The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-10-11


of the Republican party at first in
clined to adopt the dangerous expe-
riment Of placing political power in
the hands of your poor ignorant field
hands, upon mere fanciful theory
OF the natural equality of man.
Doubtless citizen of Massachusetts
who is utterly illiterate may be my
superior in all manly equalities, but
unless he con read the Constitution in
the English language, he is not my
equal politically. The principle is here
admitted that we may and must tenn
per theoretical equality with practi-
cal tests of fitness for public duty.
Now this was ignored in your case,
because it was urged and believed
that thus alone could the blacks pro-
tect themselves, and it was said that
any admitted qualification would be
abused by you to their total exclu-
sion from the franchise and conse-
quent helplessness. The Northern
people, having freed the slaves and
left them still mingled with their
former masters, could, not, with de-
eency or humanity, abandon them
naked to the savage enmity which
they were taught to believe you felt
for them, nor could they calmly look
on to see those oppressed of whose
comfort and happiness they had
become the guardians. The Northern
States pardoned the palpable usur-
patton of power never granted to
Congress upon the plea of necessity.
Universal suffrage was no necessary
corollary of the war; it was extorted
by distrust, offspring of the long
slavery agitation. That gave enor-
nous power to the class of politicians
who preach the perfect and complete
wickedness of the Southern white.
These same men urge, and they per-
suade mnny, that you still cherish a
devotion to the "lost cause" which
does not content itself with the hope
less tenderness which we feel for the
dead, but is ready to take arms again
at the least encouragement. These
fears mingle largely in the canvass,
and will exert a strong influence in
the result. I think that distrust and
fear have dictated your terms more
than malice or revenge. It was not
cheerfully that the North sacrificed
the Constitution for which it fought
SO long. For my own part, L have
never felt any npprehensions of
losing any of the proper results of
the war. have always believed that
you must, from necessity, yield them
as frankly as we claimed them. have
never doubted that it was possible to
treat you after your surrender in
such a way as to enlist your aid and
engage your sympathies in q consti-
tutional restoration of the Union,
and yet secure freedom and fairness
to the blacks, and tranquility and
happiness to the whites. AS you
very forcible say, there is no policy
possible for you but peace. War
now would be your utter destruction.
The Union is of more value to Won
than to us, and to the Constitution
alone can you fly for protection. A
general and cordial confidence in
your attitude, feelings and protests
IS essential to your peace and pros
perity. We must renew the old
spirit within US, or the new Union
will be an empty form. Even if by
a party success in very close vote at
the North, aided by your own efforts
at the South, you obtain temporary
relief from your abject state to-day,
your condition will still be precarious,
your path full of snares, and a true
Union as distant as ever. So long as
one-half the North is persuaded that
you have the will and the power to
jockey them out of what cost them
so dear, we attempt to rebuild our
Union on the sands. Time alone,
and patient and enduring persis-
tence on your part in well-doing, in
the face of all Encouragement, can
effectually remove the cause of your
ills; palliative will but induce re-
action again. A cheerful concur
renee in the essential principles of
Democratic and Constitutional Go
vernment 1 regard as requisites for
your peaceful progress in the future.
Inclining to these opinions, should
have excused myself from accepting
your kind invitation, had you not ex-
pressly disclaimed any political in
tent. I do not wish to make any
political speeches to your people in
the interest of any party, nor add
new bitterness to your already dan
gerous position. But as I have felt
the evil very much of late that Of our
own knowledge we were so little in.