The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1867-11-21

question involving such grave and mo.
mentuous issues, we should be untrue TO
ourselves and unfair to our opponents
were we to withhold the frank and full
expression Of our opinions.
We. therefore, feeling the responsible
ty Of the subject and the occasion, enter
our most solemn protest against the policy
ofinvesting the negro with political rights.
The black man is what God and nature
and circumstances have made him. That
be is not fit 10 be invested with these i'm.
portant rights, may be no fault Of his.-
But tue fact is patent to all that the ne,
gro is utterly untitled TO exercise the
highest functions OF the citizen. The
government Of the country should not be
permitted to pass from the hands OF the
white man into the hands OF the negro
The enforcement Of the Reconstruction
Acts by military power, under the guse
Of negro voters and negro cou,entions,
cannot lawfully re establish civil govern.
ment in South Carolina. 1t may, for a
time, hold us in subsection to quasi civil
government, backed by military force, but
II can do no more. AS citizens of the
United States, we should not consent to
live under negro supremacy. nor should
we acquiesce in negro equality. Not for
ourselves only, but on behalf Of the An.
glo Saxon race and blood in this country,
do We protest against this subversion Of
the great social law, whereby an ignorant
and depraved race is placed in power and
influence above the virluous, the educated
and the refined. BY these Acts Of Con.
gross, Intelligence and virtue are put un-
der foot, while ignorance and vice are
lifted iuto power.
In South Carolina, the negro majority,
under ihe Reconstruction Acts, is much
more than two TO one. In most Of the
other Southern States, the negro maiori.
lies, 1t not so great, are almost as decided.
In those States where the white vote is
in the ascendant, the election districts
have been so arranged as to take the DO
ltical power from the white vote and
cast i. in favor Of the negro vote. What,
then, is the inevitable result 1t invests
The negro with absolute political power n
each Of the ten Southern States, and At
the same time invests him with the bal,
ance OF power in the United States. Nor
is this all. The recons,ruc,iou scheme
closes the ballo. box against the best in,
formed and educated classes in the com,
munlty, and opens it to the negro, OF
whom not more than one in a hundred
can read a word, and not more than one
in five hundred can write his name; and
multituGes Of whom are 80 profoundly
ignorant as to be unable TO remember
the name by whi,h they have been reg.
'stered. Verify, this seems, to be convert,
ing popular government, Of whom we
have been Justly proud, into a popular
farce; and we would be content so to
consider it il did no. involve the issue OF
life and death to the form Of Govern.
ment established by our fathers for the
benefit OF themselves and their posterily.
If the object Of the trainers of the Re.
construction Acts was 10 degrade the
Southern people, it is time for them to
consider whether the degradation may
not be brought to their own doors-wbe.
ther the poisoned cup may not be return
ed to their own lips. But it may be ask
ed, why do not the Southern people &C
cept the situation and control the negro
element This question is much more
easily asked than answered. In the frs,
place, it may be said that The influence o.
the corrupt and intriguing demagogue
who will appeal to passion and prejudice
has always been found TO be more pow
erfui with excited and ignorant mobs, than
the wisest counse's Of the best friends
Besides, the foundation s,one upon which
Republican Government rests is, that The
elective franchise is to be exercised by a
free, intelligent and unbiased judgment ;
and whenever il Is admitted that this
franchise is to be controlled, OF, in other
words. to be made the subject Of undue
influences aud Of brides, thea, too, II mus,
be admitted that Republican Govsrnmen,
is at an end, and must, sooner or later,
give way to such other Government a.
may be forced upon depraved and al
ready corrupted people.
But If it is proposed in advance 70
place the enfranchised negro under con,
troll, why confer the franchise at all IL
! Sur.ly tho na,t ~ -.;.o z,z..-------