The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1874-02-28

SwHhoutoa yestige, of political power, We
aresso,dHyiihe absolute masters Of South
Carolina. Such change is without,
parallel not ouly in its ts.rapidity, but in
the mmomentttous ON responsibilities it i'm
poses upon u.s. Are we so ignorant as
to imagine that God and the world " i'll
not hold US to account for our use of all
these rights :? Never was there "a people
on whom the eyes of the whole world
were fixed with more interest than on
the people of South Carolina today!
This proud Stae-mothcr Of statesmen,
numbering among her sons the brig rightest
| and bravest hearts that our country can
b6ast- has been committed to our Keep,
liing.d Our former mast rs have predicted a
our failurc.S Admitting ,sas MANY af,our,
.sluve holdurs tdo, our u capacity ifor,im
proyenlcnt in many directions, sthey
slrave declared that here, in the highest
test, the negro would fail; that he would
be- tho, victim ct the cunning aud uu
scrupulous white man, and the base
/ slave of his,owgn greed aud dishonesty
| wish | had ten thousand voices with
yhieolh to, proclaim the great .flct that
they, the col6red men of South Caro-
lima, arc no,c on triul Jc/orc the ,cholc
count,y. Tie question is now to be
decided can tho colored people Of this
State maintain and. administer tho
government of this State upon the basis
of self-govcrnmcnt and unrestricted suf:
I frage z This is tho tremendous re
sponsibility which we are tosmect The
power we have will be our condemnation
unless We arouse ourselves to our re
sponsibilitics and resolve to be governed
by constant aud profound regard for
thc public welfare. Remember, my
fellow citizens that no fact is more
deeply engraved on ALI the tablets of
history than this; that individual pros
/ pcrity can only be secured by an rn
selfish devotion to the good OF the whole
community. That State or community
is fastening to destruction when it's
citizens are no longer buund to each
q her by the great moral li,a ment of
CONSTANT sloN gard for the welfare of the
community as wholr. Self-preserva
ton demands unsctsh patriotism IF
we make Of the machinery of govern
nent anything else than means of pro
noting the common good, we remove
the very foundations oil all our civil
liberties. The former slaye holder, who,
pe:chance, still denies your right to
freedom and sullenly opposes every
civil right which you demand, is not
half SO dangerous an enemy as ho of
your own party who teaches you to re
gard the functions of Il public officer as
the means of merely securing your own
personal aygran die. e.uent. Moth ing can
save that people who have come to con
slider, public position as a source of pri
vnte advantage or gain. Your liberties
you rciyilrights all that you now hold most
dear will be dust and ashes, unless you
use them undera sense Of yonr respousi
bility,for good government aud the gencr
al public veal
To-day the North doubts whether we
can maintain deccut government in
South Carolina TO day our friends
blush for us. 10, day they lrok to see
whether We are capable of shaking o #
this monstrons burden Of NAL admiuis
tration, and rising to, u tolerablc desrec
of regard for our common public inter
cs' S. sNlistakcs, many aud grievous.
may be mnde withsut aimpairng the
confidence OF our generous triends aboad;
but it Is not our errors and inexperencc
which threaten to ruin US; it is the pre-
sent reckless disregard ofpublio inter
csts. the prostitution OF the machinery
Of tho Governmental personal ends, and
the total lack of responsibility on the
part Of some Of our public officers
- eerise our demand for. complete
civilarghts, and the answer is, show Us
thatyou are capable of approaching your
rights, restore good government to Snuth
Carolina, use her revenues to public
ends; build up her mnteria prosperity:
vindicate your right to full citizens of
the republic, and your dumand will :
meet no denial from any source ID. IS
confess, citizens, that with
| I'LL NV zaal for nnnl civil, riult "a .,,, u