The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-03-30

danger WHICH IuusI dIteuu' any OLnoi 0oneo'
Should, even, the violence which may be ap-
pretended be suppressed by military force, 1t
is not al all unlikely that, as their only remain
ing resource, the entire community Will refuse
to nav their taxes; and then, where Will be the
credit and government OF the State Doubt
less many bad men will agitate against sueh a
measure, and will endeavor, as heretofore, 10
persuade the ignorant colored people that Ine
whites will again reduce them to slavery. But
your Excelency will be fully able to repel
such attemIls You know as well as do, and
can tell them so, that they owe their emanci-
patton neither 10 your party nor 10 mine, puC
alone to God, the Supreme D1sposer OF events.
You can show them President Lincoins proc
lamation of ofseptember, 1852, in which ne un-
dertook to recognize the rlght OF tne peopi.es
of the Southern States to hold their slaves, II
they would lay down their arms before the en-
suing first of January. It was, therefore. from
the resoluteness of the South, and not from the
generosity of the North, that the slaves OBJ
tanned their freedom. And even now, that
freedom is insured only by the amendment OF
the Constitution Of the United States, which
was adopted by the white men Of South Caro-
lima You would, therefore, be able efectual-
ly to remove this hinderauce to good feeling
from the minds of the colored people.
Then, again, you would he able to assure
them Of the kindly feelings with which they
have always been regarded by their former
masters before the heartless plunderers, VINO
are now making use of them, had misled and
embittered their feelings. These, and other
topics which will readily occur to you, Will no
doubt enable you to influence the action of the
colored people.
An equal, perhaps greater difficulty, will
be to restrain the impatienee OF the White peo-
pie. Restless as they naturally must be under
the corrupt and heartless despotism which
they see domineering over them, 1t Will re-
,N,r ftnn NJ await
remedy which will require SO much time:
The strongest motive which can be presented
to them, for such patience, will be the earnest
and sincere Initiation Of the amendment pro-
posed. The first step towards calling con-
vention Is vote Of the Legislature, and, as
that body has adjourned, 1t Will be necessary to
take some action, before its next meeting, to
satisfy the people of the expediency of walt
ing. Ifthe leading members OF the dominant
party would come forward and pledge Their
support to the measure, and urge the adoption
of the same, 1t would furnish such an assur-
ance as would, doubtless, restrain the impa-
tience of those who are smarting under their
present burden.
On our side, then, we could, with some show
of reason, counsel our friends to endurance.
We could turn their minds to consider other
cases of grlevous national wrong, g,ywhich pa
tience had overcome. We could point them
to the example of the noble spirits who, after
the endurance for twenty years OF the tyranny
OF the Stuarts In England, brought about peace
fully the great revolution Of 1885, and estab-
lished English freedom upon basis from
which 1t has never been removed. We can
point them to the American struggle against
taxation without representation, which con-
tinued for ten years before resort to arms.
With these examples before them, We would
be able to persuade them to await TWO years
for the action of a convention, If We could
assure them that that action would remedy the
evils Of which they complain.
Persuaded, as am, that no other peaceable
remedy can be made available, / would most
earnestly address these views to the serious
consideration of your Excellency, and would
urge them upon all those who seek the perma-
nent peace and welfare of the State.
With much respect,
Your obedient servant,
G. G. MEMHINGER.