The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-03-19

ANVIL I0, lO6S. ..
intelligence and courage; and scarce an In
stance can be shown when any one of them
laltered In his fidelity.
But, as I have said, the war closed fatally
for the cause which South Carolina had
espoused, and depression followed proper
tionate to the enthusiasm which had preceded
It. When men recovered from the stunning
| sensation OF the blow and looked about them,
! they saw nothing but desolation and disrup-
tion; no landmarks left, all established princi-
confused inte sort of sullen dependency.
Nothing saved them from apathy but the
stimulus Of actual want and the necessity Of
providing food and raiment for themselves
and families. Political Irregularities contri-
buted to increase these sensations, and q SEN
tlment was evolved, and has gained ground,
and at this day is doing mischief, that with
the destruction Of slavery and the old instttu-
tions all good has LETT the State forever; that
the character of our people is doomed, and
that never again shall we see men like those
that have gone before.
cannot agree to any such doctrine as that.
II thought this to be universal belief,
would leave q community which had lost con-
tH6ence In itself. There is tinge of truth in
the Idea, nothing more. ills thus far true that
the peculiar and distinctive style of man pro-
duced by the old institutions has gone with
the institutions. Is 1t not equally true that
men just as good may appear under the new,
although In some respects differing! Time Is
great chemist, and In his prophetic alembic
from the same elements, by new combinations.
produces creatures alike In Organization but
varying in characteristics suitable to the cir
cumstsnces In which they are to live and act.
The Roman hero of the republic is different
from the Roman hero of the empire, aud yet
both were heroes, and each was fitted for the
a l,tIaa I, bod 20 Gn fu mi
The men under the old system were the crea-
lures OF 1t, and suited It, and adorned their
day and generation. There is no reason why
we should not do the same. The principles OF
genuine manhood are alike under all systems.
But have we lost our brthright of integrity,
intelligence and pluck? Has The honor Of our
people departed? Let US pause for moment
the history of the State when they have been
exposed to such temptation? How have they
borne 1t? How many of them, even when
wrlthing upon the rack Of poverty, have for
saken their principles 10 better their fortunes?
And among the few VINO have swerved fr9m
the old track, doubtless there are some who
have done 80 conscientiously, from an idea
that 1t was the shortest and most effective
mode OF procuring reform. The fidelity ex-
hiblled BY our people In this respect Is marvel
lous. 81
Is there less intelligence than formerly
when education is more widely di6fused than
at any Time previous Preposterous. Was
the pluck gone out Of us? speak not OF
physical pluck. The faculty to fight, when
molested, is common to men and animals. To
be deficient In either particular Is moral de-
formity, as to be born with one eye or one
foot Is q physical one. allude to moral pluck,
that greatest Of human qualities, which en-
ables men and nations to endure without
flInchlng the frowns Of fate, stand erect
against disaster, and hold their own when mis-
fortune and misery confront them. Try our
people by this standard. 1t is q severe one.
You will find them sustain the ordeal. Have
they not suffered the devastation Of war |?
Have they not suffered the desolatlou Of fire!
The boll-worm, freshets, tempests, have these
not over and again swept awe,y 10 few hours
the labors OF the year? Has not peStilence
been among ,ls. and while 1t lacerated our
hearts, crippled our energies! Worse than
all, have we not abored under the oppressive
support Of government which wastes our
resources, ruins our credit, and by destroying
confidence banishes capital. Has not e7en
the gigantic arm OF the Federal power been
extended In causeess animoslly to harass and
alarm, until men felt (as old Ireland has ex-
perenced Thousand times) that honesty and
their homes were no safeguard against lnVa-
sion and the informer? Have not all these
things happened to us until 1t seemed as II the
very elements had combined with the maleyo-
lence of man to crush aud overWhelm Us
Ard yet, here we-afer rH9t- destroyed, not
broken-hearted, and by no mnaas terrlted.
Gates I that our pluck has Lett us On the con-
trary, the conduct OF this people under the
singular and fearful trials TO which they have
been subjected ls worthy of all respect and
admiration. When think of the steady
courage with which they have borne these ad-
versities it calls up to my mind most nota.
BILE incident OF history. Napoleon, the great
captain, after his destiny had closed, and while
speakine of the events of his career In the
spirit of an Impartial reviewer, remarked to
one of The generals who shared his captivity:
SIT was not Wellington, but the British SOL
dIars (you remember at least one.half Of his
army were Irsh) who defeated me at Wafer
loo. My plan was to break the English line,
and directed all my energies to that object.
After each charge, / confidently expected TO
see the line give way, but to my astonishment
no such result followed, and, when the smoke
cleared alter each effort sufficiently to enable
me to observe the situation, there was the
/ fatal red line shattered, torn, almost an.
initiated, but there 1t was SILL unbroken and
still undismayed." Integrity, intelligence and
pluck, the South Carolina red line, WILL yet
defeat corruption and dishonesty, and redeem
the State. ,s.
We are told, however, that this is hopeless,
fed majority will prevent our ever gaining
sufficient control OF the government, to effect
any beneficial changes. l do not think 80. IL
ls true that there Is large majority of the
colored people of the State who have, up TO
this time, persistently resisted every attempt
on our part 10 better the government; and 1t
Ia equally true that this 0bstinacy Is due to
prejudice and ignorance. But 1t is possible
10 overcome these obstacles. There is small
part of these people who follow no regular oc-
cupation, who live by politics, and by what
they can get from the government IN the way
of offices and other less recognized pickings
Of the public plunder. Little is to be hoped
from them, because 10 them reform signifies
influence destroyed, and support imperllled.
There is a considerable portion also who are
steeped In Ignorance, and are al present I'M
peryious to the influences of reason. or the sug.
gestlons of wisdom, although spoken by the
tongues of men and angels. But there IS
sill another class which Is composed OF
neither OF these. There is large number of
them who think, land the number Is daily In.
creasing) who are thoroughly dissatisfied and
dlsgusted with the corruption which exists,
and which brings disrepute on their race, (as
this government rests upon the colored Voles
only] and who desire o change as much as we
do. It was the voles OF this class, uniting
with the white vote, which has given us q sat
isfuctory and respectable city government. IL
Is by similar agencies that We must procure
an Improvement In the government at Colum-
bIa. The truth is, the great and pressing want
| of the people OF South Carolina at this time Is
an intelligent and honest State government.
| II oyerrides every thing else. Federal politics
ara comparatively of small moment to us.