The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1871-01-05

just anu eVudl Ia"s) oiuei "n1 n"' 'i"''J
economy in public expenditures, stric
accountability Of ofice-holdcrs, and th
election to Office only of men of kIowr
honesty and integrity"
We put forward as the State candi
dates a prominent Republican, who
had proved himself capable and jus'
Judge, and a Democrat and eminentlJ
representative Carolinian, popular and
distinguished. The people, in their
county nominations generally observed
the same spirit of compromise, and Sc
lccted as their candidates white or black,
Democra. and Republican-giving full
effect to the principles of the platform:
Certainly if ever party was organized
outside of political issues, this was.
There was literally nothing in it to
repel any citizen OF any school Of pcli-
ties, except the few who, cliuging to
the issues of the past, were offended by
| the liberal concessions made to the
colored people. IT, therefore, we could
establish our charge against the then
existing administration of the State
government, we had right to count
upon the support of all honest men.
Those charges were, in general terms,
inc jmpeteucy, extravaganza, prejudice,
aud corruption, and there is not a
county or precinct in 'the State where
they were not proven to be true TO the
conviction Of the com,uonest under
standing, and to an extent wholly ur-
D ralleled in the annals of civilized gov
ernmeuts. These proofs were never
refuted. Some errors in particular
specifications we're occasicntlly pointed
out; but as a whole they stood un-
coatrovcrted as they were incontrovcrsl-
blc-inefacebly impressed upon the
recorded acts of the government. had
the battle been permitted to rets upon
this issue, you would have been Tcjolc-
ing in the restoration of peace and good
government to this stricken and desolat.
ed State. The wicked leaders pf the
prejndiccd aud benigeted masses Of
cclored people, who look to them tor
guidance with the simple faith Of child
hood, knew too well where their strength
las not to avert this blessed boon from
their dcllded followers. True TO the
principle Of "rue aud ruin," which has
ever actuated them since they came
among us, they appealed to that spirit
of an,agonism which s'umbered until
thoy came and led their victims blind
cd to the sacrifice. They pretended
that we we're moi in earnest-tlat cur
I4eiing ,5en did not support US; that
our ibe%lity OF r'tis'cipi9 and practice
was bat prcncditatcd 'icuchcry-a sub'
lie and deceptive schenc 70 acquire
power; that that power, whca acquired
would be used to put them Back into
slavery; that we were tho same people
who had held them in bondage for So
many generations, and fought four
wears to rivet their chains, aud could
never be trusted. They raked the ashes
OF the past to find the old sores Of
slavery, opened them afresh, rsreiled
in the torture they inflicted BY the
cruel pictures they drew of wrongs
which were either never endured, or as
exceptional as child-murder Ia New
England. The more fcrcely ragged the
mad passions of the crowd, the greater
their efforts to aggravate and iniuriate
them. They told them every concelV-
able story they could invent to make
them believe that we sough their ruin.
Every brawl between white and black
was naguif;d into the beginning OF war
against their race. They were told
that We would prevent their voting by
violence, and on this prctext they were
armed by the State the further to alarm
and excite them. They we're told that
we we're rebels, enemies of the General
and State Governments; that the Presl-
dent and the Governor, and the great
Republican party were our enemies and
their friends; that they would never be
hurt do what they might; that high
taxes were nothing to them-they did
not pay them; that it would be good tor
them if the land-holder should be forged
to sell his lands dowu to mere home
stead. They would then have homes
through the operation of the land com
mission and other causes; that all the
accumulated property here was the re-
suit of their labor; that it righttully be-
lonced to them, and that the way to
Get it was to vote for what they were
pleased to term "the Republican party"
meaning the ruling dynasty in South
Carolina. These were the arguments
with which the pretended friends and
self.cons,ituted advisers of the colored
people met the srlemn peace offering
of the whites, ratified 10y them by Il
larger vote than has been polied since
the war.
TO the appeals to prejudice, cupidity
and ignorance We responded, that we
were incapable OF the frauds imputed
t. Us; that the whites were united IN
supper Of our measures, and would 50
prove by their votes: that we had
neither the inclination nor the power
to rcmand them to slavery, nor could
we ahridgc their rights if we would