The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1868-10-28

Address Of the Central Democratic
Club to the Democratic Party of
South Carolina.
Feltov Citizens: The e.ec,ion f.,
President and Vice. Presiden, Of the
United States is new close at hand -
The great principles involved in the
contest, the magnitude of the interes,s
At stake. and the influence which this
State may have on the result, make
this a proper occasion 10 l.y before yea
brief address. -.
The tendency and purpose Of the
Radical party, as manifested in words
and acts. are the absorption of the lib.
eriy Of the individual; the .des,ruc,iou
OF States; the subversioD Of the Con.
ssilotion, and the erection upon the ru.
ins Of individual and public liberty, a
grand. grinding, consolidated despotism.
Already il has made rapid strides ia,
that direction. Little, now, is left for
il to do but 10 fuse into one mass, and
then crystalize into permanent form lis
various acquisitions Of usutped power.
lis cap,icioos acts its wantoL cruellies
its corrupt practices; its enormous bur.
dens you have felt and do know
Against these, and more titan these,
you are now called upon TO continue
resolute fight with the peaceful, though
potent, weapon Of the ballot. The
Democratic party here and every where
are striking with you for the principles
Of liberty and the forms Of Government
TO which we have been accustomed. for
written Constitution, n Federal Union
and q distinct existence Of ihe States. A.
Surely, then, the principles of the
contest are Important. and the interest
great. Arouse, therefore, TO the mag.
nilude Of the emergency and spare no
efforts for success. w hen the time for
registration shall come, let no man fail
to appear, and none fail to vote. Let
each one remember that his individ ual
vote may decide tho election in his own
dlstrici, and that tn electoral vote Of
the State may turn the scale in favor Of
the Democratic patty. r.r'< ''f'j' .. .-.
Our people must not despond, nor re
lax their Efforts, if there should be fail
nres elsewhere. On the contrary, they
will have reason to hope and much 70
stimulate them 10 Increased energy, for
il is yet possible 10 win. State elec.
lions are Influenced and sometimes con
trolled by local issues; and il has often
happened that these 90 one way, and
in few weeks thereafter, in the sgme
place, the Presiden,ialel elections another.
This may he the case in the present
canvass; and. indeed, we. have reason
TO hope so. Recently we have received
reports from all parts of the State which
induce the belief that South Carolina.
with proper effort, will be carried for
Seymour and Blair. Let not the, fail
ure TO do so be asclibed to you. 80
The canvass in which you are now
engaged is full uf excitement, which
will probably continue and increase 10
the end. We uust, therefore, that il
will not he amiss 10 drop you a word
1T canton. The criminaiity Of few,
and perhaps the indi.crerion Of ruanr,
have placed il in the power Of malice
and miHep' esen,ation to injure US, and
seriously 10 damage the common cause
We urge you, therefore, not only to
prevent violence, but TO abstain from
the violence Of il. We are DEALING
with false ahd subtle foe-prolific in
Inventions, and venemous in purpose
Zoe who fully understands the tempo
rary profit Of nimble lie. which too
often achieves its end before the truth
can even buckle on her armor. -
We need not urge upon YOU the poll
cy and the duty Of treating, with grea,
kindness and forbearance. the colored
population Of the State. This you have
ever done, and will continue to DO a:
long as you are permitted. We have
no doubt you will make manifest th,
untruth Of the malicious charge, tha,
by force yon have compelled their vote.
or by intimidation kept them from the
polls. Their minds are rapidly open
ing 10 the truth. that the yagrant white
man from the North, as well a. the
renegade Of the South, who live bv de.
ceiving and plundering them, and who
have been driving them 10 destruction,
are not true friends, and are unworthy
Of confidence and support. With q fair
opportunity they will return to you, at
their estrangement is owing entirely 10
the false teachings aud malignant ef-
forts Of the Northern emissary. 1t can
not be forgotten that the State voIun-
tarily, in 1865, invested the colored
population with every civil right; and
that the Democratic party. in Conven
ZION in April last, recognized them, un.
der the previous action Of the State, rs
an integral element In the body polite
land expressed its Willingness, when
in power, TO enfranehise them to the
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