The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1870-07-20

UElEVUlED ~ u
1858 warred NOT against the principle,
but contended> only for, the right Of the
State, to control Il. The strongest
Democratic States Of the Union have
Incorporated it into their practice and
thoir laws. The American, people in
the last Presidential election by large
majoritiss pledged themselves to main
tain it in the South.
The fifteenth amendment prohibiting
its abridgenent by tpe United States or
any Of the States has assumed the form
of Law, aud is sustained and enforced
by the general government With all its
power by the enactment Of the strongest
legal sanctions, The Executive, the
Judiciary, the people of the country,
are we'll known to be in harmony with
the measure. No party has raised the
standard of revolution or repeal. Where
then sbal! the crusade against princi.
pie thus fortified begin Let him who
will undertake the task. We push the
argument to his own conclusion, and
meet him there.
Assume that the teehnical exceptions
to tho fifteenth amendment should be
sustained; that the Supreme Court of
the United States should declare the
reconstruction acts unconstitutional aud
void that the next President and the
Congress to be elected with him, repre-
senting any majority possible of the
American people, should undertake to
re organize these States to wrest the
suffrage from the colored race! Does
any man doubt that the whole country
would then blaze with the fires of
civil war, fierce, bitter, bloody and pro-
tracted7 What, in that case, would be
our condition 2 Imagination shrinks
from tho conception, reason recoils
from its contemplation, aud Mortified
humanity revolts from tho spcctaclo-a
deluge of blood, succeeded by on un-
broken roign of ruin and dcsolation.
We cannot tell what may be tho pur-
poses Of the Ruler Of tho Universe con-
corning this question, but, as far as the
light of human reason may guide us, it
seems evident thai the world is to pass
under the rulc of the people in some
form of Democratic government. That
idea has boon gorminating to its devol-
opment for at least three centuries, and
its march is still onward. Should q
reaction ever set in towards other
forms Of progress, it will be when this
generation aud lis vcxatious temporary
and accidental local issues shall have
pissed away. Let no man deceive
himself The thought of revolutioniz-
ing public sentiment On this subject by
moral forces is tho blindcst aud most
impotent fatuity. That of eradicating
it from our system by forco Of arms
would be more than madness or folly
It would be wickedness. Either move
ment would begin without hope and
terminate in despair. Its advocates
would be trampled out under the heel
of popular progress, but no more arrest
its march than falling meteor locks
the wcels of the universe. 1t follows
that the other alternative must be accep.
ted. The absolute and sharp antagoni>m
Jctwcen the races vast DC so far ovcr-
come as to enable the good people Of both
to combine for the purpose Of yood gov-
crnn,cnt.
This is what the Union Reform party
of South Carolina proposes to accom-
plioh for the State. 1t has already been
demonstrated that this antagonism of
races is as unnatural as it is pernicious
in its effects. Its flames are fed and
famed by incendiaries, who, demon
like, can. only live in its baleful fires.
The fuel upon which it feeds is the de-
nial of the legal status of the colored
race as citizens. Eliminate this point
from the politics Of the day, and there
remains no just cause of difference be.
tween the races. Their interests will
then be identical at all points (; the peo
pie will be united harmony and peace
will prevail /; the demagogue and tricks
ter will bo rendered powerlcss; an
economical, honest aud competent
government will revive industry and
enterprise capital and immigration will
flow into our borders employmcnts will
be diversified; profits increased wages
made compensative; wealth will accu.
mulate cities, towns and villages null
tiply manufactures and tho mechanic
arts, schoolcs, colleges and churches
will attest great, growing, prospe.
rous, an enlightgnod and happy Chris
tian people and universal suffrage, no
longer rod of oppression, will become
a staff of strength and support to great
and glorious common wealth.
The platform of this party, while it
is historically true, buries tho issues Of
the past, and deals fairly, faithfully and
wisely with tho vital, practical questions
of the living present. 1t presents tho
only possible basis of union to the poo.
pie Of South Carolina, and holds out to
them for tho first time the olive branch
Of peace. 1t proposes fair trial, and
in tho only form 10 which o fair trial
may be had, of the experiment Of uni"
versal suffrage, under tho most difficult
of all circumstances. Ifacccptcd by the
people, the experiment will have proved
tho triumphant success of great prin~
ciple, and we will havo demonstrated
our capacity to emancipato ourselves
from the thraldom of prcjudio, ignorance
md IN MIC lu