The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1870-01-22
now, who will not devote Lis energy in
this hour, perhaps of sorcr trial.

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 OUT
State. Men of no merit, talent or char
acter have oil the positions in the State
The stranger rules and represents. us
our laws are framed ut the North. BY in
centivcs, promises, secret associations, ana
Ly oar orn defaul, the agents and ennis
saries of this party, have acquired com,
pl :te sway over the colorcd people. Like
q 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 the reasons of this state of
things is onr o,cn detimh. Instead of
at once taking in the real position of af-
fairs, realizing Reconstruction and color
ed suffrage as settled facts, and using
these as data, accepting them and turn
ing them into good; we have sat down
in our ashes, aud amid the ruins of our
State, and moaned like women at the
ruthless change. One might we'll ask,
whether aN 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 moan and to la.
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 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 o abolished deluded us,
ensnarcd us. Our effort vas not made
upon the basis of fact. and accomplished
change, but upon u dcIusive hope, held
out to us, that these issues would be re-
considered-that the past would be par
italy restored. This as the nature of
our effort at the Grant aud Seymour elcc-
tion in 1868. Our effort was failure,
our dclusive hopes, blishted.
Rccoiling from this second defeat and
disappointment, VIC have relapsed into
our supinc lcthargy of inaction, or some
have gone over TO the agency of the
Republican party.
There is another, and a proper effort
to be made. 'Tis no compromise of prinl
ciple. 'Tis the plain, sensible realization
of our position, an appreciation of whaf
is settled and fixed, and a knowledge OF
what is our palpuble and true duty.
Reconstruction, colorcd sufrrageS
whether politically and metaphysical
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 ouE
State. Our duty is reconciliation, sd
curing the friendship, votes, and labo
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 admissic
and recognition of his rights of citizc
ship. We are to guarantee these righ N
to him. He is not avaricious but
easily appcased and satisfied. Let
treat the colored man as a human beiu
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.