Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1868-08-21
= Q T. I II T @ a. l.
Letter from Hon. J. p Campbell,
CHARLESTON, August 8. 18C

|
DEAR SIR-I have delayed to tho latest
moment reply to your lettor of tho 18th ul.
timo, hoping I might bo able to accept your
invitation to bo present at Aiken tomorrow.
to witness your " barbecue to the colorcd pco-
po, and listen to General Hampton and the
other prominent speakers from this State and
and Georgia, whom you expect" 1 regret
to say | find my engagements such that will
not be able to lcavc the city during the wcok :;
| must, therefore, forcgo the pleasure you so
kindly offer 1t will be most interesting
occasion. It's purpose is one have profound
| y at heart. Next to the rescue and restora.
tion of our country and its constitution and
laws from the sacrilegious hands laid upon
thems for destruction-ncxt to the emancipa
| tlon Of my own race from the odious and vul-
gar slavery contrivcd and being attempted by
traitors to their country, their lineage and to
| oivllization-I have at heart tho welfare and
advancement in prosperity and>happincss of
the colorcd race. Our conscientious and la
borious attention to this purpose is as much
duty to be discharged as the obligation of a
debt. We owe it to ourselves for the sake of
ourselves. 1t comes to us from tho past, and
we owe it for the sake of our children and our
country. Aud more sacred than all, we owe
1t to the present, for the wonderful loyalty of
the colored man to his owner and his owners
cause during the temptations of the war; -
and, considering the natural invitation to ex.
cesscs given by sudden emancipation, and by
the scductions and character Of the adyentu-
ircrs whose influence hc was open to, wo owe
something for his conduct since the war.
In my judgment ho is the best friend of the
! coorod man who most practices towards him
material aid, teaching him the way to prospcri
| ty through thrift, industry and education, and
who cntices him least into the field of politics F;
than which, there is nothing more corrupting
| to persons like him, just emerging from q
condition of pupilagc True, tho discussion
of political subjects with the colorcd man is
at present forced upon us. The circumstan-
ccs in which we arc placed, leave us no choice.
1t is necessity. But | would not extend
the field of discussion beyond the limit of ac.
tual necessity. would make him no prom.
iscs which might not be sure can and will
hereafter be performed; I would hold out no
| hopes to him, which might not believe there
will be reasonable expectation of being re-
allied. l would tell him, truthfully and
frankly, that his present political supremacy
will not be and cannot be permanent. That
the worthless adventurers, who cajolc and de-
oeve him to advance themselves, and, like
nightmare, pross their heavy weight upon us,
know this. Thoy havo never intended or ex-
poctcd tho substantial and permanent ad.
| vanooment Of the oolored man They aspire
70 use him, and, for their own selfish purposes,
to array him in hostility against those with
whom he was born and has lived, till we shake
off their suffocating embrace, whom they will,
like the oppressive spirit have lkoned them
to, take their flight and seek more gonial re-
gions would tell the oolored man, that.
whether they shall succeed in this purpose to
plaoo him in hostility to US and then leave
him, is for him to choose and doodle If he
prefers to trust his future to tho unccrtain
contents of their oarpet.bags, rather than ac-
copt peaceful and abundant homes on the for
tile folds Of his nativity (felds which these
false friends first promised, but have failed to
give to him -.thon it shall not be said, in tho
day Of his tribulation, that we did not fairly
tell him in advance Of the fate that waits on
that CHOICE. That fate will be his progressive
degradation instead Of elevation, and the grad
ual but certain extinction of his raoo-just
as the Indian, who onae rovod supreme lord
Of this mighty land, has passed away.
We can promise and assure to him equali-
ty with ourselves in the protection Of all his
rights of property and person under the law,
because while wo had the power we gavo all
that, and we intended it. There is no moro
heaithful power III q nation, or a community,
than thrifty, Industrious, educated, moral
and religious, fiao, rural, laboring population
The safety of government aud Of capital resta
securely upon such a population. suoh la
Dor creates capital. Capital nurses and en-.
courages such labor. There is mutual and
harmonious reliance each upon the other.
We can promise, and not fear failure of the
promise, to the oolored man, to exert oil the
powerwo havo TO mako his people suoh.a pops
ulatiop, giving, all the encouragement which
the law aud It's lust and faithful administrs.