Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1868-03-06
" a r [ E TY.
Congressional Reconstruction.

Congress has constantly prevented that ro
sumption. g
! They are entitled to bo restored upon the
basis of the Federal Constitution.
| Congress has confesscdly thrown aside
that instrument, and obstructed restoration
with terms and conditions of it's own pro.
scribing.
Affecting, to desire the perpetuity Of the
Kcpub!ic, it has made deadly assault upon
republican institutions.
Processing to aim at the salvation of the
Union, it has wrought tho destruction of ten
of tho States
T. 9 right of each State to regulate its own
internal affairs, cnfranchisc its own voters,
and choose its own rulers and law-makers,
IS as sacred as our constitution, and as indies.
tructible as our goyernmet ,
Without it republican liberty is worthless,
for when the people cease to be free citizens
of the States they become the subjects Of
unlimited and irresponsible Federal power
Whom Congress abolished tho local govern.
mcnts of the South, it violated vital prinoi.
pie in our system.
When it erected military establishments in
their stead, it introduced th, most abominablo
feature Of despotism.
lnfurthcr pursuance of its purposes, Con-
gress has thrown the political power of the
South into negro hands.
10 assure this result, it has disfranohised
the white population by hundreds of thous-
ands u
Enfranchising the blacks, it has made vot-
ers of the ignorant, the vicious, and the
brutal Legislators Of those who regard liberty
as license, and law as the instrument of re.
venge; and rulers of class whose ideas
of government, like their notions of reli.
gion, tend directly and inevitably to bar.
bursm.
MILITARY GOVERNMENT AND ITS RESULTS.
Having given the negro the right to vote
and the power to rule, Congress confesses his
incompctency for either by insisting that the
bayonct of the soldier, the Acknowledgement
of tho citizen, and tho supervision Of tho
Frecdmcn's Bureau are necessary to sustain
him in his new relations.
BY such declarations the dominant par
ty would justify the continuance of militia
ry despotism erected within the Southern
States.
Before we sanction this iniquity, lot us ex-
anime its results.
1t found civil governments in successful
operation; it abolished those governments,
and made tho will of brigadicr-gcn erals su.
prcmo for all purposes.
Southern elections are ordered, supervised
and approved or set aside, by district CON-
mandcrs. M
Southern justice is what The bayonot may
provide.
Southern law is what the sword may de.
cree. 5t>
Southern peace is the patient submission of
q conquered people, a peace threatened by i'm.
pending negro instructions, which white SO.
a!tc.:s.s arc noting and liable at any ;ao
mont to disappear before the terrible tumult
Of social anarchy.
The military governments found business
rcyivng, and enterprise struggling to repair
tho rayages of tho war.
They abolished labor, and offered army ra-
tons as premium on negro idloncss.
The country ceased to produce, and trade
and commerce with other sections pershed.
I Capital left land which promised soon to
be given over to confiscation
General poverty followed the encouraged
Incidence Of the laboring classes @
| Actual and almost universal destitution OK.
lists among the people ). the unhappy victims
Of Congressional cruelty, must become pen
sioners upon national charity, or perish from
starvation.
Hordes Of thriftless and dsoontented NO.
.groes, passionate almost to brutality, induced
TO vice by idlenoss, inoiyed to violence by
evil counsellors, fed ard pampered at the pub
lie cost, With great army for; their protec-
tion, roam at will throughout tho land, upon
amission Of evil, carrying dismay to the
hearts Of helplessness and innooonce, and
1, shocking civilization with tho worst Of name
less orimos.s s. y Is, Z, /, B, s. \ I'm. Ssss.
ssuohsis Tho condition Of the South. S,i.e
smilitary despotisu,yis over her people. i
rhe{hand of lswloss Violence. threatens
Il then. s. 3., \; z
sDesolati feigE every hs4 bout 3 .ss
Itboni are the snalr ssoo