Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1868-12-23
The Probable Relations of General
Grant and The South.


Grant and The Sonth.
The following letter. at this time, will be
read with peculiar interest. Now, -, hereto.
for, we uphold tie necessity of friendly re-
atians with the freedmen, {, absolute ree-
dum Of raiitlca opinion, Of greeting ccriial
II sll Louest me;i ..lo c~n. d..Hn Ia u. from
ihe h.'tth, ai.l ii 'io.i.g ali that ne pr"p ilY
LAZY |" @ih lir u, ,iilrurc al the ."vrrnllcnl
~. l,1rr tia: tie virss nnd r,u,alk. of Mr.
E.y.c, VII" is IN. position to k,.w or What
ne speaks, viii receive calm and car, ful
consideration:
WASHINGTON, Deccmber9.
COLONEL j. II. THomus-DEAK SIR: In pnr-
>uancc oi my promise ts you, propose b:ief
ly to give you my impressions rs TO the po.
litcal situation.
did not sooner comply Will, your Request,
because thought The time Was i,ot prupiti-
Gus. The passions engenIefr,i by the Pre>i-
lection did not permit n calm con.
.,aer:riun of events. The election of Geue-
III! Grant settles much Of the past, und opens
neS future to us. General Grants clcc-
lion is the ratification by the pc PIE Of uni.
w.rsal suffrage, subject t" the Fourteenth
Constitutional amendment, AMI establishes
lhr legality ol lile existing Stale organize
lions South, which have grown up under The
Hecoi..truclion t,,:'s oi Consr,ss Such liz.
ing ,lr, q. e. think cur people ought to Ut
rrp. lties,. results rs :.ccump!i>LcdiaclS Tie
election of General Grl..t iueaiis yet more.
The conviction -xi-ts North, will the nxjDr-
it's ofthe people, taAt opinion ~ nul free
South, and that the p ltical- action Of both
whites and blacks is subject to duress, pre-,
cecding 1. the extreme. in some instances, of
actual violence and even political asS;:ssina
lions.
The election Of General Grant is the pro-
test Of The Nurth against this alleged condi.
tiou of affairs ard means that all the power
Of the Federal Government will lie exerted
10 put it down. II is The danger arising out
nf This matter, which strikes Iue as the ost
alarming circumstances OF our political fu-
ture. Unless this condition Of things is sup.
pressed by The voluntary acton oT the, South
Urn StateS,t The raost deeidal. lneasGres- will,
4 think, be resortcdSt by the Federal Cow,
ernlnent to cure The alleged evil and Gene
raj Grant: as,President, will, have no doubt,
enforce these measures Of repression energet-
ically, with military force. This would nat
ura!ly produce more revolution South, aud
is results might lie series of the most de-
pl.rable consequences.
In view Of this state Of things, 1 think it is
matter Of the greatest Importance that the
Southern States should make the utmost e1-
ertiouS To remove all alleged causes of com
plant on this subject, and thus anticipate
'and render unnecessary the action o.: tue
Fe1eral lGoyernment.
As additional ;inducement to this line Of
acsion on your paft l would remark that
what you want above alfthings, at the South,
is internal harmony. If yodahad this you
would receive large influx of white popula-
tioa and capital. Thi, would be of incalcu.
liable benefit to you, both in its influence on
Your material interests and US relieving u
from the apprehensions arising from univer
sal suffrage.
The obstacle to your receiving this popula-
tion and capital now, is the apprehension
WITCH exists as to the anarchical condition
OF your society. 1t is y striking fact that
both the great political parties of the coun-
try have thought it to be their interest to
represent Southern society as in a condition
of chronic insecurity and violence the Dem
ocrats, in order to show the evils Of uniyer
sol suffrage; and the Republicans, to illus.
lrate the disloyal sentiment of the people,
aud their consequent unftuess for any part
in the control OF the Federal Government.
Between these two sets of representations,
the movement of population and capital to
the South is almost entirely checked. 1t is
your policy to have it believed that order
reigns supreme South. Hence you ought to
do everything in your nnworst to nnais Order
the fact, aud to promulgate it. You should,
| think, keep several ideas prominently in
view as your policJ:
/. You ought TO regulate the relations be-
tween the whites and the blacks, so as to
have as much harmony and good feeling as
possible between them. To this end, moth
ing is so efficacions as kindne S to the blacks.
>. You ought,to have perfect tolerance OF
political opinion. Let every one, white and
black, vote as he pleases, and trust to your
tact and natural irAuence for Just share OF
political power.
3. You ought to extend cordial aud kind
welcome to the Northern people TO settle
among you, without regard to their political
opinions. Once you did this. the troubles ol
the future would be largely overcome, and
your material progress would be wonderful.
See what immigration is doing for the North
west, in spite of its austere climate. Think
what immigration would do for the genial
South. -
u
A. You ought to seek to coneiliate the
Federal Government. Remember the Scrip.
ture injunction, "Agree with4hine adversary
quickly" The Federal Government for the
present, and for yeasssto come, means the Re
publican party. Do not wage frantic war
against this party. Remember that the Dem.
ocfatic party is not strong enough now to be
Of any service to you. Be calm and concilia.
tory, and wait the course of events. 1t would
be fortunate if you were in that independent
condition that both parties North would bid
for your support.
5. General Grant will, think, earnestly
desire to n.ake hs administration national,
and tc restore real peace and harmony to the
late beliigerent sections. A moderate, con
servative course on the part OF tue South will
facilitate his policy in this direction.
Z. In conclusion, the thing you want is
peace. TO get peace, you must procure it by
peaceful means. Let the Republicans and
Democrats-N North wage bitter war against
each OTHER, if they choose; your condition
calls for more reserve.
Yours, sincerely,
WILLIAM w. BOYCE.