The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-03-29
A Mighty Political Change.

A handful OF migratory politicians-of the
class which would suspect the honesty OF its
grandmother, if that venerable dame dared
to shake her umbrella at "the party"-insist
that white is black and black is white, and
that the white citizens of South Carolina
cannot possibly be in earnest in their frank,
though somewhat sudden, recognition of the
civil and political rights of the colored peo'
pie of the State. These same estimable in
diyiduals, with groans and lamentations and
secret rejoicing, have abused the South year
by year, because it did not, in the twinkling
of an eye, abandon the hates and loves Of
ages and admit that the Federal bullet bore
with it, of necessity, the ballot Of the freed
man. With characteristic cheek they pitched
into the respectability which ventured to be
respectable, the consistency which continued
TO be consistent, and the intelligence which
dared to be intelligent. They condemned
the South because it did just what, at that
time, was reasonable and natural; and now
abuse the people Of this State because they
do what is, at this time, equally reasonable
and natural, and which is, moreover, the
very thing they have been bitterly blamed
for not doing
Every old woman of politician in these
United States knew perfectly well that the
Southern people would not admit the civil
and political equality of their former slaves
until they had exhausted every peaceful
means of limiting their privileges to what
might be indispensable to the security and
comfort .of the newly enfranchised race.
Sentiment and sound sense caused the whites
to strive to defeat, or delay, universal negro
suffrage AS the whites Of the South fought
during the war to maintain the right to gov
ern themselves, so they fought after the war
to prevent absolute power from passing into
the possession of inexperienced and illite-
rate colored men. But when the crisis came
and the last appeal proved unavailing, the
people bowed their heads and accepted the
inevitable. 1T was Inns that the Southern
soldiers furled their flags and stacked their
arms on the field of Apponlattox. The po-
liticai defeat led to the political change; as
the defeats of war brought about the dis
banding of armies and unconditional sur
render. But this does not suit the political
tinl;ers, who are always ready to give the
new lamps of promise for the old lamps\pf
dull reality. The cry of Wolf! is raised,
and the men who shouted themselves hoarse
in proving that the South was rebelllous and
unreconstructed, now vow and protest that
the mighty movement against Radicalism
progressing in South Carolina is nothing
better than delusion and snare. They
say that the men who strained at gnat in
1865 surely cannot swallow camel in 1870.
1t is forgotten that the public gorge, with
time enough for its development, has an
elasticity equallcd only by that of the ponch
OF needy politician. But, as usual, the
conduct of the few agitators is not accepta-
ble to the good sense OF either whites or
blacks. The colorcd people would have had
good cause to doubt the sincerity of the
Southern whites, if these had rushed forward
five years ago and admitted that their slaves
of yesterday were the public equals, if not
the superiors, OF the whole white race. Such
an admission was not expected by the freed
men. They knew, none better, the width
and depth and length OF the mighty chasm
which was bridged by the accomplishment
of emancipation. The coldness and recall
citrancy of The whites were no more than
the freedmen expected These knew that
it would be never-dying torment to be
thrust back into slavery when they had once
been free. In time they might philosophi-
cally declare that whatever is is best, but in
the beginning they would fret and pine.
And to remit the freedmen to slavery would
be a less striking change than changing the
slave into freeman, the political equal, and
often the political superior, OF most of his
former owners. The colored people know
and understand this; the political advisers,
who have been in counsel with them, did
not, and do not, understand it.
1t is the very steadiness and regularity of
the revulsion in public sentiment which
proves its earnestness; and to say that -he
people had no o,s2r course open to them,
and could do nothing else, is at least giving
them credit for q large supply of sense. Up
to the elections of 1868, there was prospect
of change for the better; but these elections
were the Waterloo Of the South. There was
no alternative but to take the freedman and
make the most OF him, for his own sake and
for ours. The people made up their minds
to take things as they are, and in so doing
are no more tickle and inconstant than he
who makes of his sword reaping hook, or
binds his snorting war-horse to wagon or
peaceful plough. 1t was impossible for the
Southern people to be transmitted and
changed with the rapidity of the traditional
sinner, OF whom it is written that, when
hurled from his horse and killed,
Between the stirrup and the ground,
he mercy sought and mercy found"
1t would have been better VIC admit, if
from the very beginning the Southern whites
had accepted the situation Jlod tho white