The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1869-12-03
THE RUINED BoTTH.

reader. MIR. PtGlSbuFy was the COM
peer Of Garrison, Phillips and Smith,
in the work of Abolition, and is at this
day, perhaps the most consistent and
earnest of the whole circle of Anti-Sla-
very agitators. The LadqDenzalt, to the
columns OF which the article was con-
tributed, is an ultra Radical journal,
edited by the notorious political relig-
ionist, Theodore Tilton. The general
tone of the article itself reveals the
writer's decided antagonism to the
Democratic party, which fact shoald
make his testimony all the stronger
with those who adhere to the Radical
organization.
1t seems that Mr.. Pillsbury has been
making a tour Of observation in the
South. for the purpose of learning the
real condition of the negro population
in that section He knew too much of
the character Of the adventures who
floeked to the Southern States, imme-
diately after the close of the war, to
place unquestioning reliance in the
rose-colored reports concerning the
well-being Of the African Imam and
brother" sent out by them from time
to time. The mass of the God and
and morality party might live on in
their credulity and gulp down any
quantity of carpet-baggers' tales of ne
gro intelligence and negro happiness,
spiced with the usual Ku KIux stories
ofthe barbarity Of ftheSonthern whites;
but rs for him, he preferred to visit
the Abolition Canaan and see and hear
for himself. He went and saw and
conquered a good deal his old preju-
dice against political and social dis
tinctions based on race or color. He
says,
Strange as it may seem, not one col
Ored person in a thousand viii refuse
whisky, old or young, male or female;
though in slavery, | am told-indeed,
was always tOld-that drunkenness was
not prevailing vice. Probably the
restraints Of masterhOOd had much to
DO with it. The whisky is usually
drank raw and reeking from the bar
rel, without sugar and with very little
if any water. | have
seen mothers pour it thus down the
thrOats Of six months babes, men, wo-
men children, and the storekeeper look
ing on without remark" +"
How does this jump with the theory
OF these pious people who insist that
Radicalism is reform and that the So
cial and political equality of all people,
white, yellow, red and black, is prog.
ress? This apostle of the gospel of
Aboiitionism, in a single paragraph
contradict5 all his preaching in the
past IL not one free colored person
in thousand will refuse the abomina-
BILE whisky sold in the stores of the
carpet baggers, and if during slavery
drunkenness was not prevailing vice
among the negroes, is not the moral
condition Of the African population Of
the South worse now than it was be-
fore the war? And il the negroes
have retrograded morally, does it not
follow as certainly as the night follows
the day, that they are decaying phys
icalIy, falling industriaIly, declining
Intellectually, and, therefore, eking
out miserable lives, useless alike to
themselves and the community p
Here is a question that might be stud
led to some purpose by the noble army
Of temperance lecturers now perambu-
latiag the country, some of whom i'm
agine that Abolitionism is the twin
sister of their own goddess of Abstem-
iousness.
Mr.. Pills5ury sketches the negro as
a legislator, in the following style:
"A majority of the legislature of
South Carolina are colored men, and
many of them can neither write nor
read. At the opening of the
session, colored votes were easily
bought at five dollars, though later
they rose on their price. One shrewd
Yankee from Massachusetts, not
member, but who had some schemes
to lobby through the legislature, car
ried to the capital some cases of new
hats, and with them as legal tender
drove quite spirited and successful
business"
And this is one of the legislatures to
which is entrusted the work of amend.
ing The Constitution OF the United
States! This Legislature" of South
Carolina .4many Of whose members can
neither write nor read, and who are
d bought at five dollars a head, or for
Massachusetts wool hat, has already
IatfHSd TUE CiiteIuth Amendment.
Nay, without the affirmative vote of
this immaculate and intelligent body,
the Amendment can never become a
part Of the Constitution. Where is the
man whose cheek will not crimson at
the thought? Is there really an A
merican so corrupt, so base, so recre-
ant to all that patriotism holds dear,
who will not scruple to champion SO