The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1871-01-18
Gov. Alcorn's Rebuke.

One OF the most rcmarkaOlc
letters which has appeared in this
remarkable age, VIC Ind in tho
Weekly Examiner, published at
Aberdeen, Miss. 1t is from Gov.
Alcorn, the Radical Chief Magis-
tratc of that State, who has been
regarded as the idol and e1amplar
of Southern Radicalism. The cir
cumstances under which this let
ter has been written, arc as fol-
lows: A certain individual by the
name of Flournoy had some sort
of a conditional promise of the
Governor to appoint him a brlga-
dier-gcncral Of the State. Before,
however, the Governor had made
up his mind to sign the commits
sion, Flournoy uttered two unfor-
tunate speeches; one was a de-
nuaciation, in the vulgar and ma
lignant style Of Radical ultraism,
of tho great and good Robert f.
Lee, and the other was an assault
upon the principal university OF
the State, where the best of her
citizens and the most distinguish
ed of her sons had received their
collegiate education. BY these
unfortunate, but truly and consist
emily Radical uttcrances, Gov. AL
corn concludes that Flournoy has
shown himself unworthy to re-
ceivc a commission in the service
of the State. lie announces this
conclusion in tho following manly
but rather extraordinary letter,
every word of which will be found
worthy of perusal, remembrance
and reflection:
1 feel it a duty TO my State to
refuse the issue Of 4 commission
that would be even an apparent
approval Of yeur language on the
death Of Gen. Lee, and the policy
of the Legislature and Executive
in reference to the University ct
Oxford.
am pledged to the establish
mcnt, on a sure foundation, Of the
freedom Of the negro. [ am so
pledged with q singlcncss Of pur-
pose which turns neither to the
right nor left in any spirit Of self
seeking. If the coIcrcd people
are content with this on my part,
we'll; if they are not content,
again well. My earnestncss in
tho cause is, in either case, none
the less positive in its conviction,
that a people pIucked suddenly
from slavery cannot be trusted by
anxious thoughtfulncss to main
tain their freedom in hostility to
the wealth, intelligence and pas
sions of q powerful mass, trained
in all the skill Of politics, and
nurscd in the exercise Of social
and moral power. My devotion
to the cause Of free labor pledges,
therefore to tho duty Of main
tanning the attitude Of mediator
between tho two classes. Ny
oath of Office demands an enforce
mcnt of the law, aid forbids me
to compromise my mission of con-
ciliation by cvon al apparent
sanction Of 4 line Of thought cal
cuIatcd to make that enforcement
impossible by the inflammation Of
popular passion.
Gen. Lee was, perhaps, a "rcb-
el," yet, in a much humber po-
sition, l myself stand guilty Of
the same offcnse. Neither must /
overlook the fact that my party
embraces in its ranks men who
have been amongst the most de-
voted soldiers Of the South. l
cannot therefore, seemingly ar-
prove of any slur cast upon the
memory of Gen. Lee, because Of
his participation in the "rcbellion."
A wise Cancellation would lose
sight Of the "rcbcl," in presence
Of the noble qualities Of the man,
and shining achievements Of the
soldier.
The University of Oxford is one
Of the traditions which patriotism
holds it 4 duty to cherish. Pre-
cious as it is to the cultivated
minds Of the State, that noble
remnant Of the past retains q
strong hold upon the affections of
the mass Of citizens of my race.
Against that inheritance of my
Ia ~