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

| providence, hcDSpoiiticai powor Of this
State is in|oour hands. ssTen years ago
without yestigo. of political power, We
are to,dnylthe absolute masters Of South
Carolina. Such change is without
parallel, not only in its rapidity, but in
the monientous responsibilities it i'm
poses upon us. Are we so ignorant as
to imagine that God and the world will
not hold us to account for our use of ali
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 to-day.
| This proud Statc-mothcr of statesmen,
numbering among her sons the brig ghtesL
and bravest hearts that our country can
bnast- has been committed to our keep
ing. Our former mast rs have predicted
our failurc.t Admitting ,sas many Of our
slave holders do, our capacity forim
provencnt in many directions, they
have declared that here, in the highest
test, the negro would fail chat he would
be the victim OF the cunning aud. un
scrupulous white man, and the base
slave. of his own greed aud dishonesty!
| wish had ten thousand voices with
which to proclaim the great ,f,ct that
they, the colored men of South Caro-
lina, are noe on NiiM bctorc tie vhoic
co""t'y The question is now to be
dccided-can tho colorcd people Of this
State maintain and administer tho
government of this State upon the bas sis
of self government and unrestricted suf.
trase /? This is the tremendous re
sponsibility which we are to meet The
! power we have will be our condemnation
unless we arouse ourselves to our re
sponsibilitics and resolve to be governed
by a constant aud profound regard for
the public welfare. Remember, my
fellow. citizens, that no fact is more
deeply engraved OH ali the tablets Of
history than this; that individual pros
pcrity can only be secured by an un
selfish devotion to the good OF the whole
community. That State or community
is fastening to destruction when its
citizens are no longer buund To each
" her by the great moral ligamcnt ofa
constant re gard for the welfare Of the
community us wholn. Self-prcscrva
ton demands unsclish 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 ol all our civil
liberties. The former slave 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 he of
your own party who teaches you to re
gard the functions OF Il public officer rs
the means Of merely securing your own
personal aygran die uent. Moth ing can
save that people who have come to con
slider public position rs a source of pri
vnte advantage or gain. Your liberties,
ourcivil riShts all that you now hold most
dear will be dust and ashes, unless you
use them under sense of yoalr responsi
biliry for good government and the gencr
al public veal.
To-day the North doubts whether we
can maintain decent government in
South Carolina TO day our friends
blush for us. To da, thoy l,ok to see
whether We are capable Of sha...ns off
this monstrons our,ion Of NAL admins
tration, and rising to tolerablc degree
Of regard for our common public inter
css. sMistakcs, many aud grievous
may be mnde without impairing the
confidence Of our generous friends aboud;
but it Is not our errors and incxperiencc
which threaten to ruin us it is the pre-
sent reckless disregard Of public 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.
rise our demand for complete
civil rights, and tho answer is, show Vi
Tint you are capable of approaching your
rights, restore good government to South
Carolina, use her revenues to public
ends; build up her material prosperity:
vindicate your right to full citizens of
the republic, and your dumand will