The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-03-26
Remarks Of Colonel Richard Lnthers, at
the Annual Dinner of the Hiberninn
Society, on ST. PatrIck's Day.


friends OF our childhood and while full OF grati-
tude 10 my Northern friends for the many sub
stanta evidences Of their kindness and lioerality
which have received during residence OF over
twenty years in tharglorlOus City OF New YORK,
during which time have been fostered, encour-
aged and sustained by the liberalty OF that mer.
camille element which, true to the Instincts OF
commerce, rises above the prejudlces OF secLlon,
al religious or political differences, return TO
my early home n Carolina with lneXpressiDe
satisfaction, and am ready to assume my snare
Of her burthens, and to aid, as far ..s my recipe
powers and means will justify, in restoring her
and her citizens to that equality as State, ana
to those rights as individuals, which are guaran-
teeo by the great charter which consumes US q
nation Of lreemen under leueral repuol; ol
equal States. (Applause.]
NV love for the Union and my reverence for
Stale rights have undergone no modihcatlon,
however extreme parties have met and contested
the value or validity OF either OF these two great
principles OF constitutional freedom In this great
federal republic. Irishmen may be justly proud
that they have steadily adhered to that party who
have sustained the Union for the protection OF our
country against foreign invasion or domestic VIC.
lence on the one hand, and maintained tile sacred
right of local State government for the protection
ofindvidual liberty on the other; and they have
vallanty sustained the great Democratic party IN
main ntaining the CHECKS and balances OF the con.
stitutiOn q" ainSt the revolutionary measures OF
Radicalism, which threatens the whole country,
as we'll as the South, with mlsrule, disorganism
and corruption. The ungenerous and unstates-
manlike oppression OF conquered Ireland centu-
ries ago by English vctors, In conf1Scating the
property and depriying the Irish OF the right OF
local government, so deeply impressed the insult
and wrongs on the hearts ofihat generous, proud
and brave nation, that no practical measures OF
modern English craftsmanship have been found
20 eradicate the deep seated hatred inspired by
that this emphatic lesson might impress the
| Northern heart, and awaken the uIthinking to
the dangerous power exercised by radical mea-
sures In Congress towards their brethren OF the
| WI - ly sectional
| discord, and producing that degree OF alienation
and hatred Which future and more generous
| craftsmanship may be unable to allay love
| the Union; regard the rights and duties OF each
State as personal to myself, whether l am
In South Carolina. New York or Massachu-
sets; and look with equal pride on the re-
spective good qualities and advantages as the
| common heritage OF every American citizen,
| whether he resides in Maine or Georgia. The
aggregate qualities which our national pride
| fondy adduces as the measure or our greatness
people, are mostly the product OF international
contributions from the poor strangers who have
sought our shores for protection or sustenance.
| So regard the contributions OF the capital, the
| industry and the enterprise OF every citizen OF
any State who locates In South Carolina, as
valuable contributions to her future greatness
and power, and the individuals bringing them as
benefactors OF the community. But look with
loathing and contempt on that class OF political
adventurers who come here with q partisan and
corrupt purpose, to prey on the exhausted re-
sources or the South, by sowing dtSc0rd between
Inc races, whose CnauHeu 10 each OIIlcr
at this time furnish problem OF great anxiety
In social and civil life, and threatens by this In
reference the future peace and prosperity OF
our common country. These adyenturers COM
ing here as bankrupt In purse as they
are corrupt in purpose, Iasten like vampires on
people already Impoverished by war, and insulted
by fanaticism. Making politics trade, every
element OF State and municipal power, from the
lowest to the highest office, with few exceptions
contribute te their corrupt acquisitions OF wealth,
and while civil society has been entirely reversed
In this State, the ignorant and corrupt directing
the. the legislature ny @ta;SEl'lss SS
genial coloretl men, under the g!ise OF rrepressi.
BILE love for their as rapidly producing tnat
degree Of discord and alienation Which would
ere long produce the dlsorganlsm OF st. Domingo.
Loud appplause.l
But civil society Will always Vlndlcate ltseil 10
this country, and those corrupt and audacious
measures have become 80 garlng that the intelll-
gent colored men OF the State and even tile con-
servative element OF the Republican party; are
not Iusensible to the common danger. True
statesmanship In times OF great corruption anu
social or political peril. Is evinced by the appica
tlOn OF the best material, however lra, which me
impaired public edice. And mariner would be
unequal and unfit for the discharge OF his respon-
sibilisies who should neglev; Or refuse to con-
struct jurymasts after destructive gale, to en-
able his ship 10 reach port OF safety, merely be-
cause timber and rigging could not be found on
board Of the wreck at sea OF as lifting character
rs those with which his noble ship encountered
the gale which destroyed them.
Political parties and religious sects are properly
organized as means to great ends, and when the
public veal il to be reached only by more speedy
or safer me liunl, or when human society or pub
lie morals are threatened with destruction, 1t
may be iutlicious to suspend the action OF sepa-
rate organisms and meet all good and true men
on q broader basis OF public necessity disregard
ing all distinctions OF Sects parties races or Color
cooperating in the great issue for the common
good or To arrest u common evil.
am proud to acknowledge myself q Democrat
OF the extreme school. have never cast my vote
outside OF my party affiliations, anu | believe
that when the sun Of that great party shall cease
to illuminate the politics OF this federal republic,
darkness will overspread the political atmosphere,
ana gross darkness will characterize the people.
THE Constitution and the Federal Union " Ill pass
away; Centralism, fanaticlsm and corruption Will
pervade the land and cOnstituuonai llocrty III
this country will live only IN history. Ana, yet,
with this strong avowal OF party production,
which grows with my experience, and has sur
mounted many grave defect in Its policy. can
| not refrain from advising you, my old friends,
that If in your Judgment you can rescue the State
| from the corrupt influences Which threaten good
men of both parties and both races, and menaces
| even your civil existence as people, Dy oIeanLL
ing, irrespective OF all distinctions, lor the com
mon good, you will be recreant to the best inter.
eat of Yourselves and your posterity II you neg
| lect it, Tremendous cheering
1t Is but justice to the great oouy OF the people
of the North to say to you that these adyenturers
, nave no svmnathy there. 1t Is true that by sys-
tematized MISREPRESENTATION Of Radical CORES
pondents with Radical SewspaperS ~ tae Norsn,
i These carpetbaggers have to soe eAsenS Posoa ~
ell the minds Of the uniformed a. .ae NYdtn, as
they have impressed the uninformed portlon OF
| the colored population at the South. but they
are fostered and sustained BY corrupt Dody OF
| wire.puers, whose nucleub Is at washington,
and whose reconstruction policy IS but sode 10
legalize fraud and oppression, to tile end that
their party may long enjoy the power Wflch an.
| bushingly fattens on the public treasury, anu
| the sale Of legislative patronage and privileges,
| OF which cadetships at West Point and railroad
grants OF the public domain are but feeble ex-
amples OF the corruption which Radical leSlsa-
tlun Is producing.
| Already O reaction has commenced In Congress,
| and the practical conhscation OF property under
| the guise OF enormous taxation will, ere long,
/ reach Northern industry with degree OF power
| which will not be disregarded. and which Will put
| the Northern mind In sympathy with your own
| burthens The co0re1 men here OF intelligence
| are not inscnsibe to the corrupt llsorganism
which the carpet-bagger Is producing In the State,
| by working on the prejudices OF the uninformed
OF their own race; and as colored citizens now en-
Joy, in common with white citizens, perfect
equality before the law, so they begin to feel that
| their new sphere endows them with higher
| purpose than being the mere tools Of these cor
| rupt adventurers.
The coored man and the white man have q
common heritage in the government OF the State,
| they are pew mutually responsible for the public
| w,"il in the interests OF themselves and their
| children 1t Is their mutual advantage as they
are endowed with equal power, to concede to each