The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-01-21
G II A r T. E S r ON /.
THURSDAY MORNING. JANUARY 81, 1869.
Fair Play.

We have been surprised at the exceeding
unfairness characterizing many of the Re-
publican reports of the state of affairs at
the South. They virtually assert that the
law has ceased to control the people. They
persistently represent every crime commit
ted amongst us as due to Political causes
They assign them all to one class of our
citizens, discrediting the well attested cases
of outrage and murder perpetrated by any
other. And they go so far as to fabricate
history, on the plea that their surmises are
more likely to be correct than the dis
patches Of their own correspondents, who
are on the ground, and have every oppor-
tunity of investigating the facts.
Thus the Nation. which ia in the main.
conservative and high toned paper, dis
nlrye creative ingenuity ii lis reoonstruc-
fo~; Of southerni item ahioa ether de-
partnaents OF roet.Y and tiot,s.. Ga 2 scarcely
paratiol 'ust enough of ieoc is given to
start the ready sneer an6 to carry the dex-
ferrous fabrication. Perversions of history
have, indeed, become so common in it's col.
umns that the nefarious business is carried
on without disguise. Sometimes the news
manufacturer apologies for his work by
complaining that 1thc details are meagre,
and SO must be supplemented by conjecture.
Sometimes he boldly asserts that s.the ac-
''counts must be read backward, whenever
"negroes are concerned" Sometimes he
launches a monstrous slander with lift
Of conceit; hesays, ''The fact of the mat
s;ter e,take to be thie;"4 and after such o
preface, Of course adds whatever he chooses.
The treatment Of the Ogeechee troubles
affords an illustration Of the anfairness of
which the orderly people Of, the South, Of
both races, have reason to- complain The
eutrages committed on the plantations were
such that property and life were insecure
Gin houses were robbed; residences burnt
down; families driven from their homes to
the shelter Of the woods or the city. There
was not only q suspension Of agricultural
operations, upon which all classes Of the
people depended for subsistence, but all
civil order ceased. The woods were infes
ted with armed and Irresponsible men; the
fields were picketed and patrolled; peacea.
bic travellers were arrested; farmers were
shot down on their own fields. The inoens
diary doctrines of the convict Bradley
threatened to produce war Of races.
And now, such ferment Of the social ele-
ments as might we'll awaken universal So
licitude, is simmered down in the Nation
to the exploits Of o few thieves Of both
races, who sometimes shoot at each other!
10 our mind, there is not only ineffable
meanness. but ineffable folly, in thus deal-
ing with the difficulties of Southern recon.
structiop. We have been gratified in OBJ
serving the growth Of better understand
ing between the white and colored people
OF the South. The public welfare REQUIRES
its promotion. Whatever interferes with
it, must neither be sneered away, nor laugh
ed away, nor lied away; but rsproba.ed
and removed effectively. IF an outrage
has been committed, it is mot the less to be-
condemned because the criminal Is Of suoh
or such party, or Of suck or such q color.
A~sASs s1SSSANAo8 W tA0 HS&S1Oua WN9H a, mAM'9
house Is burned, IL is necessary that YOU
should also blast his character; IL he lie de-
spoiled Of his cotton and rice, you must
also rob him Of his honor; il he appeals to
the authorities for protection, You must de-
nounce him before the tribunals OF the
world. But he who steals the crep and
fires the mansion Is an Intelligent patriot
and worthy citizen, and rather nm injured
man than otherwise. Thepoof fellow nesds
sympathy. 4
Fine fun W you, gentlemen Of the Ma
ton, and the Chroniols, and the Tribune;
but death TO us: Yot are very kind TO i'm
ttersst yourselves in our affairs 60 constant
"; bnt,really you must pardon us IL We
say that the breeding of bad blood il not n
secial necessity with us just now. VIZ can
got sos ss00laY tolsfAbly well without 1t. 10
array GLASS sgainst GLASS. labor against cap-
ital, muscle against mind, may be d. very
wise proosdarein yons latitude; wspreSsr
70 'harmoniss thsss clements es Ahoroughly