Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1868-09-25

" " '''''' VII IiitI uay, 1Or tho
purpose OF addressing; tho people of
riclSen's District.
am truly rejoiccd to SEQ tho pco-
pic of South Carolina at last aroused
toa sense Of their danger, and That
they appreciate the Importance OF the
ensuing Presidential election. Two
years ago il seemed to me that thci;
spirit was crushed, aud that they wcr,
apath"tic as to the condition of tho
country. When commenced writing.
my articles for tho Columbia pho,u;r,
against tho reconstruction acts of Con.
.ssrcss, there was but ono solitary news.
paper in tho Statc-thc Kingstrcc
Sfar-which endorsed thcmi Now
the whole country-north, south, cast
and VESTS in Il blaze of enthusiasm
IN opposition to those injurious, dcs-
potic, oppressive and cruel measures
The Democracy, everywhere, have
risen up i'll tho majesty Of their
strength, resolved to hurl from power
and place the Radical Party, restore
the Constitution, and maintain our
Republican form Of Governments.
Never, in the history of the Amcri
can Republic, was there u Presidential
| election Of such vital Importance TO
tho country. At the North il is Il
question Of liberty or despotisml but
at the South it is u question OF life or
death! If the Radical party succeed
in this election, our republican govern
mcnt will be converted into an odious
dcsp"tism, and war Of races will ill.,
cvitably follow at the South, the most
horlid and bloody that ever dcvys-
tated the face of the carthl
The great heart Of the American
people is devoted to republican princi-
pies, and it is impossible that they can
continue in power Il party whose rule
has been characterized hy such mon
$, acts Of tyranny, usurpation and
hcartlcss oppression. The govern
mcnL Of the United States, prior to
1850, was i'll the hands Of the Demo
cratic party, and lho country prosper
cd and was happy, grew great and
powerful, and ranked rs ono Of the
first powers of the world. In an evil
hour, by our own tlisscnsi0ns and di-
visions, the Radical party were per
mittcd to seize tho rcins of govern
mcnt. What dirc calamitics have
since befallcn this onco happy and
prosperous people! a bloody civil
war for four long ycarsI The loss Of
one million of human lives, slaughter
cd in battle Or the victims of war!
Ten billions of dollars, more than one
half of the entire property OF the Uni
ted States, expended or destroyed
Onc-third Of the Republic dcsolatcd
and ruined, and the other two-thirls
Impoverished and crushed with TAXA
ton Our national debt increased 10
three billions of dollars, The annual
expenses Of tho Government Increased
from eighty millions to four hundred
millions. Ten sovereign States of the
Union struck down ut one fell swoop,
and military dcspotism erected over
them. The white racc disfranc.iscd
and negro supremacy established! In-
stead Of courts ofjusticc, we have mil
itarJ' commissions to try, condemn and
execute our citizens! The bayonct
has taken the place of the writ of
h0deos corpus, that great charter of
human iibcrtyl
The radical Congress have set aside
the Constitution which they sworc to
support and defend, and have usurpcd
all power, legislative, executive and
judiciary; in their own hands. They
have stripped the President of his
highest constitutional prorogativcs,
and impcached him of high crimes and
misdemcanors for defending the Con-
stitution! They have struck down
the judiciary, and declared that 10
appeal shall be had TO the Supreme
Court to test tho constitutionality of
their odious and infamous proceed
Jugs.
1t is impossible that such n party
can be continued in power by people
devoted to republican principles and
constitutional liberty. The news from
tho North is of the most cheering
character, and l have no doubt Soy
mour and Blair will be elected by the
North, without receiving q single cleo
toral vote in the Southern States.
But am certain of Georgia, Alabama,
Mississippi, Virginia and Texas, if
those States are permitted to vote.
And l do not despair of North Caro-
lima, and even South Carolina. But
we must stir up the colorcd people to
IN fs,.p1 ,,,x1