The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1867-06-06

sort OF aristocracy In South Carolina They
are, by their superior numbers, to have the
reins Of Government in their hands, and
elect all the Stale and District officers, to
make all Of our lave, and ne exempted
from taxation, like the feudal no6iesss of
France, prior to their, revolution IN 1890.
The white man must cultivate HE lsnds,
pny the taxes OF the Government. and obey
the Law made by the freedmeni This is
what the friends Of convention are limo
Gently preparing for themselves aud pos
terityl What worse can Black Repub.
lican " ltump Congress" do for usi
But Il Is said That Il 10 In vain to think
Of defeating the call OF a convention. This
is very true, whilst so many white persons
are determined to vote for Ii, and portion
Of the newspaper press Of the State refuse
the white race were united ne they ought to
be, by every principle Of honor, patriotism
and Interest, they could very easily vote il
down. In the country, remote from the in.
fiuence of vile, radical emissaries, the
freedmen know very little at presei.t, and
care less. They will not go out 10 register
and vote, and many OF them will vote with
their employers. But this will not be the
case long. In all probability, the white
vote Of the State will be larger at the en-.
suing election than the black vote. 1t will
not he so In another election. .... ..... ..
In the last State Convention, which ms.
sembied In Columbia, In 1865. there were
gathered together all the illus,,ious men OF
passed for their wisdom, virtue and talents.
Not one Of them can be member Of the
proposed convention. They are all exelud
ed 10y the military bill. and deprived even
of voting for members Of the convention.
The proposed assemblage will be composed
of negroes, No, therp men, sraitors 10 the
State, and few gallant and honorable
young men, who may possibly consent TO
become candidates and be elected. In some
Of the upper Districts. IL will be a mot
ley, hetei ogenous collections OF white, grey
aud black spirits around the political caul.
dron, into which is to lie thrown the hon.
or, constitutional rights. republican. Prinei
Iles and departing glory Of South Caro-
lima.
To the few young men in that convention,
there will be something ineffably mean in
knowing that they have obtained their seats
there by disfrnnchising and dishoboring
those whom they have loved land honored
through life. But this disgraceful sacrifice
does not atop with the convention. Itmust
be continued in the Government OF the
State, and In filling all the Offices in the
State. Every Judge on the Bench, from
the venerable Chief Justice down to the
youngest member Of the Judiciary, must
throw aside HE gown. and will no longer
he permitted to administer justice in South
Caroline. All who have served In the Leg
islature, .or filed the office of Justice oftbe
Peace, are excluded from any participation
in she admiuis ration Of the Government
In the place Of those Judges, Governors
Legislators and distinguished men, who are
disfranchised and declared unworthy of
holding office, the negroes are substituted !
1t is net surprising that the radical mem
bers Of c. rgress should wish to exclude
from the councils Of the nation all repre-
sentatives who are worthy Of being re-
garded as Southern men. They have SO
long indulged in vulgar and malignant
abuse of the South. that they would na-
turalIy feel unpleasant in having q true
Southern man listening 10 their billingsgate.
1t Is very likely, too, that Mr.. Sumner and
others might not, from old associations and
rcmembrahces, feel exactly safe in uttering
their calumnies But that any honorable
and spirited Southern man should consent
TO vote for such exclusion. Is 70 me most
| passing strange. '@rt
South Carolina, and the whole South,
! with one voice, rejected Indignantly, last
| fall, the constitutional amendment which
only excludes from office the leading men
Of the Southern States. and reduced our
representation in Congresa 1t did not dis
franchise any one or establish negro suf-
frace. But now, both these disbonoring
and fatally ruinous principles are establish
ed by the military bill, and the people are
ready to adopt themi What has produced
this seeming craven and covering spiritf
It is urged that unless we vote for con
vention, establish negro suffrage. and dis
franchise our prominent men, confseatior
will be adopted by Congress A friend said
the other day, that this ought not 10 scar,
u.s. for we were oil broke and ruined pc
cuniarily. and had nothing left to confscate
He thought It was too late In the day :.
dishonor ourselves in order 10 save the rem
nant Of our property. ] think u any on
will read the speech Of Horace Greeley, il
Richmond, on confiscation, he will Gee, as
have always contended. that there is m
danger on this subject from Congress. Mr
Greeley Gays that Thad,ieus Stevens is tn
only prominent member Of Congress VIII
has ever suggest ed such scheme, and tha
he has never, with all his ability aud inau
ence been able to'persuabe others TO adopt J,
He then goes on 20 show that such O polio
, wonld not benefit the freedmen. whilst
would entail ruin and starvation on tn
Southern States ......-. ,..-...,4 "a. - ..
But we are told that II we do not adop
the military bill md vote for convention
, something worse will be imposed on th
Southern States. In my opinion. nothin
, worse than negro suffrage and negro go,
! ernnept can be forced upon MS II woul
be q thousand times preferable 10 renal
. under military rule and submit to all th
exac,ions Of military authority. The ofiiceI
, Of the army are generally honorable mel
men OF osr own race, and intelligent mel
= who have sopna regard for the opinion
4 the world and their own reputation. The
!. are acting, too, under the direction Of th
(; President and hi, Cabinet, who are wise on
& \ enlightened statesmen, and will have son
!. regard for justice aud humsnity--which u
stnpid neoro will not have. when hts sel