New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-11-25
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
PIXIES NEGRO GOVERNMENT IN SOUTH
CAROLINA
THE PHOSPHATE STATE: SOUTH CARoLlNsa
UNDER NEGRO GOVERNMENT bS JAMES q
PIE. l2mo nn 90. ID. Appleton q 20.

PIKE. limo. PIP 27s, ID. Appleton q Co.
Although many of our readers may be ianiiiiar
with portion of this volume whlch mas a..i"''.u
wide attention upon its original publication IN
pnr columns they will not he reluctant To follow
Che vivid descriptions and powerful arguments OF the
xvrtar IN their presentnegral and uuitary fom Inc
large poItical experience of Mr.. Pike, his singular
Ieenness of observation and the combined subtlety
ard certainty Of his insight, attach grave ana
amiDent authority to his opinions. lie mere as
russes subject Of weighty magnitude on when MS
,rofound convictions have been formed without
oreiudice and are pronounced without clrcumlocu-
ZION The materials of his work have been derived
from the study OF facts, his admirable sketches of
boracter are the result Of familiar intercourse with
the eolo,ea sJyereigns of the hour, and his con-
illusions rest upon the sagaciGns Judgment and mex
prable logic OF which he is master.
Mr. Pike visited the Legislature Of South Caro-
lima during the session Of February and March,
1873. He had 10 foTegone theories to support. de
looked upon the scenes by which he was surrounded
with judicial GOODNESS and impartality. The Legis-
istnre exhibited a motley spectacle. About three
fourtbs belonged TO the African race. They pre-
scented every hue, from the light ootoroon 10 the
blacklist black Their dress was of no less insect
laneous character than their faces. You saw the
secondhand frOck. coat of departed gen
Elty shining in Its thread-Dare gloss
and the stOYe-plpe hat WHICH in"oy MN
ings could not restore TO its pnmeval
snIa,dors The coarse and soled garments of
the field mingled with the remnants Of antiquated
fashion SlOuched hats and stub-iackets Inquired on
many stalwart negro, heavy brogans, and snort
trousers the worse for wear were bravely displayed
while rough wooden cOmfoTters embraced the neck
and hid the absence Of linen. My God, look
Of thisw was the unbidden ejaculation OF low
country planter, clad in homespun, as he leaned
over the rail inside the House, gazing excitedy
upon the body in session. "Ihis Is the hrst Time
have been here. thought knew what we were
doing when we consented to emancipation. knew
the negro and predicted much that has happened
but never thought it would come to this. Let me
go"
The boosted civilization Of the South after two
hundred wears of experience was thus reduced to a
sorry sight II lay PROSTATE in the dust ruled over
by a strange cOngomerate, gathered from the ranks
Of its own servle populace. Society was suddenly
turned bottom-side up. The wealth and culture of
two centuries had fallen through the crust Of the
social volcano, whose hidden fires had long threat
ened its foundations In place Of the old arstocratic
socety, was the rudest form of democratic power,
invested with the functions of government. The
drecs of the population asserted the rule of ignOr
Hnce aud corruption the intelligence of the
land through the crushing machinery of a numeTi-
cal majority. Ii was the slave riOting in the halls
of his master, Oh whom he trampled with his heavy
hoois.
Among the one hundred and twenty-four members
Of the House of Representatives, twenty-three are
white men, who represent the remains Of the old
civilization. They are all from the hill country,
good-looking and substantial citizens of weight
and standing in the communities which they repre-
sent, They hold their places reluctantly. and sit
there grim and silent, watching the progress Of
legislative barbarsn. II must be confessed of the
Southern Bourbon that he bears himself with a
dignity, reserve. and decorum, that command
admiration. He feels that the hand of Destiny IS
upon him, and is gloomy, disconsolate, hopeless.
The gray heads Of this generation openly declare
that they see no prospect of relief. They are the
types of conquered race in the bloody duel of the
rebellion they staked all and lost ALL Their prop
erty and their children gone, only their life Of
speechless misery remains.
The negro legislator as described by Mr.. Pike, is q
wonder of fuency. He can talk questions, which
come home 10 his personal interests through the
lye-lOng day without cessation. There is no end 10
his eush and babble In point of intellect, be is on
level with the fresh of converts at n negro
camp meeting. His wishy-washy talk is the dog
gerel of debate aud not beyond the reach of the
lowest parts. lie is imitatiye in the extreme.
The negro can copy like a parrot. a monkey,
aud is always ready for a trial of his skill. He
believes be can do anything, and never loses
n chance TO try. His misuse Of language in
his limitations is ludicTOus in the extreme. He is
fond Of joke or an anecdote. and will burst into
loud laugh on the slightest proyocatiOn He will
speak half dozen times on one question, 9nd every
time say the same things without knowing it. &" He
answers completely to the description of a stupid
speaker in Parliament, given by Lord Derby on one
occasion. IL was said Of him that he did not know
what he going TO say when he got up he did
not know what he was saying while he speak
ing and he did not know what he had said when be
sat down"
Stin the colored brethren have q marvellous
nptuess for the details Of legislation. They are
quick at detecting points Of order and never fail 10
make the most extraordinary of their knowledge.
No one = allowed TO talk five minutes without inter
Tuption Forty questions of privilege will be raised
in a day. Some of the blacklist members exhibit q
power Of intrusion raising points of order that
white man can approach. Their struggles to get the
floor battle description. The Speaker plies his ham
Iner purpose. The interruptions from all quar-
hers go on with perfect lOoseness. Every man
tsteems himself as good as his neighbour and puts in
his oar often much for the love of riot and con-
fusion as for anything else. The laughing propen-
sity Of the sable crowd greatly increases the dis
order They laugh as hens cacke, one begins and
all follow
But il must not be forgotten that there is deep
reality beneath this burlesque on legislation. 1t is
by no means all sham TO the uDcouth African crowd.
They have an earnest purpose, growing out of the
fear that their position is not yet fully assured,
which lends sort Of dignity to their proceedings.
Their barbarOus aTgOn lie often seen to be sincere
that sympathy succeeds 10 disgust. The whole
thing is no less wonderful novelty to them than to
the spectators. Seven years ago these men were
raising and cotton under the whip of the over