The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1874-07-11

cuuui anu cnduWe GU Wlti CCItain luailcu
able rights.
Third That in doing this they
planted the seeds Of doctrine that was
destined to become universal, and
ultimately culminato in the liberation of
moro than four millions of slaves.
Had this principle never been laid
down by Jefferson, you, my fcllov ci.i
zens, might have been still the humble
hewcrs of wood and drawers Of water
hat you were twenty years ago.
What started in the breast Of your
white friends the idea Of your cmancipa
tiou from slavery? l answer, it was
the do, trinc laid down in the instru
mcnt that made your former masters
free; the Declaration that liberated
them from the calling tyranny he |
over them by George the III. aud his
Parliament.
But, the hand OF God i, in
all things, and wien Thos. Jefferson
declared that all men were born free
and equal, it was ordained that that
sentiment should never bc smothcrcd in
free America. No creature Of Gel;
earth should be permitted to look upon
his lot and that Of his children n.
an intcrminable bondage. The feel
ing might sleep for awhile, the friends
of liberty might forget the condition OF
their brother fellow man in their jubilccs
over their victory over Great Britain,
but the eternal wheel Of Justice was
moving, and, sooner or later the las,
vcstisc Of slavery must be bottcd from
American history forever And in the
breast of Charles Sumner, William
Lloyd Garrison aud othcls we're plante d
The seeds OF Il genuine love Of that libar
| ty, which when it should become ripe i'm
after years, would traverse this country
from end to end take form and body
from the justice o!it cause an | rim /, IN
tho ears of every friend to liberty Your
cause was still for a on; time, but the
spirit which had been ordained the
guardian Of your liberties, was never
sleeping.
1t was the intention of the founders
of this Government that you should be
free, and none but interested ones
doubted the final conslmmaton of the
full meaning of the Declaration of
Independence.
let us now turn our attonton to the
present and future. and discourse Of
them, drawing what lessons we can from
the past, to assist us in our calculations.
We find then the Republican party
occupying very peculiar position, not
ouly as to its standing throu 5hout tn:
nation, but at home.
After the war, when all men were
free and equal, according to the true
intent Of the founders of our country.
the former Shareholders, instead Of
assisting the newly cnlranchised blacks
in rcconstructing this State, thsy held
themselves haughtily aloof from any
communication with the most promin
cnt of the leaders Of the new idea.
w hat alternative was left to the colorcd
voters then but to so upon their Own
resources and take in such white men $
they could find willing to join them?
Their former masters had no use for
them, and in many stances drove them
from their places. In fact, many col.rcd
families had to cmigrata to other
counties because they were denied
shelter under the roof in which they
had lived for many years, while work
ing as a slave for their master.
say then that the condition of the
Republican party is a peculiar one
first, because tho bitter porti,u Of t he
white men opposed, and still oppose an
enlargement OF the black IN as privi
lcges, sccond-bccausc of this opposi
tion they caused the debt of this State
to be terribly in creased which ncccssari
ly brought a bout high taxation.
1t may be asked how arc tho viii tc
men responsible? f? | reply, that if they