The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1871-06-22
For the Anderson Ante1igencer. {.
The Free Common School SYSTEM.

ded upon a general diffusion of education
among the masses; that our relations as State
to the Federal Government, under the Recon
struction Acts Of Congress, in the practica
application of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth
Amendments to the Federal compact between
the States, render univerSal education an i'm
peratiye necessity which cannot possibly be
evaded with impunity, are PROPOSITIONS, the
truthfulness of which; must be apparent to
every intelligent mind that has only taken a
bird's-eye view of our lamentable, perilous sit
uationl That under the old regime the impor-
tance and absolute necessity of general intelli-
gence among the masses were not by one-half
as essential as at present; from the fact that
none save the educated, property:holding
class were permitted to take any active part in
the affairs of the State; or what amounted to
the same thing, none save those in possession
of certain, well defined property qualification
were admitted into the legislative department
of the State; that, Notwithstanding every aohite
man, whether "to the manor born," or natural
lied foreigner was privileged to exercise the
elective franchise, yet in the exercise of this
privilege he was restricted to certain class
for whom he should cast his vote.
Now, sir, whether this was 1or was not the
wiser and better policy, compared with the
present, we will not stop to discuss (; but there
was one thing CONNECTED with this system
which gave it 9 redeeming quality which should
not be overlooked. However anti-republican
this system may have appeared, theoretically
considered, yet in the practical operation OF
the Government, in the absence of universal
intelligence, it served as safety valve to pre-
vent ignorant, corrupt and irresponsible legis-
lation:
Now, as this salutary restraint has been re-
moved by the Reconstruction Acts of Congress,
despoiling the State of its constitutionally
guaranteed sovereign right, in that Of being its
own Judge in deciding who should vote and
who should be eligible to be voted for; and as
these Acts necessarily compel us to accept uni
versal suffrage, and what is still worse, uniyer-
sal eligibility to Office, whether that office
belongs to the legislative, executive or judicial
department of the government, hence it be-
comes Us as lovers of our ancient common
wealth to adopt some other expedient to coun-
teract or prevent corrupt, dishonest and ire
sponsible legislation. And IS it is an axiom
in morals that it is always the wissst and best
policy in the prosecution of any contemplated
object 80 as to insure its certain and speedy
accomplishment; to make use of the means
under our control that are the most likely to
bring about this accomplishment therefore,
notwithstanding we are we'll satisfied that the
enfranchisement and eligibility to Office con-
ferred upon the late slaves of the South were
unconstitutional, dhWise and premature. yet
these privileges have been conferred, and no
doubt isrevoca6ly, TOO; therefore, it behooyes
us as good citizens to adopt at once, without
any delay, that kind of policy which is the
most available, and the most likely in It's ma
ture to counteract the evils now flowing In
upon us through Federal aggression and usur-
patton. The only alternative left us, In our
short, iinpsfatite sentence: South Carolina,
educate the massesl
The reply at this point, no doubt, will be-.
Why, sir, your premises seem to involve the
advocacy of the education of the negro. You
are right, sir this is the inevitable conclusion
to which we are driven. And let it be dis
tinctly understood that we take this position
exclusively upon the ground of expcdicncy-
as political necessity, as self-defence against
Federal encroachment, as asafety-valve against
carpet-bag legislation and scalawag spoliation:
And taking the moral axiom as political
touchstone in this case, that self-preservation
is the first great law of OUT being, then if it
can be shown that the political redemption,
salvation and final preservation of the State of
South Carolina depend upon tho education OF
the colored race, then we may very logically
conclude that our position is impregnable, and
that we shall be able to maintain and hold it
against all colnersl - =
Now, gentle reader, if the aphorism be true,
and who doubts it, that the very idea of aGov-
ernnient by the people pre-supposes and neces.
sarily involves the idea of the education and
intelligence of the people-that the two are
inseparably connected-that the first cannot
possibly exist where the second is wanting
then it follows as self.evident truth, that
Government like that of South Carolina where
the second essential is unquestionably wanting,
cannot possibly exist because the ignorence, OF
the colored race preponderates over the intelli-
gence of the white in the proportion OF three
to two! And mark you, the ignorance OF the
negro is two-fold worse than the same degree
of ignorance in the white man, because Of his
late relation to the white man. 1t is not in
consonance with the laws which govern the
human mind for him not to be distrustful OF
his late master. Hence, we find that they are
not in sympathy with the men from whom they
have been lately freed; and designing dema-
gogues, taking advantage of this circumstance,
feigning themselves 10 DC tfelr pest anu oHiy
friends among the white race, have, using the
negro's ignorance as an instrument by which
to promote their own personal interests; robbed
both the colored and white man
Yet we may and do practically ignore these
vital and momentous facts, closing our eyes, as
it we're, to prevent seeing.their appalling and
ruinous consequence yet we cannot avoid
feeling their disastrous results, which are al
ready upon us, extorting our very hfe's blood,
pressing us down under the iron heel of the
despicable, petty despot, robbing us daily
through irresponsible, corrupt legislation, ~, ie
CALLING continual and ever-increasing !spolia-
ttion of oar hard earnings, to SO into the un-
fathomable pockets of Irresponsible and un;
principled carpet-baggers and loathsome and
thievish scalawags. And all, all through
ignorance for it is contrary to human nature
to think otherwise. Think you that if the
negro clearly understood the situation, that his