The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1868-09-03
roRBEAR A LITTLE LONGER.

FoRBEAR A LITTLE LONGER.
The Southern people, by quiet sub
mission to wrong; by patient obedi-
ence to an oppressive rule; by self
possession in the midst of aggravating
evils by uncomplaining forbearance
to causes. intended to provoke them to
violence; by strict adhesion to truth,
and perfect freedom from all the con-
tacting influences of their enemies, in
the midst of all their disasters, have
inspired the reverence of the world.
In the hour of their greatest misfor-
tunes they scorned to sacrifice their
honor or self-respect. True, a few
base men have proven their want of
principle by yielding to bribery and
corruption; yet the mass of the South
ern people are still true to the man
hood and glory of their race. Their
enemies dare not impugn the purity
of their patriotism or the correctness
of their motives. Were they capable
of appreciating the heroic virtues
which we have shown, they dare not
accuse us with recreancy to our dis
tingushed qualities. Though oppress-
ed by ruthless foe, We have been
in our reliance upon the ultimate US
tice of our fellow countrymen, be-
iieving the time would come when the
masses Of the North would strike for
eur deliverance. In submitting quiet-
ly to wrong we have established q
higher claim to heorism than that won
upon the battlefield. We have ftly
rehnked those who unnaturally lord
it over us, by solemn and respectful
protest against their unjust acts. We
have said to them, by our conduct,
that whilst we submit to force without
resistance, we detest the measures it
imposes. BY our example we have
inflicted upon our task>masters the
contempt Of mankind. We have re-
buked them with the weapon Keen
er than a two-edged sword. In the
language ofsilent submission we have
condemned them with letters indelli-
BILE as;pthe stars. With few exceptions,
we, have, not been contaminated by
4bose Influences through which our
conquerors had hoped to corrupt us
into an acceptance of their debaslng
policy. As we hated them politically
so have we scorned them personally,
avoiling their social contact as a
plague infested with thevirus of moral
death. We have borne much, endured
much at the hands of usurperss and
tyrants-our humanity often shocked
by their beastly brutalities, and their
want of respect for the customs, ideas
and peculiarities of people superior
to themselves, until we have been
made to feel that the extremity
of forbearance had been reached
But, helpless as we were, our forbear-
ance involved no loss of respect. The
world has applauded our course in
/, yiewof the cowardly sword suspended
above our heads. It has sympathized
with our misfortunes and approved
our forbearance.
At this late daE %hsa- &as- saaatsA
Is ABOUT to depart from Judah-when
the voice of the American people
awaits that hour when it will express
its indignation at the polls; when
judgment is about to be pronounced
in our behalf by the verdict of the
country, let US, without loss of self
respect, forbear a little longer, endure
a little more; for the day of our de-
liyerance is at hand. The guilty
Belshazzers by whom We have been
oppressed are trembling all over the
land. The verdict of an outraged
people they read in the handwriting
on the wall. They have no peace in
view ofthe terrible judgment awaiting
them. Soon there will be a rattling
in the valley of dry bones, and the
whited sepulchres will expose the rot
! tenness within. Forbear a litth lon
ger, draw another draught upon long
tried and exhausted patience, step
! cautiously above the Aiacrested vol
] canoes slumberihg beneath yourfeet
. with a irmttrust in the saving power
of Democracy, for the day dawn of a
new existence will soop be visible in
the East-Atlanta Constitution.