Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1871-05-12
The Political Condition Of South Carolina
as seen by Northern Clergyman.

rhe ccleOrateu "lfcngcuS or the NOW 7 0rk
OJsetyer, has been down among US taking
notes and has contributed one or two letters
to the Observer on the condition Of our State
and the alleged causes of "our troubles"
The following extracts are from his most re-
cent letter:
+ The present state Of intolcrabc
suffering is the result Of two facts; one is
the numerical majority of the blncks over the
ties in the State, and the second is the un
Willingness Of the old settlers of the State to
accept the situation and co operate with the
blacks i'll the Government Of tho State The
blacks outvote the whites. The white new
comers vote with the blacks. This gives the
blacks and new comers complete control
They are masters Of the siuation Ninety
ont Of l25 members of the Lower House of
the Legislature are baoks. The proportion
is about The same ia the Senate. If these
colored men were intelligent, with ordinary
qualifications fnr legislation, there would be
no good ground for complaint Colorcd men
may make, and have made, gond legislators.
But for the most part they are very ignorant
and very incompetent, and many of them
very corrupt and dishonest If you were to
90 into tho streets of New York and take a
hundred men who arc employed MS swccpcrs
of the streets, aud make them members of
tho Legislature, some OF them would be found
to be sulurt, intelligent ard, perhaps, c1uca
ted men. But the most Of them would prove
to be ignorant aud totally unfit for the place
to whcn you seut them. Yet they would
prove to be MS good set of Legislators. taken
as WHOLE us tho present Legislature of South
Csroliua.
We probnb!y send as ignorant men co the
Legislature aud into the Common Council
from the city Of New York, us from any 9th
er city in the world. Aud the present rule
Of the State and city of New York by this
Legislature and Common Council is doubtless
as oppressive ns any civilized community
ought to submit to in peace. Take the Tax
Levy bill Just passed by the Legislature at
Albany. 1t gives to four men in New York
the power to distribute, as they please, mill.
ions on millions Of money to he raised by
taxation in the city!! What floods Of cor
ruption and extravaganza are to be poured
out by this measure Universal suffrage
sends men to the Legislature cnpnble Of such
legislation. This is Democratic Legislature.
South Carolinn has IL republican Legislature
The politics Of men have nothing to do with
their intelligence :nd virtue.
Is there any remedy? If the blacks were
intelligent and could read. they might be
reached aud convinced. that their future in.
tcrests are bound up with the prosperity Of
the State, aud chat they ought to put men in.
to power who will manage the finances of the
State with wisdom But they cannot read.
They du not understand the tendency of
things They are led BY crafty aud unscru.
pulous men. And there is no hope that they
,pll 81 h.,, n, L.. I.t
for civi! government during the present gen.
Grafton.
1t was great mistake ON the part of the
od settlers, that they did not, as the people
of some of the Southern States did, accept
the situatio,:. make the hest of it. 20 in for
the best men they cuuld elect regardless of
n,tionnl politics; aud 80 with the aid of the
more Intelligent blacks, secure a respectable
Legislature. Revolutions never 90 back
wards, and the colorcd people will never losc
their right to vote and be voted for But
they will he Instruments in the hands of 9th
crs, until they become su i,iccntly cnli.htcn.
I'D to read and Judge for themselves If Gun
ventions were held in the State, not to resist
the payment OF taxes. mt to tnlk up rcvoIu
ton. but to cnliGhten aid persuade men to
lay aside party for the snkc of country, there
would DC more hope of change If Con
gress would pass general amnesty bill, re
storing all citizens to equal rights before the
law If tic patriotic seutmcn, of the whole
country could be reused to condemn the pres
cnt legislation in South Carolina if the min
lstcrs would nculcatc the reuninn of ccclcs.
aStical relations in all denominations; if the
churches would obIitcrate. us the Civil Gov
ernmcnt has done, all distinctions in church
rights and privileges on account of color ma.
king ali equal ID til" eye oi cccirslsticai law,
there would be a better state of things before
ling. find marked improvement upnn the
p'St in the state OF feeling towards the North.
business thcn are all scnsihle on the subject,
aud right. Politicians urc politicians, and 20
for what will help the party. The ladies' are
very much as they were before end during
the war. The hope of the State for future
prosperity is in the reunion Of all wise. patriot.
lc and Intelligent men, regardless of party
politics, to put honest and intelligent men in
office. Snch change cannot he brought
about suddenly, but it ought to come quickly
DEATH OF Hon. j. NJ MASON t,le
graph announces the death of this eminent
statesman. Mr.. Mason was born ON Analos
ton Island. Fairfax county, Virginia. Novcn,
bnr 3. 1893. He received II good education.
aud graduated at the University of Pennsyl
vanln IN 1918. lie studied law of the Col
lcge Of William and Mary and obtained
license tn practise in 1920 In 1926, he
was elected to the House of Delegates, and
was twice reelected. He was Prcsidcn.
-. ol<