Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1868-08-21

"tA'o'' 'ney may haVo just right to partloie
pate In political affairs, and may enjoy it, Bus,
We can now, at this time, in good faith, malse,
to him any promises of political oonoessionsg
vory much doubt it. It a grave question:,
and is to bc gravely answered and if we arss
70 retain one particle Of self.respoot, it muse
DO answered honestly and truthfully. AZ
present We are without power, and have nothl
ing to give; We can only promise but wd
Know that late or soon, and VIC believe very,
soon, the power to redeem what we promise,,
with all its responsibilities, will be upon US.
have said that the adventurous who guide:
tho present misrule, know it is not durable.,
Its authors, who sent them here, did not and
40 not intend to give to tho colored race tho
permanent enjoyment of political power.
| They did intend and do intend to uso them
tor tho acquisition of power for themselves,
which otherwise they could not obtain or ex-
peot-and after that to leave their deluded
victims to their fate. Their reconstruction
means among controlling men of their party
nothing more than the ponding Presidential
election What say does not rest upon my
opinion or assertion. The doom of this mis-
rule has been solemnly adjudgcd and recor-
ded' The great Atlantic States, New York,
Conneoticutt, Pennsylvania, New Jerscy-the
Pacific States, California, Orcgon-tho nigh
ty West, her river aud lake States, Ohio,
Michigan (ovcn Michigan, intensely, hope
lessly Radioal,) Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky,
proclaim with ono mighty, unitod voice, that
the white man shall, aud tho colored man
sha! not, participate in and control tho gov
crnment of this country They have pro-
nounoed that it shall bo ca whitc mans gov
ernment," and their voice is potential. But
they have said that upon this question each
State is free to speak for itsof. Who, then,
and what are the States7 Alas that there
shonld no nond of suoh question Thore
was onoe South Carolina-she was a State
and had history. Her history remains, and
hope, wiley romain in the perpetual mem.
ory of men. The destroyer came, and there
is now no South Carolina State. I do not
venture to call that limping, tottcring export
ment set up by bayonots, now on exhibition
at Columbia-thc shame and ridiculc of the
nation-a STATE.
'Men, high minded mon,
| With powers as far above dull brutes onduod
AS boasts excel cold rocks and bamblos rude:
Man who their duties know, and knowing dare
| maintain
And crush the tyrant while they rcnd the chain !;
| Theso constitute State"
| Such mon arc not to be found in tho swoo
gcrlng exhibition at Columbia, which calls it.
self the State. Tho people of the groat
States which havo named arc at this moment
united with as in the most oycntful election
this country has ever witnessed. It is a life
and death struggle for the restoration of the
constitution and the Union it oreated-for
the revival and preservation of the stiaed ju-
dioial department. of the government---for tho
re.establishment of tho Constitutional Exeou-
tive power, now reduced by progressive usur-
pations Of tho Legislative branch to the mere
shadow of namo."
With us, beyond all this, the struggle is for
political life, for country, for civilization, for
relief from the bondage to which the love of
power and che hatreds, not the purposes, of
the war have subjected US. Witt. our friends
in those States, the struggle is to save them-
selves from military despotism seen in the
brief distance Of tho future, Or from the pres.
ont vulgar tyranny Of corrupt and foreswprn
Congress- They seek to avoid the fate Of tho
ancient Samnitos, who, falling both in cour
age to destroy, and in magnanimity to be gon.
eroua, to q conquered enemy, stripped and do
graded under tho yoke their Roman captives
THOR reward was the same yoke, measured
by the same measure, and final ruin. In this
great contest we can give but little, if any, aid
to our friends; if our vote is against them, it
will be declared legal and counted for our one.
mics. If it is for them, it will be declared il.
legal, as in truth it will bc, and will not be
counted. Such is tho Radical intention.-
Good faith then, and all the proprieties Of our
position, require Of us to be cautious, that we
do not riak doing injury or causing embarrass'
ment. There is less danger from saying or
doing too little than from saying or doing too
mach That which is left ansaia to-day may
be said to-morrow--what is said to day cannot
DO ansaid tomorrow. Nothing would add
more TO my modification and pain at tho close
Of the present canvass, if 1t should end in dc.
feat, than to have IL said I had, by any word
L N.r - y. n =