Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1867-04-19
Reconstruction in south Carolina.
SPEECH OF Gov. ORK-IlE ADVISES TIE Ac-
CEPTANCE or THE TEBHs OrrEREp ~
CONCREsS

CHARLESTON, ) c. April 8
At the Board of Trade banquet last night.
lov. Orr responded to the first toast. The
state OF South Carolina" After alludins 20
The practical evidences OF reconstruction ex-
hibited by the social gathering of citizens OF
Charleston, in common with the military.
naval and civil officers Of the United States.
be continued as follows II trsire to ate
% you that your commerce, manufactures
nd agricultural interests will all remain
iaralyzed until our political relations are
ic-es'a hli-hed with the Government AZ Wash
ngton. The act OF Congress rec ntly passed
has assumed that this country i- a conquered
territory, and We conquered people, and
Consequently that body has d right g. dictate
. rms Tie B0i-,r cNl-., 90 that dy O.
dictate those terms, it l. certain for the next
;wo years, and when they Place themselves
luarciy and broadly upon that platform,
Tor one do not propose 10 20 10 the supreme
Court or anywhere else for the purpJse of
dlsputing that power but, in good faith
VIII accept the terms, humiliating a. they
may be, and openly. fairly and squarely
urge their adoption before our ieaplc.
Great applause With reference 70 the
dIsiranchIsing clause think It was an m
fortunate one. Ii is better. however. that
some should be excluded than that We should
refuse TO accept the terms proposed when
'terc is reasonable certainty that If We do
not accept these terms other and harshcr
ieims Will be proposed. Looking, therefore.
10 the interests OF the great mass Of the pco-
pie OF South Carolina. and believing that
the threat OF cOnhscatIyl will not be carried
into effect # We accept the terms OF this bill.
and believing that cuntscation Will follow 1t
we DO not, knowing also, that We shall DC
henehtted by It's acceptance, | say that, in
my humble Judgment, interest and wisdom
dictate that We shall concur in the measure
posed by Congress. [ApIlause.l | would
tLriciore, say TO every man in South Carol-
H. who has not been diSiFaucaIscd. that Is
-'oD as the proper order has been issued be
should proceed 70 register and prepare 10
Nyte for the best man that can be- selected to
form a constitution under which W and our
posteTity can live.
1t is your interest further, that the black
man shall vote with you in the common cleo
tim. have heard good deal said uf con
trolling the vote Of the black man. Il has
been supposed that his vote will be cuntr0l-
81 BY personal influences, notwithstanding
Las convection Of interest, but YOU are mis-
taken. That vote is destined to be c0ntrlll-
ci, not by personal considerations, but by
: ~ to the black man and talking To him
II. !rivate conversation, and proving TO him
TT his interest In South Carolina is YOUR
IL rest that the white mans interest is the
ti4ck mans interest think it can be
shown to any rational black man that i; is to
his interest TO make his friends here rather
~ II.
not, then, by intimidation and brow-beating,
or by wronsing those people, that you are
to control their votes, but YOU must show
that it Is to their interest 10 vote with YOU,
and | undertake 10 say that when those facts
are presented 10 those who have intelligence
they will be found standing shoulder to
shoulder with the white man. and carrying
ou, the principles which desire to urge up
you on this occasion.
" hen an emissary comes here from the State
oi New York, Massachusetts or Ohio, and
says 10 the black man, ave are your friends,
W are going to take care Of you, vote with
Us, those white people cannot he trusted"
1 want our colOrtd men to say to those ennis
saries, that in South Carolina, under this
law, it matters not BY whom 1t was passed,
every colOred man twenty one years OF age is
entitled to his ballot, and that he would not
be allowed 10 vote IN Massachusetts, unless
be could read and write say to the emissa-
ry from Ohio, "GO back to Ohio and en-
tighten the heather there before you come
here, because no black man there is entitled
t. vote" Within the last three weeks New
Jcrsey, Ohio and Michigan have resolved
I Il the black man shall not vote under any
circumstances whatever. Therefore. | say
T. those colOred men, when thsse cmissaries
INC among YOU, tell them 10 20 bIck and
7, move the beam from the ewes Of their fcl-
! w-eitizens before they cOme here to take
I c mote from the eyes Of our own people.
" hen We get the right Of representation IN
Congress would send men there not pledged
10 Republican Union Party, not pledgel
to the Democratic Party, but would send
men who would say to all parties. We stand
by that party which will give US equal
rights, equal legislation, aud equal justice
under the laws aud Constitution Of this
country. | know there is an apprehension
widespread in the North and West, that
after the reconstruction Of the Southern
States we shall fall into the arms OF our old
u.lies and associates, the old Democratic
Party. / say to you, gentlemen, however,
that would give no such pledges. ! was
identified during the ten years Of my public
career as a representative in Congress from
one Of the districts Of South Carolina, with
that party, and as my distinguished friend,
the Commander Of this Military District,
Knows, | enjoyed their confidence in the
highest Office within the gift Of that party.
have, therefore, every reason to eDtertain