The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-04-04
CIT A RI ES ON
THURSDAY MORNING, APRIL4 1867.
AGITATION.

our people just now it is political agitation
We have gone through so exhausting struggle
that we have scarcely the energy for further
contest. We have been so deceived in our cal
culations, so disappointed in our hopes that we
have lost all faith in advice from any quarter
Our individual embarrassments are so pressing
that we have neither the time nor the temper
to think of public interests, and we are tempt
ed in utter despair to confne ourselves to the
hard work of making our daily bread ana
leaving to Providence to accomplish results
which we cannot anticipate.
But the issue which is upon US is one which
will not let us alone Not only is there no
safety in passive submission but there is no
rest for us until that issue is settled, We are
not permitted simply to suffer, we are 1orcea
to do. What is our condition A whole pop
u]ation has been made voters and to them we
are compelled in few months to submit the
complete revolution of our political society
This privilege Of voting is to them the consum-
nation of their freedom-there is not one who
does not regard its exercise as the final and
triumphant proof that he has been made tree
man. It is the power by which he has been
governed and he looks to it as the power by
which his further wants are to be supplied.
The more ignorant the voter the more import
ance will be attached to the privilege which is
to guarantee his full equality with the white
man. Every cofored citizen of this State will
vote, in him there is no apathy to overcome,
no despair to counteract, no need Of party con-
triyance to stimulate. He is all hope and
energy and activity. He has interests which
he does not fully comprehend and prejudices
which tits not easy to overcome, and to-day, and
from to-day on to the end, there are and will
be, busy, indefatigable, unscrupulous men
actually at work to misrepresent these inter
ests, excite and misdirect these prejudices.
There is not an intelligent man in the State,
white or black, who does not know that the
.yhite people Of the State cannot be put in
condition Of political inferiority without infin-
ite disturbance and terrible danger. Tharo-i'
not one white or black who does not know that
such condition, if ever rd i.4fa not last,
and would cure itself at tt sp''... - -. -
fcring to the white race bu pi'0' - "e-
struction to the black.ss441easu 'neio 10 no' ono
mho doo.-~at.,--a ,--aossthat the only way to pre-
49, -Ich consummation is the earnest union
of the white vote with the intelligent and re-
spectacle colored vote.
How is that union to be brought about? 1t
matters not straw whether men call them
selves Democrats or Conservative or National
or Union Republicans all men can work to-
gether now who honestly desire to secure the
adoption of sound and healthy State Consti-
tuition, who wish to lay the foundations wisely Of
that local legislation which is to determine our
taxation, encourage education, govern the re-
lation of daily life-in aword, protect life,
liberty and property. When we have restored
the State, there will be time enough to decide
what the politics of the State should be. Let
all those who desire this earnestly 60 to work
faithfully, and before very long they will find
themselves working together. :
It is not our purpose, perhaps it is not our
duty, to give advice to the colored voters. AS
yet they have not given us the opportunity, but
we can speak to the white voters Of this ci:y.
It is perfectly clear that, with the numerical
majority of the colored vote, if it acts in COM
bined antagonism to you it defeats you: That
vote can be driven into antagonism by injudi
cious opposition, or by continued neglect. At
present there is every reason to believe that
the better class of the colored voters do not de-
sire an unnecessary hostility. They know, as
General S1cklRs so judiciously advised them,
that their interests are identical with ours, that
if they possess some, we possess others Of those
elements, the combination of which is necessa-
ry to their prosperity, and that the worst adj
yisers they Gun have are those who would SOW
the seeds Of anin,osity between the races.
Why not then at once proceed to the practi-
cal work Of effecting that union as far as lies
in our power?
Let us do that work not in the spirit of buy
ing and selling, which the Northern press
seems to consider the only motive power Of po-
Itical action, but with the open and resolute
to do justice to all classes of our
citizens; with the manly avowal that however
we may regret the change, we intend to use it,
if possible, for the advantage and prosperity of
the whole State, and with the fixed purpose to
preserve, as we are bound to do, in the interest
Of every man, white or black, in this State, that
influence which belongs to brains, characters
and property. Better for us to do this boldly
and promptly than to allow malignant and pas
sionate men to appeal to selfshness, ignorance,
and prejr ice in the manner indicated in the
editorial from the Herald:
But our point in this case is the negro vote Of
the South. It is Southern political balance Of
Carolina, the Importance Of which to the ruling
white class is thoroughly grasped by Hampton.
Like q wise man he accepts the issues OF the war,
and bows to the terms Of Congress. He appeals
to the Blacks lately his slaves, as his political su-
nizng with their late white masters before they gU
over into the political service Of strangers. There
is in this appeal degree OF chivalry and political
sagacity far higher than anything else in the line
Of chivalry Of which South Carolina can Justly
South must henceforth harmonize on a political
basis to avoid a bloody conflict of races is the
ground covered by Wade Hampton: But the
Northern Radicals, and even the old Northern
Bourbon Democracy, are in the field for this South.
ern negro balance Of power. What then, is most
likely to follow from this rivalry for the smiles OF
Sambo? 81
Black though it may be, we have to lock this
thing in the face. You cannot give "the Southern
,olored gentleman" the ballot and still expect to
keep him cut Of Office. Where he has the maiori-
" in the matter of color he must be bought of OF
The white man must stand back when the time
comes.
Theological programme from negro suffrage in the
South must be carried out by the Republicans III
he North, or the party will be broken to pieces.
Thus there is a fair prospect that the Radical
Wade Hampton, Of South Carolina, on his South
,rn platform, will yet be more than match for
he Radicals Of Massachusetts.
THE BANQUET OF THE BOARD OFF
TRADE.
This banquet was q brilliant success, and