The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1870-01-22

/ AAS N'SssASSAes'S P"st oSs'ho Noo - hV
more; the other great party, with its
machinery, dominates in our State, aud
its terrible power by the operation of
labyrinthine leagues and secret oaths,
has fallen into the hands Of small
clique in each county aud section of our
State. Men of no merit, talent or char
acter have all the positions in the State.
The stranger rules and represents us
otr laws are framed at the North. By in
centiycs, promises, secret associations, and
by oasr orn default, the agents and ennis
saries of this party, have acquired com
pl ;te sway over the colored people. Like
o blind giant, the colored majority ex-
erts its strength and power, not to bene-
fit themselves, but to augment and per-
petunte this frightful usurpation. We
say one of tho reasons of this state of
things is our o,cn detiuH. Instead of
at once taking in the real position of af.
fairs, realizing Reconstruction and color
ed suffrage as settled facts, and using
these MS ddtd, accepting them and turn
ing them into good; we have sat down
in our ashes, aud amid the ruins of our
State, and moancd like women at the
ruthless change. One might well ask,
whether aU the men in the South we're
slain in her war whether they all sleep
meath her turf, and only the wind and
the women arc left to moan and to Ia
ment at their graves.
1t is true, the people of this State,
and of the other Southcu States, did
make one effort, one rally, since the war.
But it was an effort to do what? An
effort to restore the past. The Dem
ocratic party at the North, reared its
standard, and to allure the white votes
of the South, to save the party in its ex-
trepe need held out the delusive
hope that negro suffrage would not be
permanent.
1t was snare! We would admit the
freedom of the colorcd man, but the
fond hope that his right of voting must
be qualified m abolished deluded us,
ensnarcd u.s. Our effort was not nude
upon the basis of fact, and accomplished
change, but upon dclusive hope, held
out to ns, that these issues would bo re-
considcred-that the past would be par
italy restored This was the nature of
our effort at the Grant aud Seymour cleo
tion in 1865 Our effort was a failure,
our dcusive hopes, blishted.
Recoiling from this second defeat and
disappointment, VIC have relapsed into
our supinc lctlargy of inaction, or someI
have gone over TO the agency of the
Republican party.
There is another, and proper effort
to bo made. "Tis no compromise of prin-
ciple. "Tis the plain, sensible realization
of our position, an appreciation of whn
is settled and fixed, and a knowledge Of
what is our palpable aud true duty.
Reconstruction, colorcd suffrage
whether politically and metaphysicallS s
just and right, or not, are settled facts
tho colored majority is the means b
which whoever governs the State, mus
be chosen. This is the position of on
State. Our duty is reconciliation, sd
curing the friendship, votes, and lnbu
of the colored man. To do this, d
course, he is to be treated very di|
fcrently from what he was when slav
We are to start out with the adniissi, E k-
and recognition of his rights of citizc
ship We are to guarantee these righ
to him. He is not avaricious but
easily appeased and satisfied Let
treat the colored man as a human bein
no longer ridiculing his grotesque il s.
portance or his ignorance, but let
secure, and assist him, in his righ 8!
of voting, of acquiring an education. #