Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1868-10-28

s,tlohtioii VI ui0 AetlooAo VI Viie dce0C'
.tsser:.
Then, fellow-citizens, I would say
having exhausted argument and accept
ed the issue of force, let. us abide by
the result and submit to the powers
that be. Submit, but never cringe
Submit with truth and dignity. Hon
,estly obey all laws imposed upon us
however distasteful, not blindly, but
reasonably questioning them when ne
cessary in every Court allowed by them
but when ascertained, submitting to
them without murmur and without
complaint. About national affairs, let
us have as little to say as possible, and
particularly about the negro; let us
leave to the Republicans to decide the
grave questions they have raised. To
the negro let us be truthful and honest,
making no promises and asking no IA
vors. g
With the result Of the coming cleo
ton, however it may eyentuate, the
greatest Of our difficulties upon the
subject of the negro will, am persua-
ded, subside, if we will only let the
subject drop nay, more, prevent the
renewal of IFS agitation by refusing to
discuss it.
| l have been tainted with being afraid
of the negro, because I have constantly
Fbeen wiling-to yield any point rather
than allow the negro the privilege, or
the Radicals, the advantage of a col
hsion between us. It is one of the first
and soundest maxims Of warfare, wheth-
er politiealor military, to AVOID doing
that which your adversary desires you
to do, and. to. ascertain what he desires
is one Of the first subjects which Ell
cages the, attention Of skillful leader.
But We havesnot to seek our adversary S,
wishes: his wish is obvious, and that is
q collision Of races. and with nav will
he shan't have it. But I am not afraid
that the negro will ever rule this coun-
try, even under Grant and the Recon
struction Acts
And here.letl us. avoid a danger into
which we are allowing ourselves skill
fully to be pushed by our enemies and
that is Of admitting an ehnity to exist.
between the negro and ourselves There
is no such, enmity between us. Let us
recollect that it required the bayonets
Of the enemy TO separate them from us,
and that it has been the bayonet which
has so far kept US apart. As l speak,
tlso,seIrtle- faeo-of-au elderly wUnan
rises before me, upon whose neck /
wept my childish griefs, who pointed
me to the stars, and opened my infant
mind to the wonders beyond them-a
face that loved with feeling little short
OF filial affection-and she was negro;
and l recall another who was my boyish
companion, who taught me to ride, to
hunt, wholnI respected and loved, and
who had all the spirit Of a gextlcn'qae9,
and he too was a negro. Is there en-
nity between their race and mine ?
And who is there in this room, who
does not, at this moment, acknowledge
or recollect some one of this people as
his sincere, though humble friend?
said in opening, that how we should
vote was not question of reason, bat
of instinct, for though reasons Of JUS
tice, reasons Of feeling, reasons Of Wis
dom, all point in the same direction, it
would be useless to urge any or all OF
them on the white man, whose instincts
did not control his vote for the Demo
cratic party. But there need be no en-
mitv between the negro and ourselves
on that account, and l for one do not
despair though Grant be elected and
the reconstruction measures fixed ire
trievably upon U.S. For while acllnowl-
edge no cnlnitv between us, neverthe-
less know that the white man is the su
perior, and that if we will only be true
and Just, alike to the negro and to our
selves, we shall soon regain. the inhu-
ence we have lost. :
The Radicals have done their worst.
By tyranny and a violation Of their
laws, land because Iclaim no right un-
der them. do not the less see their in
consistency they have through hate
put upon us their reconstruction meas
ures. Let us cease to look fer assistance
from abroad but boldly and honestly
accepting the government they have
put upon us, let us work under and
amidst its follies and its corruptions as
honest and truthful men, using the SUI
perior intelligence we possess, to control
10 our own purposes the machinery
which fanatical hate has erected for
our ruin.
But let us not talk of ten sovereign
States struck from the Union, nor OF
our constitutional rights. Let us cease
efforts at Cancellation. Let us recollect
the time when we were ready to lie
martyrs for our State. and now that we
are at the stake, and the faggots begin
to ignite around us, don't let us CRY tol
mercy, nt least until the flames become
too hot for endurance. And, fellow
citizens. that never will. be. The fuel
round us will never burn. The white
race of America will never allow any
part of this continent to be ruled by
negroes any more than Indians.
/ Let us give up the idea of any re-
sponsibility for-the destiny or conduct
of the negro. Treat him fairly, truth
fully, fearlessly, and quietly live by tho
law of our own convictions Of truth anc
Justice, and so refusing to allow our
selves to be made the butt of politica
: parties atthc North, the subject Of thu
negro wilt be dropped by them as ne
longer useful. Thus through patien
and enduring persistence on our part
in well doing in the face of all discour'
agelnent, our normal position of supe
riority as race, will be again recog