Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1868-04-14
War and Peace.

war ana Feace.
The Charleston Mercury was fore
most among the Southern journals
that drove the ruling caste OF their
section into Secession and Civil War.
1t is now foremost in arousing and
stimulating resistance to Reconstruc
ton on the basis of Equal Rights
for all Men. In late issue it saws !.
at is just as well, men OF the North
that you should understand now, as
at any other time, that the pecple Of
the Southern States do not intend 10 be
rNtcd By negroes. lit is the purpose
OF the United States Government to
negroize the Southern States. they
may as well know now as any other
time, that it haste be done nth the
6ayonet and has to be preserved nth
the bdyonet IN all time to come. This
Southern people do not intend to be
mongrelized. Tney prefer the sword
this they can always compel"
The State of South Carolina cons
tanned in 1860 703,S 12 inhabitants.
whereof 402, 541 were then slaves and
1914 free colored, leaving but 29l,~
388 Whites. War has told fearfully
on the last named, so that they can>
not now exceed two-ffths of the total
| population.
What The Mercury threatens is
simply a renewal Of the Rebellion,
and on substan daily the old protect.
South Carolina assumed to secede
from the Union because the North
was not sufficiently docile and devot
ed to the interests and exactions Of
Slavery. She initiated fragrant War
by opening fire on the famishing
handful of Union soldiers who garri-
soned the National stronghold, Fort
Sumter. Thenceforward she had
war to her hearts content, until her
very last squad was captured, her
last village was . conquest
Her aristocracy fought bravoly and
well. They did their ''level best +
and they dragged the poor, ignorant
Whites into their quarrel, rushing
them upon death as sheep are driven
to the SHAMELESS. When they were
first routed at Port Royal by q Ma
tional fleet, every White person but
one left the Island with their flying
forces-that one being left, blind
drunk. The Blacks remained to
welcome "the invaders" and exuit in
their new found freedom. And from
that hour, the Blacks of South Caro-
lima have been loyal to the flag of the
Union.
1t is not the fault OF the great
body of the Whites Of South Carroll
ma that they are now gathered IN,
der the folds Of that flag. They did
their very almost to avoid that de-
tested ''subjugation." They held
out against it till they could hold
out no longer. They gave in when
there was no possibility Of future re
sistance.
These are not pleasant reminis
cences. We should much prefer not
to revive them. But when The Ner
cury insists as it plainly does insist
that the loyal three fifths Of the
population Of its State shall have no
otherrights than such as the disloy-
al two fftbs shall preponderately see
fiji to vouchSafe teem-whcn it speaks
Of this Rebel minority as 'thc people
Of the Southorn States" and threat,
ems renewal of civil war if they are
not so RECONSIDERATION il vaults
that said people prefer the sword,
and can " compel tive are forced
to remind it that such bullying is
"played out that the arms-bear
ing portion Of said people are
parolcd prisoners Of war, who cans
not brandish the sword against the
authority of the Union without
breaking their paroles and exposing
themselves to an ignominious late
But talk of g the sword " in the
premises is an anachronism-an in,
pertinenco. The Mercury knows as
we'll as-we do that the sword rest
and rust in its scabbard-that what
it is really intent on is getting the
Democratic party into power at
Washington, and thus getting the
Union-loviLg majority Of the inhab-
itants under the feet Of the Rebel
minority and, if the allied North>
crn and Southern Democracy shall
be enabled to elect the next Presi>
dent, that end will be secured. If
they fail in that election, the confed
Grated democracies will peaceably
submit, just as orr side must submit
if beaten. This is the plain prose Of
the matter, and all threats Of a resort
to "the sword are preposterous.
This country has had fighting
enough for at least half century
and whoever shall meantime appeal
to :" the sword will be promptly
squelched by an irresistible uprising
Of the whole people in defense of
peace, industry, and prosperity.