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

L
more the other great party, with its
machinery, dominates in our State, and
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
ncter have all the positions in the State.
The stranger rules and represents us
our laws are framed ut the North. BY in
centives, promises, secret associations, ana
by orr orn defaulf, the agents and ennis
saries of this party, have acquired com
pl ;te sway over the colored people. Like
q blind giant, the colored majority ex-
erts its strength and power, not to bene-
fit themselves, but to augment and per-
petuate this frightful usurpation. We
say one of the reasons of this state of
things is our otcn defauh. Instead of
at once taking in the real position of af-
fairs, realizing Reconstruction and color
ed suffrage as settled facts, and using
these rs data, accepting them and turn
] ing them into good; we have sat down
| i'm our ashes, and amid the ruins of our
State, and moaned like women at the
ruthless change. One might well ask,
whether aU the men in the South were
slain in her war whether they all sleep
meath her turf, and only the wind and
the women arc left to noun and to la
ment at their graves.
7 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 it's
standard, and to allure the white votes
of the South, to save the party in its ex-
treme need held out the delusiye
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 ms Our effort was not made
upon the basis of fact. and accomplished
change, but upon dclusive hope, held
out to MS, that these issues wonld BIO re-
considered-that the past would be par
italy restored. This was the nature of
our effort at the Grant aud Seymour cleo
tion in 1868. Our effort was a failure,
our dclusive hopes, blishtcd.
Rccoiling from this second defeat and
disappointment, We have relapsed into
our supinc lcthargy of inaction, or some
have gone over to the agency of the
Republican party.
There is another, and proper effort
to bo made. 'Tis no compromise of prin1
ciple. Tis the plain, sensible realization
of our position, an appreciation of wha
is settled and fixed, aud a knowlcdn. Of
what is our palpablc and true duty.
Reconstruct, colorcd suffrage
whether politically and metaphysicall{
just and right, or not, arc 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 labd
of the colorcd man. To do this, d
course, he is to be treated very di|
forsntly from what he was when slav
We are to start out with the admissi,
and recognition of his rights of citizc
ship. We arc to guarantee these righ
to him. He is not avaricious but
easily appcased and satisfied Let
treat the colorcd man as human bcin
no longer ridiculing his grotesque il
portance or his ignorance, but let
secure, and assist him, in his righ &
of voting, of acquiring an education, s