The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-04-16
Gueitiag dState Sn,,rnat.
TUESDAY EvENG, APRIL l6, 1872.
Extracts from the Speech of the Hon. Il, J,
Macltey, Judge of the sixth Circuit, South
Carolina, Delivered ut Chester, y. G.,

Carolina, Delivered ut Chester, y. &.
But the negro was not alone the victim
OF this sleepless, night-stalking crime
The number of white Republicans who fell
by the stroke of the KukIux in the counties
adjacent to this, although not large, arc
sufficient to show that the organization
sprang, not from the antagonsm of race
but from a conflict Of political opinion,
Some Of the men who thus fell were from
the North, and had been soldiers in the
army of the Union in the late war.
lsay to the leading whites of this section
that their habit of denouncing the state and
national governments as composed of a
band ofrobbers and tyrants, has tended to
break or loosen that tie of fealty which the
good citizen should cherish for his state and
country. Wherever these denuncations
have taken the form of specific charges
they have been utterly refuted vet the
masses are still assiduously taught to be-
lieve all the charges as if they had been
proved.
II is alleged, also, that the majority of
the dominant party in the State IS composed
of ignorant negroes. This is true, but for
it there is no present remedy. The negro
is free by virtue of his manhood, and n
voter by the Constitution of our country.
lie is ignorant in obedience to the laws
of South Carolina, under which he was
reared, and which forbade him to receive
one ray from the light of educated know
ledge. But the majority of our voters in
this State were always more or less igno-
rant, and many of them were wanting in
the manly spirit of independence that marks
the negro voter.
10 my colored fellow-citizens | say hold
fast to the political principles which have
done so much for you, and for which Won
have so much suffered. They have elevated
your race from chattlehood to manhood.
and from manhood into the full stature of
American citizenship. So act in all the
walks of daily life, and in the discharge of
every public or private trust, that you
shall not do those principles any discredit.
While maintaining your own rights. be
more careful to respect the rights of your
white fellow-citizens. The man who does
another wilful wrong will soon become
the subject of wrong himself at the hands
Of some one stronger than he.
1t is not true, as is here alleged by some,
that you and the white men who act with |
you, belong to negro party I; on the con-
trary, the majority of the white citizens in |
this great Republic belong to the party of
which you are members, and it embraces
within its lines the larger part of those who
hold the wealth, and control directly the |
commerce of this mighty nation, whose
hearts beats responsive to your own when
the benefcent principles Of free goyernm-
ment established in South Carolina are as
sailed.
1t is proper forne on this occasion to cor
rect Misrepresentation ofmy views in re-
gard to the enforcement act of Congress,
and the powers and duties Of the officers of
the army, charged with the execution of
the same. This misrepresentation was
doubtless unintentional, and arose from
mlsapprehension of my real position, or
rather opinion in the premises, elected by
o supposed case, which will probably never
occur. 1t will never fall, presume, with
in the line of my duty to pass upon the
constitutionality of the act itself. If it
does, shall hold that whatever legislation
is appropriate" or necessary for the pro-
lection of American citizens in South
Carolina in the full and free enjoyment of
their vested rights is constitutional, and
any act OF an officer Of the United States
army, performed in conformity with the
spirit of the law, and in direct furtherance
of its purpose, deserves my official sane
ton and aid, if deemed requisite, and all
officers of the government shall receive
that aid, whenever invoked, for the more
efficient discharge of the duties deyolyed
upon them, either by the terms of the sta
tute or by the military orders issued pur-
suant thereto.
Fellow-cltlzens of my own race, appeal
to you to aid me, or to permit me to aid
you, in bringing back the days of peace TO
our long yeXed and harrassed State. This
can only be done by the cultivation of the
most earnest loyalty to the government of
The nation and the most rigid obedience to
is laws. Yonder flag, whose beautiful !
Odds rise and fall in the winds of this warm ]
lay OF our dear Southern cline, is not the /.
lag OF an enemy, it is the glorious ensign
't our country ; the symbol Of peace and Q
prosperity at home and of protection and :
1lgnity abroad. 1t is here to-day, not to
'ppress but to protect. The great and q
generous government that it represents !
'ould. mot witness the murder and whipping t
u Its loyal citizens without moving in their
License yet even upon the guilty among !
Is 1t lays It's hand more in sorrow than
n anger" That flag has been here
'efore-when it waved above the adj
ancin9 lines OF conquering army,
~ " thoe Udf6 IGIiulIlcu mere |
S the army of redemption; but it trusted !
ur old political leaders too soon, and de-
arted. That flag heralds no enemy now
be brave men who are to execute the man 7
ates of the law under it are our friends,
nd we should be ell theirs. They will 4
emaln here until it is safe for the citizen of o
he United States to ayow his political b
plnions in every quarter of South Caro- q
ma, and until the Republican and the Il
Democrat may, il he pleases, sleep by 2
he roadside unarmed, without danger of =
aolestation on account of his party creed. a
hey will 60 away to more congenial field Il
I duty when, in the opinion of our govern o. o.
1ent,. it will be sufficient protection for the W
umblest man in South Carolina, living in i
ne peace of the State, to declare to those u
rho would assail him with the pistol or the a,
'sh, VI am an American CITIZEN" b