The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-06-15

ern newspaper in South Carolina uttered q
word in my defence, and so the Performers
had it all their own way, stunping the State
in the company of volubhe reformed" ne
groes and a few converted Radicals OF ques.
tionabls repute wherever they were known al
all.
There was a sight for you, gallant Genera!
Hill! An. up-country gentleman and brave gen.
eral; a noble specimen of a Southern patriot,
Il need not name him. was everywhere pre-
sent with a far different specimen: whose
highest claim was an endorsement OF the bar
of Charleston, and with a number of wonder
full specimens OF negro equality without ability
to write q word or think a sensible thoaght,
who, yet, were bent, with fervent patriotism,
upon ''redeeming' the State. And Whendhe
election cane how was it
Perhaps I ought to let the memory OF the
nondescript thing die. But as l am on trial iet
me vludlcate my disgust. The ticket" had q
few good names on 1t, names of gentlemen
and good citizens, whose only disgrace or
blunder may be said to be just that-but there
were negroes thickly sandwiched down the
long array of aspiring refOrmers.
Low-down, unworthy hangers on OF the IN
Gerior race stood ont In bright particular re-
lief in strange alliance on that reform" tick
ct. The comeliness was not enhanced by the
spots. "Black. but comely," cannot be &C.
cepted as characteristic of that grand array OF
! compromises. The l"ticket" was beaten by
over thirty thousand majority! Awhile mans
q. mean no Ill TO the negroes) ticket, on
sound principles, clearly announced and Wig
otously advocated, could not nave met such a
defeat.
For opposing such a compromise and ANAL
gamation, which on chronological grounds
llone could only fail, the editor OF 1he :4l6ln
Century was mercilessly abused in Charleston,
South Carolina, and was forced 10 ind iree-
dom from insult and unpleasant circumstance
| T. Cfofn - hoaA nnunr. nnmnlatnpn-
and nv pen shsuld betar otherwise employed
now, but for your signal for q change along
the Whole line. Am / never TO have fair play p?
Must tconstantly hold myself ready. lance. N
hand, for the mean and unchlvalrous on
s!aughts of those TO better instincts born
But to proceed. The matter was Injected
/ iato my church relations, and the excitement
became so'great as olead TO my reslgnsuoa
as assistant pastor, which was accepted ey "a
votes, being a legal majority of 6 only
Thus, all the ties which had so closely bound
me TO Charleston Except dear personal opes(
were rudeiy snapped asunder, because l
would not yield to a. dictatorial spirit OF com.
promise with political principles which ! had
learned to discard and throw OF, and which,
more than all beside, must be held responsi.
bic for thes desolatlon and raln;of this taar
country !
So much for your rash charge concerning
my 'favoring Scott"
"a. InDecember last I visited Georgia, and
the session of the South Georgia Annual Con-
ference of the NJ. E.. Church, South, with the
Rev. J. Poisal, D. D., of Baltimore, who To-
troducea me into the ministry. came with
fear as to now | might be received, and re-
NAMED with confidence. / sought no favors
and | found the greatest favor--that of
Christian brotherhood aud friendship. dd
not seek to .inslnuate myself by fair speech;
Twas taken as l stood, and to stand or fall
by manllness or the lack Of It,. am now q
member of that body, a Methodist preacher,
and I trust, q Christian man, and am ready
10 be tried and Judged by my words and
work, and willabide tue Issue. You and all
others are invited to the trial. But l must
close. have pointed out the errors. 10 po-
lltical Judgment which I blame myself for
having committed; l was honest then. and am
honest now. He lisa pigmy who does not
grow. He is not all honest man who with
holds his better convictions. and he Is a MIR
derer who cries .'hypocrlte, vrllain," and thus
seeks TO asperse him who, in Gods fear and
10 conscious integrity, seeks to conform his
conduct to the principles of justice and hu-
mainly In the advancing light of truth.
%. / am not the eulogist of General Lee. l
knew him not. | have gwen, In a brierlecture,
at the instance Of friend, my conception Of
his character. An enemy could not be Justly
accused Of hypocrisy for honorablT remem-
| bering his Zoe. But have not touched with
rude hands the name and fame OF your great
| caplaln. l have tried 10 awaken the spirit oil
| emulation in the hearts oil men under Inc
| shadow Uf 80 great and 80 manly an example.
I cast my fading. flower upon his grave WIN a
sincere admiration and awe; and If 1 have ever
wrOnged him in thought, or deed, or prelndlce,
he, who so grandly conquered himself and
died in peace with God aud all mankind, Will
not 'ssLir in his grave ut the eulogy oil This
hideous hypocrite," (as you approyingiy 9uefe
,onn5on ,,n-nntpn Diftlhnrn miner ! huE NlS
| spirit will approve, and his brave, honorable
right hand will grasp a brothers IN the unity
of q good purpose and under the added smile
of Heaven.
90. / have thus. gone at great length into
this matter once for all. 1t am worthy OF
so much bitter abuse, l am worthy OF having
the truth known and told concerning nae. l
have seen myself lone up in such hideous
forms for the past year or two; and so many
Inquiries with their answers) have been set
ND 0s 10 my origin, purposes. &c, &c., ann so
many terrible revelations have threatened
their appearance, that ] have been sometimes
led TO question my identity, ana 10 WONDER
my reputation for modesty By the publication
OF this letter; but let,every man Judge ofsthe
provocation, aud put himself in nay place. l
desire to live peaceably and purposely here in
Georgia ahd Ia the communion of the infiuen-
tisl Christian body to which | belong.
In order to do 30, 1 must nave Inc respecGo l
my. Southern fellow citizens, and not their
suspicious. I am ready TO answer to any
charge before the bar Of public opinion, at any
allied citizen Of the United States, and can
claim none of the Fourth of July rights, i'm
muuitles, nc, &C., Of which americans SdSa are are
for o fair field aud fair play, and the privilege
Of standing for myself and on my personal
merits, whatever they may be, and may a Just
God deal with those who deny this human
right as ~lenienlly as the case will nit OF.
q. I beg to thank the editorof the Savannah
Morning News for his kind and manly defence
of my character and the lecture on General
Lee. ! do not know thee, brother, INT here's
my hand.
rs. 1 have told you what know of myself,
(slnce my history seems called for from my
earliest knowledge. ! have tried to declare 10
you what I'm. As 10 the future, why let
US strike hands for present duty, and the fu-
ture will deal equitably with us all.
Respectfully, WN. WATkIN HICKS.
49,