The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1868-09-16
The Political Prospect.

| tttp"tt" d"HtJ me EteCttOH- races on
| National Finances.
Hon. Alexander II. Stephens held II con
vcrsa,on, few days since, at the White
| Sulphur Springs with II correspondent OF
the New York Nerald. We give his most
| king rcmarks
GLOW SoSou regard tho present cond-
ton of tn. country, Mr. Stophens?" !
| commenced.
"As exceedingly dcplorablo. The last
vcs,igcs Of constitutional freedom arc rapid
| ~ disappearing, and we are fast vcrpiup
| INTO Capitalization and despotisp. Unless
| some wonderful change takes placc--unlcss
| the people Of the North exercise that wis
dom for which Americans have been s..
remarkable III the past, though they seem
to have lost it lattcrly--thc world shall ere
long witness the establishment of an en-
prc on the ruins Of this once great republic
The measures inaugura,cd by the dominant,
party are the surcst indications OF coming
dcspotism. Without II Glitical revolution
occurs meantime the government will be
merged into 4 urapo .S;ii an ciipire If
Grant is elected next November | never
expect TO see another Presidential clcc:
ton "
"What is your opinion Of Grant, personal
ly?"
THAT he is cntirclr ;,nlcrratcd by the
Hooi''S anu press. KNOW hun. very we'll.
lie Is Il remarkable man. and one that few
appreciate; Of decided military genius, in.
i dominhlc cncrgy and determined will lust
the man for conp d'Hiot such rs the present
Emperor Louis Napoleon performed when
he placed himself on the throne Of France"
"Do you know ( q other candidates. and
what would result from The election OF Soy
/, mour and Blair"
blair know; Coliux | know; Seymour
don know. They are all very clever,
good fellows. Blair and ColiuX | served in
Congress with, and, personally, | have no
, objection TO any Of them. Blair is Il man
Seymour. as far rs ! know, and Colfax
may be placed in the same category. But
1t IS not the men it is not Grant and Col
INK, 1t is not Seymour and Blair, that arc
to be regarded in the next election. 1t is
the principles they represent that arc n,
issue The fight is not against Grant and
Cottax. but against the iniquity of the domi
nant party that has brought the country to
the verge of ruin, and TIN tatcns finally 70
HcstrHr T."
"jlow would the Southern people act with
regard to universal suffrage in the event of
the success IF Seymour and Blair?
''Thcy would abide by judicial decisions
and there is little doubt that all this party
Legislation 90 secure power would ic over
thrown. Conventions would be called and
the people would regulate suffrage as bcs,
they thought proper. believe II system of
qualified suffrage on an educational basis
would be GENERALLY adoited in The South in
such ali event"
"Do you anticipate any trouble during The
Presidential election between tho races in
the newly y-rcconslructcd Statcs?"
"No; except when il is provoked by The
lnIpl wLitnS N.l, how,
themselves with the NEGROES to get Office
The whites will remain, AS they have been
peaccahlc and quiet, relying mainly on The
North for dehvcrancc from the frightful
condition in which they arc placed. The
cry Of the Radicals. 'Lct us have peace
means let Shave war. They desire it, and
to make political capital innugurato riot and
bloodslcd. ifnot lhWar!cd ty the fcrbear.
ancc ofthc whites. They raise the cry
that the South wants war. They lie when
they say il. The Southern people have no
means to make war; no disposition to fight
no enemy to meet. Peace is ill they wish
for, and the civil liberty which as citizens
of this rcpnbllc they arc entitled to-"
"Would the negroes resort TO arms in case
they were deprived Of suffrage ?"
eff they would and did, and Tough, for il,
they would then certainly be entitled 10 IL;
but as body or people they would not do
it. An occasional instance there might bc
among them of mcn who would, under the
inspiration and guidance of whites, clamor
for the right Of suffrage; but so rare us to
be scarcely noticeable. as race, q pco.
pie, they do not appreciate liberty. 1t is
not in their natures. They are simply
children of the sun, with none of the gcnn-
inc aspirations of the whites to be free. But
if an evidence Of what say were wanted
can point to Tennessee, whore eighty thous-
sand whitcs-Anglo- o-Saxons-havc been
disfranchiscd, and they do no not resort
TO arms, Iu Georgia there arc twenty-five
thousand, and throughout the South in The
same proportion; /; but we hear ofn insur-
rccton orrebellon on this account There
fcro 1t is olcar tho negro viii scarcely fight
under the same circumstances, notwith-
standing that II may BIO said, shnd tho co.,
ored troops fought bragcly."
ss3"lIow doyoi, regard the finances of tho
country and are Southern people in favor of
paying The national dept 2" ,., ), r.. IS . & 3
''I am precisely OF tho Same opinion as
Mr. Pendleton on thesubject Of the finances.
His views accorded withminc@ fully. Denl
frankly with the. bondholder without specu-
lating on him, and without allowing him 10
speculate on the public. Reep good faith
with public creditors, and thus sustain il.
But first restore constitutional frGGd0fn,
roduoo taxation, abolish tho Frccdmcn's
Bureau; and all other channels Of corrup-
ton, and onfranchiso every white man now
disfranchised, and then you will find public
credit good and gold at rac AS to the
payment Of the debt, with reduction of
the. annual expenditure from 100000, 900
to $40,0O0,00O, 1t would soon be paid, and
no people would be motc anxious to sustain
tho national honor than would the Southern
people. noted fac, IN our history has
been that, however lavish the Southerners
wcrc in their personal expenditures, tn hy
wero always stingY and economical III pubs
lie pecuniary affairs, and always jcalously
guordcd their public honor. Some might
attempt to rcfutc this by saying that Mis-.
sissippi refused to pay her bonds but thoy
were few who know tho character Of the
class of bonds she rcpudiatcd, and tho cir
cumstanccs undor which IL was done"
"lIaSc tho Southern people any desire to
pay tho Confederate dobt?"
"None that am aware Of First, bo>
ooucas of hnir Iunhiiify .sond noyf- boconoo