The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1867-07-25
Registration.

I'VE publish to-dny the names of the Re-
;.istcrs of voters for this District. Perhaps
oftllosc who can qualify by taking the oath,
this is us fair selection rs coull@bc made.
There is no reason to apprelicnd fraud or
partiality in the discharge of their duties, on
the part Of this board. Very soon, our pco
pic will be called upon to register, or to, for
.Tcit all voice am! influence IN The reorgani-
zaton Of the State Government, the forna-
tioh of the Constitution, under which they
aud their children are to be governed, and
the framing ofthc laws under which they arc
tnlivc.' 1t is one Of the saldcst exhibitions
ofthc times that n sort Of paralysis of indif-
ference, or impracticablc and unwise adhc-
sion to constitutional and political theories,
long since severed by the stern logic of events,
written indclibly upon our history, by the
Ruler Of the Universe, possesses large por-
tion of the people of the South. In Virginia,
where the white population are largely in
the ascendnacy,.at last accounts, it was very
doubtful. whether tho State had not been
turned over to negro rule by the neglect of
the whites to register. In Georgia, the same
result is seriously npprchcnded. Now, what
possible excuse can those men render to them
selves, WHO BY this neglect Of the simple duty
of registration, thus fatally wrongs the State?
In Georgia, under the lead of STEVENS,
TooMDs, Hill, JOHNSON and others, the old
democratic party is revived. The organiza-
tion of national parties at this time, can have
no possible effect but further to distract and
divide the Southern whites, and incense
their implacable and powerful antagonists
If the white people of Georgia arc divided, as
they must be, between the counsels of Gov.
BRowS, OIL the one hand, and these old line
democrats on the other, the negro will rule
Georgia certainly and inevitably. This is
no time to make new issues, nor to revive
old. What we need is to organize State
governments upon some sure basis, and res
cue our race from hostile and degrading DOM
nation. IHis mast be done. 1t can be done
by dealing wisely with the stormy elements
which surround lis. Not by drawing party
lines, nor by arraying race against race to
our common ruin, but by uniting all races
and classes in a common effort to promote
their true interests, rs citizens of the same
State, all alike, dependent upon her welfare
md prosperity, and mutually dependent
upon each other. 1t may now be too late,
but an honest, united and intelligent effort
of our people in this direction, would have
insured success. But surely no good can re-
suit from voluntary forfeiture of the right
to vote, whether any good is to come Of re-
gistration or not. If the white people fail
to register, it will be laid at the door of re-
bcllious obstinacy, and may lead to the per-
mnnent disfranchiscment, by provision of
the new State Constitution, Of all who will
lingly omit to register and take part in
the organization Of the new government
Wilder and more unreasonable measures
than this may prevail, if our people proclaim
in advance, their enmity to the new govern
mcnt, by refusing to register, and let all who
can register, use their best powers and in
hucncc to organize government Under
which we and our children can live in peace,
Mt least, if not in contcntiaept.
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