The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-04-19
The PEesS ConSercnee-;.sa Scspsisaas sslsc
= SflnstioE.-nc.z.Ss 81. s 80. q q

Ane glle = sess Conaorcnces-sAceePs flsc
~ 2 SatuktioE--rfosa. 81. " -
In;our former artiiplls Wa sndeavorsd
ITO shoYithRs our people had put aside
deaG isenessnnd accepted the situation,
|audlpropossfi lin this 70 consider the pro;
Fpositions of the press conference DON.
Htained in the following resolutions: q
: ri. Res6lred, unanimously, That this
conference recognizes the legal rights of
all the citizens Of the State, irrespective
OF color, to outrage
"2. That this conference recognizes
the legal rights of all the citizens of the
State, irrespective Of color or previous
condition, to Office, subject alone to
personal qualification and fitness"
We do not for one moment question
the sincerity of the gentlemen who have
announced these resolutions, but as a
platform of party each plank contains
an ambiguity which must be explained
by ourselves or interpreted by our adj
versaries.
In the first we ''recoguize the legal
right of all the citizens of the State,
irrespective of color, to suffrage" and
in the second their "legal right to Office,
subject alone to personal qualification and
fitness" Now, what is meant here by
legal rights and personal qualification
and ftness2
Do we simply mean to say that we
recognize This legal right under the 60
vernment, which we accepted when we
laid down our arms. and under which we
now live? If this is oil, why announce
1t? Do we not pay taxes to this govern
ment, obey its laws, and recognize its
authority? Aud hnve we not done 80
ever since the re-establishment of its
supremacy? And are not these rights
secured to the citizens of the State,
irrespective Of color, by that govern
ment? Have we not voted with the
negro, respected his authority in Office,
submitted our rights to him upon the
jury, addressed him upon the bench,
and obeyed the laws enacted by HIM ?
Is not the whole legal profession in our
State now engaged in the study of an
imported system of procedure, only to
save n few strangers the trouble of
familiarizing themselves with our own?
Why, then, announce in words what we
have 80 fully recognized in deed? This
resolution must mean something more,
or it means nothing. What, then, does
it mean?
Does it mean that through whatever
changes and chances that may happen
to the United States Government, we
will guarantee the negro the position he
has been given to rule us? Does it mean
that should the radical party at last,
through its extravagance, exhaust the re-
sources OF the country; by its vipdic-
tiveness weary the patience of the peo-
pie, and disgust them with its negro
rule; and that if from all these abuses,
there should come renction, and sweep
it from power, that then we shall still
recognize these people as our political
equals, and continue them in power? ?
Does it mean that we are now prepared
to recognize and grant them all that
follows from political equality?
Unless we mean all this and are pre-
pared to go to the whole of this extent,
the resolution means nothing; and the
freedman has no inducement to leave
the party which has given him all, to
come to us who can give him nothing.
II the resolution means all this, we
prefer to be ruled as we are, to any 60
vernment we oonld purchase at such a
cost. Now, that the question is raised,
let MS look the issue full in the face.
The world is looking on and wonder
ing ut the sight of these two people, once
masters and slaves, forced from each
other by foreign bayonet, yet living
together in peace. Notwithstanding fana-
tical and malicious efforts to incite the
Glasses against each other; and even we
ourselves have been surprised at the
good conduct of the negro under the
circumstances. But we know that our
hold upon our former slaves is the re-
membrance of our kindness to them
when in our power, and their remaining
reverence for and faith in their old
masters. Their belief in us, if shaken,
has not yet been destroyed.
Will we risk this hold upon them by q
promise of double meaning? Will we
assure them of our recognition of their
political rights, all the while with q
mental reservation? This would be as
unwise as false. The negro, let us
recollect, was ever quick ut reading our
family secrets.
Let us distinctly bear in mind, that all
we can offer, is what we aoiN do in the
future, if the negro will help us to re-
gain our power; and that this is the only
inducement we can offer him to desert
the radical, who, as he believes, has
already done so much for him, and who
3fo7D buc yonwar Hon xvo lr-o-sa, I,