The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-07-16
s: G.
Wednesday Morning, July 10. 1873.
Tho Fallaoy Of Conc esslon.


Us from the Greeks and the Romans?"
was justifable, in view OF the eternal pc
rade Of these ancient worthless in litere-
ture and criticism, that of the statesman
who finds the negro question never end
ing, but still beginning, and perpetnally
fronting him in new forms, may be held
to be excusable. The American people,
under the stimulus of the parliamentary
crusade OF Wilberforce and Clarkson. fol-
lowed by emancipation OF the slaves in
the British colonies, took up the ques-
tion of their liberation in the Southern
States. and under the manipulation OF
the Abolitionists. it was agitated into
political issue, which only warcould de-
eide. They were not content with this.
WELDING the powers of the Government
after the war was closed, they constituted
the black people the wards Of the nation,
and took them under its especial protec-
tion and patronage. Universal suffrage
followed next, and the political power Of
the freedmen became a matter OF i'm
mense consequence on the political
ohess-board. They have been moved
here and there, to suit the demands OF
the Radical party leaders. the principle
all the while being proclaimed that it
was necessary to secure their full rights.
This party and the colored people them
selves, have acted as if with tho purpose
OF disproving The fallaoy incorrectly attri-
bused to Chief Justice Taney. that the
negro race had no rights which the white
man was bound to respect. Interminable
questions concerning his status. endless
efforts to bolster him up, so that he
might securely stand when the props
which supported him should be with
drawn. have marked, the legislation OF
Congress and that Of the Legislatures of
the Southern reconstructed States for
the last seven years. It was thought,
that with the passage OF the fourteenth
and fifteenth amendments to tue Oonsti-
tuition and the civil rights bill, defining
and securing, the civil rights OF the negro,
we should be at the end Of this agita-
tion. The Southern, people accepted and
acqufesced in these amendments. for the
sake OF peace. and cheeriully accorded
the. rights they secured. They were
anxious to have this race satisfied. and to
be enabled to live harmoniously With it,
under the same laws, and to have its CO.
operation in endeavers TO secure good.
peaceful and happy government. In
thia State, in 1870. the effort was made
to bring the races together in political
action, and to lay broad and deep the
foundations of the prosperity Of both in
cordial c0ncession Of che colored peo-
ple's rights. But failure was the conse-
quence. and distrnst aud alienntion de-
fed the honest endeavors OF Kershaw
ani othurs, Ills associates in that we'll
meant but mistaken canvass. Itiitterly
failed. =
Are the difficulties in the wsy Of salts
flying the negro anl settling the ques-
tions which CONCERN his status and his
relations to the white. race. iubupnrable,
then? They may not be, but they are
destined to furnish both the field and
the food for agitation for many years to
come. He is invaluable to the carpet
baggef and scalawa2. While they keep
him in leading strings, and secure.
through his ignorance and easy credulity,
the advantages, OF political control. Office,
emofuments, personal consequence and
splendid pickings and steangs for
themselves. they masquerade before the
world at the same time as philanthro-
psts, patriots and devoted friends of the
oppressed True, Cuffee begins to open
his eyes little. and sometimes makes o
show Of displeasure at what is going on.
But, upon the whole, he likes it, and
there is an instinct which operates to
bring these two classes together, not
withstundipg the dead.sea fruits which
the rank and file of tho black men re-
ceive from the association. The leaders,
black and white, are constantly getting
up some new issue and tickling the fancy