The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1872-07-10

A NeW Proposition for &tvSn5 SossY
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nailed 6y Southern Sioiadcs - ~
Col,u15ia Cuypct-RGGGcrs to DC 5M
gaolatcd for Grants 4Ana6h|on-fTo
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lima Democrats aad Grant Refornacr
-PoAtic0E Gossip from Anderso
and A65crillc.
CORRESPONDENCE OF TIE CEIAELEsTo.
NEWS.
ANDERSON, S. G. July3.
In accordance with the instructions q
The NcWs, l have this morning caile,
npon Ex-Governor james l.. Orr, at hi
pleasant country home, situated about
mile from this village, and obtained
from him an expression of his opinion
concerning the present condition Of al
fairs in South Carolina, and his views q
to the best method of attempting tn,
much needed reformation in those Of
fairs. Judge Orr received me with cour
tesy and cordiality, assured Inc of hi:
high respect for the journal which llac
the honor to represent, and expressed
the pleasure at the opportunity of pla'
cling his views before the whole people
of South Carolina through such nc.
dium. The conversation that ensued
continued for perhaps an hour, the
Judge conversing rapidly, intelligently
and forcibly, with an appearance OF per
feet candor and frankness, and the dla'
logue, so far Us it was upon matters O1
public interest, was about rs follows:
CORRESPONDENT. / have observed that
since your return from the Philadelphia
Convention you have been speaking in
various places upon the political pros
poets in this State, and declaring i'll
favor of thorough reform in the State
administration. What do you propose
as plan for accomplishing that reform,
and what elements of probable success
are there in the proposition?
Judge Orr. Well, sir, it is evident
that any reform to he accomplished in
our State affairs must be accomplished
by the Republican party. Your paper
acknowledged that, and with the iln-
mense Republican majority in this State
it is q seif-evident proposition. The
masses that compose the Republican
majority are the colored people of the
State, and their devotion to the Repub-
lican party is not to be altered by arsu-
ments as to the comparative correctness
of the principles of the two parties.
Such arguments are in the main above
their comprehension, as it could be log
ically proved (as, 1nind you, I don't
think it could) that the tenets of the
Democratic party were better than those
of the Republicans, the colored masses
would still cling to the latter party,
through sentiment which, having its
origin in gratitude to the Republican
party for its benefits conferred, has now
grown to an instinct of devotion to that
party.
Correspondent. Yes, sir: and it is
precisely by reason Of that blind, un-
reasoning adhesion of the colorcd peo-
pie that the bad men Of your party, who
able, by shouting the Shibbolcth of Re
the colored masses to positions of power
and to the control of the funds Of the
State, where they have shown their
gratitude by plundering alike the whites
and the blacks.
masses are still disposed to favor homes
ty in the administration of affairs rath-
er than rascality, because they have had
no share of the plunder, but have, on
the contrary, had to endure their share
of the loss-becauSe the burden of eX-
orbitance in taxation and proaigacy in
government must eventually be borne
by the poor laborers.
Correspondent. Then the colored
people are perfectly willing that their
rulers should he honest, but they must be
Republicans; and, as between an hon
est Democrat and a dishonest Republic
can, they would be apt to support the
latter?
Judge Orwell, yes. The rulers
and leaders Of the colored people must be
Republicans. What they want now
anore than anything else is honest Re-
publican leaders. Their choice of lead
ers has hitherto been confined to the
'carpct-baggcrs," because they were the
only men protesting Isepublicanism
who possessed any degree of intelli-
gence and education.
Correspondent. And their intelli-
gence and education has been, in most
cases. extremely limited.
Judge Orr.-Yes, but still superior to
that Of the great bulk of the colored
peepie who were just released from sla-
very, and had been without any means
of education. Now the time has come
when the white men of tlis State, M.
tive South Carolinians, should resume
their natural leadership in the affairs OF
their own State, and this they only do
by embracing Republicanism AMI put
ting themselves at the head of tie Re
publican colored masses.
Correspondent-Wha do you mean by
embracing Republicanism ?: Accepting
the nomination of Greeley, n lifelong
Republican. and the platform of the lib
cral Republican Convention? They
have already done that.
Judge Orr-No, they must accept the
nomination and pRtforia Of The Regular
Republican Convention at Philadelphia.
Nothing else is recognized Or will be re-
cognized as being Republican by the col
ored people OF this State. There caI, be
no more sacrifice of principle in Demo-
Gratis voting for Grant than in their vot-
ing for Greeley. Both are Republicans,
and they renounce their Democracy III
voting for either.
respondent-Then you think that
the Democrats, having struck their flag
and got rs far as Greeley toward the Re
publican ranks, might as well surrender
altogether and go for Grant and the ell
tire animal?
Judge Orr-Yes. It is not as though.
the contest in this State were upon alb
stract questions of political ccono,Ay OF
between Democratic and Republican,
principles. The Democrats Of South
Carolina have shown themselves willin,.
to accept the fundamental principles OF
Republicanism. All they want now, sc
far as the State is concerned, is al honest
and economical administration of affairs,
and there is no man in this country moro
anxious for this consummation than
President Grant himself. The present
condition of faffairs in South Carolina and