The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-01-11

sAMBo IN ExCEIs1s.
south Carolina as Seen by . Northern
Man.

0~uth Carolina as Seen by q Northern
Man.
II imitation be the sincerest nattery many of
cur Senators, Congressman and municipal chiefs
must feel touched by the fidelity with which the
Ausky legislators who govern South Carolina copy
their bright example. Indeed, the pupils in this
instance seem to have excelled their masters.
As represented by Mr.. Pike, late United
States Minister at The Hague, they have
added to the art OF swindling Drill
liant and sometimes humorous audacity exciu-
sively their own. Mr.. Pike has just written
work entitled the "Prostrare State: South Caro-
lima Under Negro Government" Appleton, New
York;, and, though the condition ofSouth carolina
has been long known In the North 10 De truly
wretched we doubt II the disclosures he makes
and supports by oniciai evidence Will not create
establishment. The negro leaders appear to
unite the practices Of the incarcerated
Mr.. Tweed with the theories OF the Paris Commune.
They lay claim to the land and meantime freely
rob its present owners. They are, we regret to
say supported in their career Of arrogance
and plumber by United States bayonets. We
could certainly wish our army more honor
able occupation than helping the emancipated
slave to rob his late master than keeping the ring
In South Carolina while the negro attacks the
white men whose arms are tied Duty sometimes
becomes a painful task, and honest men have
some times to c0nsort with rogues. Social and polt.
cal exigencies occasionally place men in posi-
lions from which they would gladly withdraw II
hey could. This Is, we are too sorry to say, our
case with respect to some OF the Southern states.
Nothing would please Northern men more than to
discover q safe and honorable method
Of insuring to the owners OF property
and intelligence in those States fair repre-
sentation in their respective governments. But
the constitution has given the power to the negro
majority and, pending the discovery OF remedy
the constitution has to be maintained. If ever it
has to be abr0gated in South Carolina, as the con-
stituti0n OF Jamaica was recently quashed by the
British government, the negro leaders will have to
thank their own excuses for the loss OF the power
they are now 80 shamelessly abusing. They are
drunk with their recent elevation, and well may
they be- "The whole thing is q wonderful novelty
TO them, as well as to observers. Seven years ago
these men were raising corn and cotton under the
whip OF the overseer. To-day they are raising
points OF order and questions OF privilege. They
ma they can raise one as well as the other. They
prefer the latter; it Is easier and better paid.
Then 1t Is the evidence OF an accomplished result.
1t means escape and defence from old oppressors.
1t means liberty. 1t means destruction of prison
walls, only too real to them. 1t Is the sunshine of
their lives their day Of jubilee. 1t is their long
promised vision the Lord God Almighty" History
anords no example Of SO great change, but sup
plies numerous proofs that power acquired sud.
denly and without effort will be certainly abused.
We cannot blame the black leaders OF South
Carolina for being ignorant OF the maxim now
generally accepted by European mOnarchs, 'You
can do anything with bayonets but SIT on them"
Their native shrewdness would perhaps teach
them the danger of trying this experiment with
bayonets provided by themselves. But they pos
sess an advantage which Ola World SOW
eretgns rarely enjoyed and probably believe
that the axiom does not apply when the
bayOnets are furnished by an external au-
thority. That authority may, however, get
tired OF lending its sanction to farclcal
misgovernment and audacious chicanery. 1t may
grow weary of supporting q parcel OF thieves
whatever may be their opinions, and the negro OF
South Carolina may then find his seat as uncom-
Portable and insecure as that Of q Bourbon at
Naples or OF Bourbon In France. A State gov
eminent which cannot maintain itself without
the habitual presence OF United States troops
stands selrcondemned. The first duty Of gov
eminent is to secure the obedience and loyalty OF
the governed. Continued misrule in South Caro-
lima may some day place the central authority on
the horns of dilemma. There may then be no
alternative between Withdrawing our troops and
letting the negro and the Ku Klux fight out their
quarrel, or remOdening the State constitution
with the view OF obtaining q fair repre-
sentation for the property and intelligence
of the State, now almost wholly excluded from
Its direction. We may pass by Mr.. Pixies amusing
description Of the present Legislature of South
Carolina in session. No doubt they are tempt
ing subject for both sneers and jests but their
dingy clothes and dirty persons, the wild chatter
ing which they call debate and the loud 'gufraws'
with which they receive threat from the Speaker
to call an unruly 'gemman" TO order would will
ingly be excused combined with honesty of
purpose and capacity Tor administration. But they
possess neither honesty nor capacity, and they
have learned from the white Adventures, who
have been their instructors the whole art Of per-
verting government to their own profit. No decent
respect for the rights OF the large white majority,
whose slaves they recently were, ever actuates
them. They are like children whom q careless or
too confident nurse has trusted with dangerous
implements. and the use which they make OF their
power will probably prove still more injurious to
themselves than to the white population
which they rob and Cypress. They, however,
possess the vantage ground that they have
nothing to lose but their liberty, and they
know perfectly well that let the worst
come to the worst, this is at ali events secure 1t
Is with them game of heads win, tails you
lose. The population of South Carolina consists
in round numbers OF 100000 whites and 100000
Is
far differently constituted 1t consists OF "a
negroes and seven 'carpet-baggers," who are
their white atiies only % are white men "repre-
senting the true interests of property but wholly
unable to protect them" These are men OF weight
and standing In the communities they represent.
They are all from the hill country. The frosts
OF go or 10 winters whiten the heads OF some
among them. there they sit, grim and silent.
thrown in to partially obstract. a current
they are powerless to resist. y Grouped
IN corner OF the commodiOus and well Tur-
riot that goes In the great black Left and Centre
where the debates OF the House are conducted
and where sit the strange and extraordinary guides
OF once proud ana naughty State. In
this crucial trial OF his pride, his man.
hood. his prejudices and his spirit, 1t
Legislature that he COMFORTS himself with dig
nifty, a reserve ana decOrum that commands adj
miratlon This dense negro crowd they
confront do the debating, the squabblirg the law
making and create all the clamor and disorder OF
the body. These % white men are but the OBJ