The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1869-12-02
0uercus referred to "bloodshed." The

2uSiSuS iCiSilSo "
stand ought to be made, and if our op-
.poncnts rather than yield to our supe-
rior inaueucc, make use Of means which
must be met by means as violent, let
us be determined that we will meet the
issue, and if blood must How ftr the
time, let it be upon their heads.
We have already put up with too
many Of tho "ils we have, that is, VIC
have stood supinely by and seen every
right and privilege swept away, every
wroughcaped upon us without once at
tempting to make use of the legitimate
means within reach, whereby ne might
havesaved ourselves. Conservatism is
undoubtedly the best principle to act
upon in politics. But when it involves
yielding up ourselves and our honor to
pack Of scoundrels, allowing them to
dispose Of our liberty ana property as
they please, then We think it begins
to be carried too far. Our legitimate
means of opposition is the ballot box
We can be successful there only by
combination. But tits argdea that the
negro is too far in the majority for Us to
meet and overcome him at the ballot
box. That may be true, but let It be
remembered that as rule, the negro
is we'll disposed towards the Southern
white man. And experience in Char
lesion shows, that we're he sure of pro-
lection from the idle vagabonds who
make the majority of union leagucrs,
he would not hesitate in a great many
instances to side with US. As long as
he sees how little cooperation there is
amongst US, he will feel that he would
be very Insecure, were he bold enough
TO come over to US. From my own
personal knowledge, I know that every
negro who voted with US in our last
election was obliged to do it by stealth
or else to hide himself very carefully
for weeks after the election, because
the party which he supported was not
sufficiently organized to protect him.
"Patience" has taken too hasty view
of Quercus' scheme. Quercus has seen
with regret, ever since the war closed,
that there was little or no public spirit
edncss amongst his fcllow.citisens -
Every man seemed to think that his
own individual prosperity was the only
thing worthy of consideration. And, in
following out that idea, each one seems to
have forgottea that he was member of
Common wealth, and that without the
prosperity of the commOnvshth, his
own aims could never prosper. This
spirit still prevails extensively, and un-
til every man learns, before he regards
his private comfort, to think Of himself
first as a member of his political society,
We will remain subject to this intolera-
bic system of government. Until, per-
haps, younger men, whose blood is not
so cold, will, by their hot t.headedncss
and hatred of oppression, be goadcd on
to inauguratiug this very anarchy of
which "Patience" speaks and which
Qusrcus is trying to show them how
to avoid In view of this, Quercus
advise cooperative organization as
the only remedy for tho evil. But
that organization would be worth
very little which was not prepared for
any issue that might be forced upon 1t.
Quercus docs not advocate an appeal TO
arms. He only asks for the organiza-
tion of the Caucasian race, the forma.
tion of sort of Caucasian League
He wants every man TO feel that so long
as he acts conscientiously and truly for
the country's good, he will be support
cd by his ueighbor. And if "Paticncc"
can convince him that it will be better
for every man to mind his own affairs
and trouble not himself about the po.
litical interests of his citizens,
forgetting the fable of "Herculcs and
the Wagoner," to wait for the manifcs.
tation of "thc divinity that shapes our
ends," without aiding ourselves or at
tempting to do so, then Quercus will
be content to remain forever silent and
he will adopt for Iris motto, "Patience."
QuERcUs.
South Carolina Monument Ass0.
citation.