The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1870-08-17

THOMAS BRAGG, Chm.
A. 8. MERRIMON,
NJ. A. BLEDSOE,
j. Q. DECARTERET,
JAS. II. MOORE,
CAAS. NJ. BUSBEE,
H. JAS. j. LITCHFORD,
Democratic Conservative Cent. Ex. Com
) (From tho New York world.1
FEW FRIENDLY WORDS TO THE
SOUTH.
l We are not such novices as to be un-
aware that the people who voluntee,
advice are not likely to be repaid with
thanks. Wea understand that it il
not quite in accordance with the time-
honored principles of the Democratic
party for people of one State or class Of
States to counsel the people Of anothe,
State or class of States respecting the
management of their internal concerns.
We nevertheless feel impelled to ask
the attention Of our Southern breth-
rem to few words of truth and sober.
ness.
The oppressive domination under
which the South suffers is a domination
from without, aud there is no reasonable
hope of redress except by relief from
external tyranny. If the South possess.
ed freedom of internal action, unasked
advice would indeed be intrusive and
impertinent. But that section can be
relieved from the incubus of Federal
domination only by Democratic victories
in the North and this is O valid apol.
ogy for the advice we presume to
offer. AS the South needs our aid.
it must not spnrn our friendly counsel.
From 1860 down to the present time
many leading minds in tho South have
been afflicted with political blindness.
1t was supreme act of political folly
to split the Charleston Convention by
the lamentable schism which brought
two Democratic candidates-Douslas
and Breckenridge--into the field against
Lincoln, and secured his first election.
The Northcrn Democrats who abetted
that schism were sycophants of the
South, not real friends. Prominent
among them were Ben. Butler, who
promptly deserted to the Radicals -
Daniel S. Dickenson, who took Office
under Mr.. Lincoln /; Caleb Gushing, who
has been the paid counsel of succ essive
Radical administrations and John A.
Hix, the submissive tool Of Lincoln and
Seward in shutting up the offices of
democratic newspapers. These are spe-
oimens. TIE supporters os Mr.. Doug
lass, on the other hand, pitched their
professions Of friendship in lower kew,
but have maintained them to the present
hour. If Mr.. Douglass had been elect.
ed, We should have had no civil war,
aud the South would have been EXEMPT
from its deplorable train of consequences.
The wisdom Of Douglas consisted in his
correct appreciation Of the tone and tenn
per of the Northern people. He saw that
the safety ofthe South depended on a
strong Northern allionce, and that such
an alliance was practicable only on basis
OF moderation. What was true in 1860
is trebly true now, when the North has
still greater weight and prepondcrance (;
when tho Radicals control every depart.
ment of the Federal governments, and
largo majority of the State governments.
The South can be relieved only by North.
ern Democratic Intervention, and North.
ern Democrats may claim to understand
the public sentiment Of his section better
than our impracticable Southern breth.
rem. Unless they will permit US to act
upon our better knowledge of the situa,
tion, they must resign themselves to
the tender mercies of Radical DONNA.
tion.
We tell thom therefore, in all candor
and plainness, that they only rivet their
chains by further opposition to negro
suffrage. 1t is not by negro
votes that they are oppressed, but by
white votes. 1t is vain for them to in
scribe on their political banners that
they are "white mans party" so long
as their tyrants consist of a Congress
elected by whito votes. Negro suffrage
is the result oea white movement. The
negroes did not ask for suffrage till the
white Radicals put it into their heads.
The negroes would vote rightly enough,
If the white Radicals did not mislcad and
deceive them. The Infamous rcconstruc.
tion laws were passed by Congress, in
which tho South were not represented at
all; by Congress, therefore, which was
wholly elected by white constituents. It
is not by negroes that the South is op-
pressed, but by white men; its most dan
gerous enemies arc the white Radicals
Of the North and it is ridiculous to OK.
pect redress from ga whito mans party"
when party of white men are the au-
thors Of all the mischief. Is Grant a ne
gro ! Is Holden negro? Was old Thad
Stevens negro, or elected by negro
constituents Has not Europe groaned
for ages under pricstly craft and kingly
tyranny, without negro among all her
oppressors Are the English opprcssors
of Ireland negrocs7 Was Poland dismem.
bercd by negroes Is Cuba held in sub.
lection BY nation Of negroes ? unfortu-
natety, great part of human history con
sists of reoitals Of white tyranny and
oppression and nothing could be more
preposterous than to expect justice from
ga white mans party" on the sole ground
that its members are white.
What the South needs to be rescued
from is tho domination of the white
Radical party of the North, which has
controlled Congress for ton years. The
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