The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1872-03-20
A SITE IN RUINS.

SlAfE IN RUlN3.
2hc deploralls condition of South
Curolinu - Gigantic Me/Ts, univer-
sal corruption, and a Government in
the hands cf 1nprincipled Adven.
turcrs.
From en- Occasional Correspondent Of N.
!. Tribune.]
WAsnlNoToN, February 22.-Tho
condition Of South Carolina is deplo.
rable. In the days Of secession it was
the greatest offender. Ia the days of
Reconstruction its greatest sufferer.
Tho Government Of the State was
formerly in the hands of all aristocra-
cy. They wcro body of men joal,
Gus, wiliful, dog.nntic, but high.toued
and honorable. The roll Of its repro.
sentatives in Congress for near three
quarters of Il century. tho names Of
the civic and military heroes in tho
war Of the Rev, luton, shine with
lustre that is undimmed by compari-
son with tho men Of any other State.
True to the souvenirs Of it's former
history, it precipitltod the slavehold-
ors' rebellion, and led its husts to
their doom. 1t sought in it's passion
rs bloody arbitramcnt on the field
of battle, and bloody arbtra III ent it
has had. With G0,00O voters, and
no foreign population, it put 70 900
Buldicrs in the field. The end came
aud South Carolina was black with
deSolation. Tho snohe and tho fire
Of civil war asccndcd from every
household, and tho stain Of blood was
Oh the garments Of every survivor. It's
young men had swiftly gone down to
bloody graves till tho dead outnum.
bered the living. Tho means of sup
port were swept away as by fire and
wh'rl~iud. Havoc aud spoil and
ruin were it's only gain. This IL
whero tho end of tho rebellion left
South Carolina. What has beon its
condition sinco7 What is its oondi-
tion now
The population Of tho State is
something over 400 600 blacks, and
something under 100000 whites. The
result Of tho war has made yet
greater disproportion in the compara~
tive numbers of tho voting popula-
tlon. These are estimated to bo in
tho proportion of 10000 whites to co.
600 black voters, the aggregate being
over 100000. But in tho Legisture,
out IF l2l members, there are but
18th representatives. of the white mi
nority. Tue rest Of tho Assembly is
black. with the exception that here
aud there is white representative of
black constituency. There aro
enough of these, along with few in.
tcl!igcnt colored people, to lead the
great mass Of ignorance and barba-
rism of which tho main body is com-
posed.
Without going into details. it is
enough III to say that tho men who lead
and manage tho Legislature and the
State Government are thieves and
miscroants. The great body of tho
Legislature are the ignorunt and cor.
rupt Instruments with which tho lead.
crs work, and though tho individuals
composing this mass are bought und
sold like cattle in tho market, their
Venal'ty in some cases is relieved of
much of its criminality by reason of
tho denscncss Of their ignorance.
Numbers Of the blacks who OCCUPY
seats in the legislature regard them-
selves only i'll the light of employ ocs
OF the Government. Thoir pay is
So day for the session and special
pny for their separate votes on
every measure in which there is
money. These votos arc bought and
sold without even II pretense of hid.
ing tho nagitious transaction. The
negro himself is hardly conscious of
crlm'nali'y, while he makes his bar
gain. lie owns his mule. Ho sells
II. Tie OWNS his chicken. lie sells
1t. lilo considers his vote Just as
much par of his personal property as
MS mulo and his chicken. Why
should ho not sell it also :" Io does
holl il, and no naivcly wonders that
anybody should complain.
VI course tho scale of pay varies.
1t is just according to each mau's in.
telligenco aud rupacity. A few hun
dred dollars in special gratuities is
nongh to satisfy tho demands of a
plantation negro. Oilers got more
and more, and more. One of the
smarter sort WAS accused tho other day
on the floor Of tho House, by col.
league, with then having $4,000 of
State bonds in his pocket, corrnptly
o't.'ned. And tho charge was not
denied.
Bu. tho evidence Of gross and uni
Vers"l corruption is palpable in tho
way everybody lives who has any.
thing to do with the Government.
Thc'o is IL happy go lucky air among
them all. II black gets into tho
Legislature, that is enough. Ho
work. no mu'e. He has no occasion.
tic has money enough. 1t is tho
snme with he occupants Of tho OK.