Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1867-12-11

uUheftIy OUuSTtos 10 cOQlcr upon
them the privilege Of the ballot just released
from slavery. it may be doubted whethor, Us
class, they know more. than their ancestors how
IL "rsin:zc and r'guae civil society. Iadeel
it is admitted that tho blacks of tho South are
MT only regardless Of the rights of property,
but so utterly ignorant Of public affairs that their
voting cin consist in nothing moro thon carrying.
II hlliot to the place whero they are directed to
deposit it. I need not remind you that iho cIer-
else OF the elective franchise is the highest attrb-
ute OF an American Citizen and that, when guided
by virtue, intelligence, patrist.m, and u proper
appreciation Of our free institutions, it constitutes
the true basis of n democratic form Of govern
mont. in which the sovereign power is lodged il
tho body uf the people. trust artfcially
crested, not for its own sake, hut solely as means
Of prom ptng the general welfare its inauencc for
good must necessarily depend upon the elevated
character and true allegiance of the clcctor. 1t
ought, therefore to bo repnseh in mono except
those who are fitted morally aud mentally to ad.
minister it we'll; tor if conferred upon pcrsons
who do not justly estimate its value, and who are
Indifferent to its results it will only serve as
means of placing power in the hands Of the un-
prnciplei and ambitious, and must eveutuats in
the complete destruction Of that liberty of whrh
it should be tho most powerful conservn;or.
have, therefore, heretofore urged upon your at
| ten'iun the great danger "to bs apprchended
chise TO any ne& class in our country, especially
when the !arge majority Of that class. in welding
the power thus placed in their hands, cannot bo
expected correctly to comprehend tho duties and
responsibilities which pertain to suffrage. Yes
terIay, as it were, fnlr millions of persons wore
hold in condition Of slavery that had existed for
generations; to-day they are freomen, and are
assumed by law to he cirizeus. It cannot he pre-
suned, from their previous condition of sorvitude,
that, us class, they are as woll informed rs to
the nature of our Government as the intelligent
foreigner who makes our land the homo Of his
choice. In the case of the latter neither resi-
dence Of Eve years, and the knowledge of our
Institutions which it gives, nor attachment to the
principles Of the Constitution, are the only con-
di;ious upon which he can be admitted to citizen
ship. He must prove, i'll addition, good moral
character, and thus give reasonable ground for
the belief that he will be faithful to the obliga
| tionS which he assumes as citizen Of the Re-
public. Where people-the source of all politi-
| cal power-speak, by their suffrages, through the
taity Of the ballot-box, it must be caro-
fully guarded against the control of those who
are corrupt in principle and enemies Of free in
stitutions for it can only become to our political
and social system safe conductor of healthy
popular sentiment when kept free from demorali-
zng influences. Controlled through fraud and
usurpation by the designing, anarchy and dc.po-
tism must inevitably follow. In the hands of the
patriotic and worthy, our Government will be
preserved upon the principles of the Constitution
Inherited from fathers. 1t follows, therefore,
that in admitting to the ballothox new class of
voters not qualities: for the exercise of the elec-
tive franchise, we ~eakou our system of govern
ment, instead of adding to its strength and dura-
b;lity." az yield to no one in attachment to that
rule. of general suffrage which distinguishes our
policy a nation. But there is n limit wisely
observed hitherto, which makes the ballot q
privilege and trust, and which requires of some
clnsses time suitable for probation and prepara-
tion. To give it indiscrimiuately to new class,
wholly unprcpared, by previous habits and OPP
portuui;ies, to perform the trust which it demands
is to degrade it. and finally to destroy its power;
for il may be safely assumed that no political
truth is better established than that such indis-
c'iminac and a!l-cmbracing extension sf popular
suffrage must end ut last in its overthrow and
destruction"
repeat toe expression of my willingness to
join in any plan within the scope Of our constiiu-
,ipral au hority which promises to better the con-
;tion Of the negroes in the South, by encouraging
them in in lustry, enlighteniny their minds. im
proving their morals, ana giving protection to all
their just rights M freedmen. But the transfer
Of our political inheritance to them would in my
opinion. be al abandonment Of duty which we
owe alko to the memory Of our fathers and the
rights Of our children.
The plan of putting the Southern States wholly,
and the General Government partially, into tho
hands of negroes. is proposed at time peculiarly
anpropious. The foundations of .o:iety have
been broken up by civil war. Industry must he
recognized, justice re-establihed, public credit
maintained, and 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 descendants will be equal to the ardu.
task before them, but it ia than madness
to expect that negroes will perform it for us Ger
'uny we ought not to ask their assistance until
we despair Of oilr own competency.
The great difference be:woon tho two races in
physical, mental, aud moral characteristic. will
prevent an smMgamation or fusion of them
together IN one homogeneous mass. If the ioferior
obtains the ascendency over tue other it will gov
ern with reference only to its own interests-for
it will recognize no common nterest-and create
such q tyranny rs this continent has never yet
witnessed. Already the negroes are Influenced by
promises Of con6scation aud plumber. They are
taught to regard IS an enemy every white man
who has any respect for the rights OF his race
IF this continues it must become worse and worse,
until all order will be sdbvcrted, ali industry
cease, and the fertile fields of the South grow up
into n wilderness. or all tie dangers which our
nation has yet cncOunt tered, none are euual to
those which must result from the success Of the
effort now making to Africanize the half of our
country.
would no! put considerations Of money in
competition with justice and right. But the e1-
peuses incident to Reconstruction under the sys-
TEN adopted by Congress aggrayate what regard
as the intrinsic wrong OF the measure itself. 1t
has cost uncounted millions already, and if per-
sisted in will add largely to the weight of taxa
ton, already too oppressive TO be borne without
just complaint, and may finally reduce the Treas
ury Of tho nation to u condition of bankruptcy.
We must not deludc ourselves. 1t will require o
strong standing army, AMI probably moro than
two hundred millions OF dollars per annum, to
maintain the supremacy of negro governments
after they established. The sum thus thrown
away would, if properly used, form sinking fund
large enough to pay the whole national debt in
less than fifteen years. 1t is vain to hope that ne
groes will maintain their ascendency themselves.
Without military power they are wholly incapable
of holding in subsection the white people of the
South.
submit to the judgment of Congress whether
the public credit may not be injuriousy affected
by system Of measures like this. With our debt,
and the vast private interests which are c0mpli-
Gated with it. VIC cnnuot be too cautious Of poll
cy which might, by possibility, impair the conf
dence of The world in our Government. That
confidence can only be- retained by carefully ncul.
eating the principles of justice and honor on the
popular mind, and by the most scrupulou. fidelity
to all our engagements Of every so.t ANY sori-
ous breach of the organic law, persisted in for IL
considerable time cannot but create fears for the
stability of our institutions. Habitual violation
Of prescribed rules, which VIC bind ourselves to
observe, must donoralizs the people Our only
standard of civil duty being set ut naught the
sheet anchor Of our political morality is lost the
public conscience swings from its moorings, and
yields to every impulse of passion and interest. If
We repudiatc the Constitution, we will not be c1.
pected to care much for mere pecuniary obga-
tionS. The violation Of such pledge as VIC made
on the 22d day Of July, 1861, will assurcdy d.