The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1869-10-14
"Accepting the Situation. ("


The difference between the Republic of
Washington and Jefferson, and the CEN
tralized despotism of the present day, is
not greater than the difference between
the Radical and Anti-Radical significance
of the well-worn phrase-"Accepting the
Situation" AS a solemn warning it is al
ways on the lips of Radical orators, and
as a panacea for all our ills it is the theme
of daily disquistions in the Radical party
journals. Morn, noon and night, with
monotonous sameness, the words are
dinned in Southern ears. There is but
one variation in the ghastly psalmody.
At one moment the South is cursed and
revled because it does not "accept the
situation;" moment later, and long ages
of fruitfulness and abundance are promis-
ed t. the South if it only will do what
Radcalism desires. And yet, in the face
of Alternate wheedling and denunciatlon,
we how, and the Radicals know, that,
our PEOPLE do "accept the situation" and
have done 80 ever since the fatal morn
whei the ruddy cross and cleaning stars
fadcl from the Banner of the South, and
nothing remained to us nut the pallid
standard which heralded the advent of
hollow truce-of a peace more hideous
tlan war.
TIE Southern people fought and were
hfested, and they submit to the inevita-
be consequences of their defeat. They
acknowledge that slavery is dead. They
acknowledge that the reconstruction gov.
e:nments Of the Southern States are valid
governments. They acknowledge, with
out reservation, that the reforms We need
must be obtained by peaceful agencies
alone-by the ballot, and not by the bull
Iet In word, the Southern people take
things as they arc and make the best OF
them, and in this sense do "accept the
situation" - 1-
This, however, will not satisfy the Radi-
Gals in any Southern State; and still less
will it satisfy them in South Carolina,
where they rave and fret as though no
hour. of reckoning would come. They
demand that we hug the chains with
which our limbs are sore that we brand
ourselves traitors and rebels; that we
shame the living and dishonor the dead
that we cringo and kneel and lick the
dust-only too happy if allowed to un-
loose the latchet of Radical shoe. Nor
is this ALL They demand that in accep-
ting the State government as o legal gov
ernment, we accept, as models of purity
and ability, its every official, from the
highest TO the lowest; that we accept,
&ithe4ita it HHApaaBstttaanffAiv as eaht sRd lust
may be pleased to pass /; that we accept
every decision Of an ignorant and incom-
petent Judge as final and irrevocable that
we refrain from murmuring under the
load of local taxation; that we accept as
perfect every part of tho machinery of
our government; that we do not crticse
or change any existing law, or attempt
to oust from his seat any Of the corrupt
and rapacious office holders who grow fat
and insolent at the expense of our strug-
Cling. people. They demand that we
swallow Southern Radicalsm, with all its
crimes and follies on it's head and, until
this is done, they continually will cry that
the South is rebelious and will not sac
cept the situations"
And the Southern Radicals may hoot
and yell until they are hoarse. Our peo-
pie yield ready obedience to the Con
stitition of the State and tho law of the
land. They trust to time to remove the
evils which restrain their growth and re.
tard their progress. But they never will
call black white, the unclean clean, the
corrupt pure and never, as it is under
stood by the Southern Radical, will they
aaccept the situation. "--Charleston Ne,oS.