The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1869-03-31
Interview Of South CarOlin-
ianS with President Grant.

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Interview Of South Carolin-
ians with President Grant.
Among tho visitors who called
on the President, on Tuesday
morning last, were tho Hon. J. Z.
Reed and Hon. w. ID. Simpson, Of
South Carolina, who were present
ed by the Hon. Thomas II. Jones,
of Kentucky. During the inter
view Mr.. Reed read, for himself
and Mr.. Simpson, the following
paper in relation to tho condition
Of affairs in that State
eve have called Mr. President,
as members elect from the old
Commonwealth Of South Caro-
liua to the Forty first Congress Of
the United States, to tender for
ourselves, and the people We have
been chosen to represent our con
gratulations upon your auspiclouS
assumption Of the Office Of Chief
Magistrate Of the American Union
We are, sir, natives OF the State
from whence We come, and claim,
as representative men oi'its ancient
population, to be familiar with
their political and material con
dition, their sentiments, and as
pirations for the futuc.
"Politically, in addition 10 the
loss Of nearly all their DecuniarV'
resources. they have, BY the re-
suits Of tho war, been practically
excluded, for more than three
years, from the family Of States,
and tho blessings Of civil govern
ment; but having been recently
restored to their original position
in the Union, upon the plan which
the Congress in its wisdom saw
fit to adopt, without concur ing in
the manner OF their restoration
they have accepted the accom-
plishcd fact in good faith, and arc
as loyal 10 tho Government OF II
common country as nny other
equal mher of the American
people.
"Thcir condition, socially, is and
has been one Of profound peace ;
and aside from Il lew isolated acts
Of personal violence, that have oc-
casionally been committed in DIFF
fcrent parts Of the State, such as
are unfortunately OF too common
occurrence in all sections Of the
Union, good order has prevailed,
and the laws, State and Federal,
enacted for their government by
bodies in which they were un-
represented, have been respected,
obcycd and enforced without the
slightest tendency TO tumult or
violence.
"Matcrially the abundant har-
vests that have been vouchsafctl to
them, and. the high prices at which
their leading staples have ruled,
have relieved them in II great
measure from their cmbarrass-
mrnts. and opened up to their i'm
aglnations the dawn Ola prosperity
so entirely unexpected as to lead
them TO hope that events which
were deemed tho most crushing
evils may turn out to have been
indeed BLESSINGS in disguisc.'
"In sentiment, whilst almost the
entire native white, and large
number Of the colorcd population,
havo affiliated and boon identified
with the national Democratic
party, their fcttcrs arc not OF
such controlling strength as to
induce or permit factious oppo-
sition to tho party in power, or
hinder them from yielding n
hearty support to all such meas
urcs Of your administration as will,
in their judgement, tend to develop
the resources and promote the IN
tcrcsts Of u common country.
"Thcir hopes and aspirations for
tho future arc that their State
may hcnccforth occupy precisely
the same relations to tho Govern
mcnt, under Il common Const,tu-
ton and laws, that is occupied by
by tho other States Of the Union !;
and to this end that the laws
imposing burdens and comforting
benefits on tho people may be uni
tormly enforced, persons and prop.
erty protected, the peace preserved
inviolatc, tho unity and pcrpctnity
Of the Government maintained,
and that uninterrupted fraternity,
prosperity and happiness may nt-
tend tho whole American people,
East, West, North and South,
without regard to race, color, or
previous condition. And such, sir,
arc the sentiments Of tho Hearts
Of ourselves and our people,"
In response to which, tho Pres
ident remarked:
"GENrLEMEN Tho sentiments cx-
pressed in that paper should mcct
tho appreciation Of every law
abiding and Union-loving citizen
Of tho country"
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