! Lha South grow up into d wilderness
OF all the dangers which our nation has
yet encountered, none are equal TO those
which must result from the success OF
the effort now making to hfricanize tho
half Of our country.
ExpEECE OF NEGRO aovERNMEHr.
would not put ensidcrations Of
moneyin competition with jnstic cand
right. Bnt the expenses incident to
Reconstruction" under the system
adopted by Congress aggravate what ]
regard as the intrinsic wrong 0! tho
measure itself L. has cost amounted
millions already, and il persisted in Kill
add largely to the weight Of iayalinn,
already TOO oppressive to be borne
without just complaint. and may finally
reduce Ia Treasury os he iaiion /" a
condition Of bankruptcy. We must not
delude ourselves. Il will require a
strong standing army, AMI probably
more llian two millions Of dollars per
annum, to maintaln The supremacy nf
uegro governments after they are estab'
fished. The sum thus thrown away
would, it properly used, form sinking
fund large enough to pay tho whole
national debt,in less than fifteen years.
tits vain to hope that negroes will
maintain their ascenlency themselves.