Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1871-07-14
The New Departure.


become tho head of the corner"
Ii is but year ago that convention %.
sembled in Columbia at the invitation of the
press conference, to take "ncw departure" in
thepolitics Of the State, upon the bass of the
resolutions of that conference. The conven-
tion adopted the principles embraced in those
resolutions, in the following language of its
own:
81 Tho fifteenth amendment Of the Con.
stitution of the United States having been,
ny the proper authorities, proclaimed ratified
by the requisite number Of States, and having
been received and ncqucsccd IN as law, in all
the States OF the Union, ought to be fairly
administered and faithfully obeycd as funda.
mental law
~. The vast changes in our system Of
government, wrought by the international
war between tho two sections Of The States
aud following in its train, ere SO far iucorpo.
rated into the constitutions aud laws of the
States, and of the United States, as to require
that they be regarded MS accomplished facts,
having the force and obligation of law"
This step taken by convention Of the
people of old South Carolina, was justified in
the address Of their executive committee by
the following argument: The infamous char.
nctcr of the Government Of South Carolina
was attributable to the unhappy antagonism
Of the races, produced ~ circumstances and
tho macllinatons of selfish and corrupt polt
lcal adventures" whereby was arrhycd prac.
ticnlly, "the whole Of tho ono race in political
hostility to the whole OF the other racc.'---
One race owning MI the lands, The other fur.
mshiDg all the labor and controlling, abso.
]utcly, the power of the Government a sub.
lection of oapital to labor, necessarily produ.
cling ruin and disaster, and tending to bloody
conflict 1t was shown that there was no
hope Of nbolishing universal suffrage, and
that the attempt, under the most favorable
circumstances, would light the fires Of Il OWL
wur "fiercc, bitter, bloody and disastroas'--
The only alternative was the adoption of Il
policy which would nbnte the sharp antnson-
ISM of races, aud ''cnahle the good pcople of
both to combine for The purpose Of good gov
crnmcnt." The question resolved itself thus /:
Should they continue to endure the infamous
government Imposed upon them, enjoying the
poor privilege protesting against its legality,
or strive for better government, to be Oh
tanned, as they supposed, by yielding that
privilege?
OF course, unless arch reasons were dc.
tlDncd, it was impossible that men Of intel
ligence who really desired the good Of tie
Dlhtc cOuid hesitate tn give their adhesion to
party which promised the hope of relief at
the expense only of that which had become IA
mere abstract sentiment. 1t is true gone
phnris,cal and lictatosial Democrats cxhsus
ted their fierce rhetoric in dcnouncing The
movement and its leaders, bnt these were
sustained hy the suirragcs Of the patriotic
practical aud honest people Of tho State, with
unanmity never commended by any other
movement, that of secession not excepted
This platform is now commanding itself 10
the great Democratic party Of the country
md promises to be the fnnnlation stone of
their platform in the next canvnss-- the van
tagc glound from which 70 Fl hit the hut,lc of
freedom. If anything were needed to de-.
monstrate the wisdom and patriotism of the
people of South Darolina WHO innnyurmtcl
and sustained this movement last year, it Is
this action of tho Democrats Of Tie North,
under the lead OF their best and braves.
champion, the lamcntcd Valinud,ghnm.
The reform party failed Of success by rea
son of tic stupidity. ignorance and prejudice
If the great mass of the voters, which rem
dcrcd them ready victims to lying aud 'nang,
nnnt dcm"goaurs. The Democracy have HE
advantage Of addressing their arguments to
the consideration of the great American PEG,
pie, to- Intelligent and too honest to he Sc.
dnccd to their own ruin by the cunning arts
Of political tiickstrrS.-- Cunt;i.n .j4nruai
Jtiihrson Davis and Gsnsral Lee.
Ihc Richmond Dispotch, contrasting The