The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1868-04-15
Letter from Gen. Preston.

The following eloquent and advisory
lette. from Gen. JOHN S. PRESTON, ad-
dressed TO COL J. P TuoMAs, acting chair
man of the State Democratic Executive
Committee, was read before the Rchiand,
Democratic Club at a recent meeting:
CoLUMDIA, Aprir6, 1863.
Dear Sir: circumstances entirely per-
sonal to myself, but of absolute and i'm
perativo control, will prevent me from
attending the meetings OF the Democratic
Club, or other pubic meetings,at present.
The same circumstances will deter me
from making public addresses many form.
l, therefore, ask you for other duties: and
to whatever other you may assign me, |
need not assure you that will do my
best fer the purposes OF the Democratic
party, which purposes are to make one
more effort TO regain oGr lost liberty
this time by peaceful action. My heart
and soul are as ardeni,y in this effort as
they were in the glorious one which God,
i3scrutabls. aIlowed to fail. Gnr role now
is caution, discretion and the severcSt de-
liberation, kecnly analyzing and calmly.
calculating tie chances and conditions
Our only weapons are our wits and judg-
ment; We must keep in mind that we are
still under the rage of the storm, prostratc
OH the cart!l-oar ears still dcutencd by
its roar-our eyes still blinded by its
pclting drifts AID threatening flashes
and that before we can rise, we must,
on bonded knees, look up to God; and
then peer cautiously around in search OF
the way in which will lead rs to shelter
or enable us TO breast its further fury.
Nor must wetorget that with right. truth
valor and devotion. aud great strength,
after five years OF bloody struggle, VIC
failed to keep our liberties. 1t is more
difficult to regain than to preserve liberty
more difficult TO regenerate than to create
l have abiding faith in the intentions
and disposition OF the National Demo
cratic party toward us. They will GER
tainlv hcip us. if we try to help them ant
ourselves; and if they are successful. oul
woes will he greatly mitigatcd. 1t is OH
last hope; and it is therefore our bonrdei
duty to strive maniuly under the banner
of The Democratic party. and to be YER,
careful that we add nothing to its diff
cutics by making hasty and unwise dec
larations based solely ON our sacred ira
dtions.
! believe our present action is wisely
conceived and then evenif it fails. it will
exhibit oni. loyalty to the principles OF
the National Democratic party. and indl-
cate the Democratic probabilities in South
Carolina in the Presidential election, on
which the policy Of the party may be
based
AS to this infamous Constitution, which
is thrust upon us at the point of the
sword. if we fail TO defeat it, we may rest
assured that it will fall to pieces by the
weight of its own corruption and folly.
before the end OF the first Legislature. l
hope every decent man in the State, white
and coored, who is allowed by the bayo,
net to vote, will 90 forward and record
his solemn protest against tho vile thing.
AS TO the colorcd people. let lis treat
them, and treat with them. in the most
generous and sympathetic spirit. They
arc not yet altogether corrupted under
The domination Of talsc-hearted renegades
and Radical emssarics, and it is no fault
of theirs that we and they are plunged
into a common ruin. That Internal sin
rests on other souls. Yours faithfully. nc.
JOHN 5. PRESTON.
A WouLDBE (CoIoRED) SENATOR