The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1867-12-11


when its red right hand is armed to plague
them again. Nor is it possible to conjco
turo how or where power, unrestrained 10y
law may seek its next victims. The States
that are still free may be cnslaved q. an,
Uomcut for if tho Constitution does no.
protect all, il protects none.
1t is munifcstly and avowedly the object
of these laws to confer upon negroes tho
privilege Of voting, and to distranchist
such II number Of white citizens rs Will. give
he former n clear ma jority at ail elections
in the Southern States. This, 10 tho minds
Of some persons. is so important that vio
lation Of tho Constitution is justiiiabic as a
means OF bringing it about. The morality
! cause il proposes to accomplish desirable
end. We are not pcrmittcd TO do evil tha,
good mny come. But in this case the end
itself is evil, as we'll as the means. The
subjugntion Of the states TO negro DONNA
ton would be worse than tho military des
potism under which they are now suffering.
1t was believed before hand that the people
would endure any amount Of military op-
preston, for any length Of time, rather
Than degrade themselves by subsection 10
the negro race. Therefore, they have been
left without n choice Negro s,fraro was
established by Act Of Congress, and the
intend the process Of clothing the ncgi 0 race
with the political privileges torn from, viii 20
men.
The blacks IN the South are entitled
to be well and humancly governed and
TO have the protection OF just laws for
all their rights Of person and prorettv.
II it were practicable at this time tv give
them government exclusively their
own, under which they might manage
their own affairs in their own way. it
would become a grave question whether
we ought to 90 SO. or whether common
humanity would moi require us to save
them from then selves. But, under the
circumstances, this is only speculative
point. 1t is not proposed merely that
they shall govern themselves, but that
they shall rule the white race, make and
administer State laws, elect Presidents
and members of Congress, and shape,
TO greater or less extent. the future
destiny Of tho whole country. Would
such trust and power be safe in such
hands?
UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE DESTRUCTIVE.
The peculiar Qualities which Should
characterize any people who are fit TO
decide upon the management Of public
affairs for Il great Stale have seldom
been combined 1t is the glory of
white men to know that they have. had
these qua|iijessin suGtxStnt nn4asra, to
build upon this continent a great poil-
cal fabric, and to preserve It's stability
Tor more than ninety years, while IN
evrry other part Of the world all similar
experiments have failed. But if any
thing can be proved bv known facts
if all reasoning upon evidence is not
abandoned. 1t must DC acknowledged
that in tae progress Of nations negroes
hvae shown less capacity for govern
mcnt than any other race Of people,,
No independent government Of any form
has ever been successful in their hands.
On the contrary, wherever they have
been left to their own devices, they
have shown constant tendency to re.
lapse Into bnrbarisnl IN The Southern
States, however, Congress has undcrta-
ken to confer upon them the privilege
OF the ballot. Just re eascd from slave
ry, it way be doubted whether, as a
class, they know more than their ances.
tors how to organize aud regulate civil
society. Indeed, it is admitted that the
blacks Of the Sou;h arc not only regard.
less of the rights Of property, bnt SO ut-
terry ignorant Of public affairs tina. their
voting can consist in nothing moro than
carrying ballot to tho place where they
are directed to deposit IT, need not re
mind you that the exercise of the elec.
tive franchise is the highest attribute of
an American citizen, and that, when
guided by virtue, Intelligence, patriotism
and proper appreciation Of our free
institutions, it constitutes the true basis
OF democratic form of government. in
which the sovereign power is lodged in
tho body nflhe people \ trust ar..G.
cially created, not for its own sake, but
solely as means Of promoting tl,c gen
eral welfare, its influence for good must
necessarily depend upon the elevated
character anl trne allegiance Of the
clector. II ought therefore to be repos.
cd in none EXCEPT those who are fitted
morally and mentally to administer it
well for il conferred upon persons who
do not Justly estimate its value, aud who
are indifferent rs to its results, it will
only serve as means Of placing power
in the hands Of the unprincipled and
ambitious, and must cvcnua'e in The
complete destruction Of that liberty OF
which 1t should be Tie most powerful
coEservator, have therefore hereto
fore urged upon yonr attention she great
danger to be unprecedented from an un,
timley extension OF the elective franchise
to any new class in our country" cspe.
cially when the large majority Of that
class in welding tho power thus placed
in their hands, cannot be expected
correctly to comprehend the duties and
responsibilities whicl, pertain tosuGrage.
Yesterday, as it were, four millions OF
persons were held in condition Of sla.
very thath had existed for generations
TO day they are frecmen, ard arc assnm.
ed by law to be citizens. 1t cannot be
presumed, from their previous condition