Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1868-05-29
Military Government in the South.


Military Government in the South.
Ono result of tho experiment Of military
government in tho South, which has now
been in operation for thrco years, says tho
Banner of Liberty" is grand total fy,f fif-
teen hundred million dollars of taxes Con
gross has virtually constituted Gcncral Graut
military dictator over all the unrcconstr,.cted
rebel States. The laws which it has passed
preventing his removal from Office or from
Washington by the constitutional Comman-
dcr-inC Chief, aud declaring that all orders to
tho army must be issued through him, so that
not single regiment is at the command of tho
President unless the Generals Chief consents,
have invested General Grant with ample pow
or not only to maintain military dcspotism in
the South, but to extend it over the entire
country in case the revolutionary schemes of
the dominant Jacobin party shall bo success
fully carried out. Once firmly established in
one section Of tho country, military dcspotism
will tend almost inevitably to widen its linn
its until they shall embrace all sections of tho
country. Within very few years it is not i'm.
possible that tho government, which the foun-
ders of our republic based upon constitution
al freedom, may bo replaced by military die
tatorship with tho great powers centred in a
Senatorial oligarchy, according to the projects
attributed to certain Jacobin conspiratora
Whatever may be the compcnsating ad-
vantagcs of such radical change in our form
of government, it is certain that it will in
volvc the doubling or trcbliog Of our grand
| total of fifteen hundred million dollars of tax.
cs. The apathy Of tie American people in
view Of shc bare poss bility that the schemes
of Jacobn conspiiators may yet be realized
is amazing. But the only comment which
can be made if they ultimately submit to q
military dcspotsm is expressed in the pro-
| found remark of De Maistrc-" A peopl9 has
| always the government which it deserves"
The South Carolina Reconstruction Scandal.
The Constitution framed for South Carroll
na by the Congo Convention is beautiful
piece of political mechanism. Paupcrs have
heretofore been always and everywhere very
properly excluded from the elective franchise,
but by this instrument the paupcr population
is made the voting power of tho common
wealth Property holders and tax payers arc
either DISTINGUISHED or placed in such hope
| less minority that they are yoicclcss in the
Government while the negroes vote without
fear of challenge for every office, and by their
overwhelming majortics carry with case every
election The capitation and dog tax arc the
only two for which tn o~~o would be liable,
but as he has no properly for tho sheriff to
attach, there is no way to cnforco payment
except by making default bar to the ballot.
And so it was at first arrangcd-but forcsce.
ing the effect of such provision in reducing
tho negro vote, the Convention amended by
by ordering that no one should forfeit his
ii.,-ht to vote by reason Of failure to pay the
said tax. 4,a;..d this specific tax pei, capitun'
is to be applied to the supv.st Of negro schools
schools in which the white population can
not participate, in which they havo no inter
est, and over which they have no supervision
Or control, and yet which they alone will be
required to support. Towards this fund the
negro voter is not obliged to contribute one
cent, although he will be, under hi, party
leaders, invested with exclusive control of its
disbursement. The honest and uubought
white men of the State, including, with
scarcely an exception all the original Union
men, arc excluded either by legislation or in.
trigue from the ballot and from holding Office,
and arc forced by the bayonct to submit to
any and oil tho exceptions which On irrcspon.
siblc mongrol convention and Legislature NAV
impose npon them. And this in the land Of
liberty and under the stars and stripes? Can
tho Gem of tho Sea, tho misgovcrncd unhap.
py Emeral Isle, present anything worse than
this in all her sad history of grcvous wrongs
South Carolina, under such reconstruction,
is emincntly worthy? an carly admission into
full fellowship with tho noble States of tho
North. With radical Bureau Commissioner
Scott as Governor, by League manipulations
and negro votes; with negro Legislature /;
with the notorious ex-rebel Bowen to repro.
sent its metropolis in Congress, and all its Of
fees filled by negroes or ,renegrado whites,
who would not bo intrustcd In any decent
community North with any position requiring
moral probity Of character, her star is ready