The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1868-09-30

suppose, therefore, that the success @
their State ticket will bc equivalent 10 :
return to the prohhitcry law, with il.
attendant constabulary. think ,ha,
thcre are two matters OF national intcrcs,
involved IN this election, one OF which
Is Important, The other vital. The or
mcr. which take to be the fnancla
question. was not treated by the Nation
al Convention in New York in a man
ner which satisfied my Judgment. BY
providing lor payment of tha bonds
known as tivc-twen,ics by surplus rcvt :
nue alone, thus ignoring wha, seems TO
me the valuable par' of Mr.. Prndlc,on's
plan, a withdrawal of the issues of ,i,c
national banks, lh" Democratic party
appeared to commi, themselves to an IN
definite extension of the mtolc.ablc ru-
sancc OF an unrcdrcmable paper currcn
cy. | am too much Of n Dcmoc;a, 10
regard any such prospect with patience.
believe IN hard money. and therein
hold myself to be true Jac tsonian
Democrat. This oishonored paper
which we arc all compelled, as ! think,
unconslI!nllonally, to accept as money,
is not only standing disgrace to Tie
nation, but it is destroying the anccn,
habits Of economy and thrift. and under
mining our o!d fashioned honest IDEAS
oy The constant spectacle and example
OF an lnsolvrnt Government. |, laws
upon The poor man burden heavier
than he can bear 1t Injuries trade, com.
mcrcc, aud all productive industry each
year more than the whole sum Of donb,.
tut gain which might accrue, from can,
ceiling our debts by promises to pay
| which we do not redeem. If persisted
IN, think il mnst rcsul, in Reputation
and bankruptcy. In that event the re.
sponsibilily will rest primarily with the
party which made the notes aud then
refused, when they had the power, 10
make them good, and next with the
Democracy, il they are tempted to fol-
low that bad lead. It's with peculiar
pleasure; therefore, that read your
drTand loi sound and honest currency.
But even if differed with You on
This subject, and saw any relief in the
party chiefly responsible for our prescn,
drPlorable financial condition. | regard
The second or vita question Of such mo-
merit that my political action would be
governed 10y the attitude oflhc opposing
parties IN reference to that alone. The
'sono which, III my mind, dwarS all
others is, shnlr the Constitution or shall
a party mandate be the supreme law OF
the land 2 Fidelity to the Constitution
should DC the fnal'lcst ofpoliiical aflilia-
ton to-day. But to act with the party
which has ruled the country with s,-
prcme dominion for three wears past,
must agree with thea, Hat tie Consltu.
ton contemplated an ultimate a6sorpiion
OF the most important functions of the
executive department by Congress
that its fair construction will authorize
that body to wrest from the judiciary
department. the jurisdiction in eases
where its Judgment Upon constitutional
tGncs'ions Of the first magnitude may
possibly conflict with that Of majority
therein; must stand ready to fix my
name to a 'd"clafalion Of political faith
which expressly makes approval of ilc
impeachment Of the President a test of
party fellowship; and finally, must
be able to say nnon my conscience that
L cohsldcr reconstruction for the sake
OF Which al! this and much more has
been done, is wlsc s,atcsmanlikc and
constitutional. Now, nave always
thought, with Mr. Seward, tliat the wis.
est way to treat the wounds hh by war
was to let them heal by first ii,ciIlio!N.
| But Reconstruction" has torn them omen
day by day Until they are now mass
Ct well nigh incurable gangrenc. ! be-
'evc that true craftsmanship Wonll nave
imposed on the sonIhern leaders the
task Of bringing their people back tito
the Union by frankly ana Confidently
Offering TO them The day they laid down.
their arms the right hand Of oblivion Of
the past and reconciliation in the future,
which they might reject if they wished
or dared.
| "Rcconstruttioh" has storned' thrr
protests, repclled their aid, insnltcl iher
misery, and inflicted on them an abase.
ment which they felt to bc inlolcrablc,
in posting over them their slaves OF yes
llerday 10 secure their pledge Of snbmis
sion TO the Constitution. But for this
ungcnerous and suspicious policy I be.
iilleve we might now have been a truly
united people, the southern white recon
oiled to- the inevitable, the negro secure
IN his civil rights, and attaining pvlilca!
privileges as be grew fit to use them
wisely, and the Noilh cnnoblcd by a
victory more noble than any feat OF
arms.,tlic conquest Of lis own passions.
Twill not argue The untoiis!in,lohality
Of Reconstruction The almost unahi.
nous disinclinaiion Of Tho Republicans
hi Congress to allow to ,iiiatrgo the
scrutiny Of the Supreme Court would
seeni'io confirm tho reported statement
Eofthe lameited Stevens, 'liat only two
i d. d foolsiR tile party believed the re.
|constrlctlon acts to be constitutional
Even iftl,ey were 80, I shonld deem
I them u6wise The Union they imposc