Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1874-01-28
Nemesis in Blogars.
THE SOUTH cARoLfSA or To-DAY--AE
OLD ABoLiTi0NIsT REPORT.

scrvilc population. ~ ss tho 6pecta'
Gle Of society suddenly turned bot,
tom side up. Tho wealth, the intelli-
gcnch, the culture. tho wisdom OF the
State, have broken through the
crust Of that social volcano on which
they were contentedly rcponDg, and
have sunk out Of sight, consumed by
the subtcrranean fires they had with
81 much temeriiy braved and deied.
In the place of this old aristocrntio
society stands the rude form of tho
most ignorant democracy that man
1ind ever saw, invested with the func-
tions of government. 1t is the dregs
Of tho population habi.itated in tho
robes Of their predecessors, and as
serting over them the rule OF ignor.
nnce and corruption, through the in
exorable machinery of minority Of
numbers 1t is barbarism overwelm-
ing civilization by lis physical force.
IL is the slave rioting in the balls of
his master, and putting that master
under his feet. And though il is done
without malice aud without vengeance,
il is nevertheless none the less com.
plctely and absolutely done
About three.q quarters OF tho crowd
belonged to the African race. They
were Of every hue, from the light oc.
toroon 10 the deep black. They were
such o looking body Of men that
might pour out Of market house or
court house at random in any SOUTH
ern State. Every negro type and
physiogomy was here to be seen from
the genteel serving man to the rough
hewn customer from the rice or cot
ton field. Their dress was rs varied
us their counlenances. There was
the second hand black frock coat Of
in6rm gentiity, glossy and thread
bare. There was the stovcppe hat
OF many ironings and departed styles.
There was also TO be seen a total dis
regard Of the proprieties of costume
in the coarse and dirty garments of
the field the stub jackets apd slouch
hats of soiling labor. In some in.
stances rough wooIen comforters en-
braced the neck and hid the absence
of linen. Heavy brogans and short,
torn trousers il was impossible to
hide. The dusky tide flowed out into
the Uttered and barren grounds, and,
issuing through tho coarse wooden
fences Of the enclosure, melted into
the street beyond. These were the
legislators Of South Carolina.
In conspicuous bas relief over tho
door Of exit, on the panels of tho
stately editice. the marble visages Of
George MDuf}ic and Robert Y. Harnc
overlooked the scene. Could they
veritably witness il from their dread
abodc? What thcnY 81 tremble,"
wrote Jefferson, when depicting tho
character of southern slavery, ~
tremble when ! reflect that God is
just" But did any of that band of
southern revolutionary patriots who
wrestled in their sonls with the curse
OF slavery ever contemplate such
descent into barbarism as the spccla-
cle implied and typitedy my God,
look at this p was the unbidden eiac-
ulaiion Of low country planter, clad
in homespun, as he leaned over tho
rail inside the house, gazing excitedly
upon the body in session. "This is
the first time | have been here.
thought knew what we were doing
when we consented TO emancipation.
knew the negro, and l predicted
much that has happened, but ! never
thought il would come to this. Let
me go"
Let us approach nearer and take a
closer view. We will enter the House
of Representatives. Here sits ono
hundred and twenty -four MEMBERS
OF these, twenty.tbree are white men,
representing the remains cf old civil.
zation. These are good looking, sub
slantial citizens. They hre men of
weight and standing in the communi-
ty they represent. They are all from
the bill country. The irosts of sixty
and seventy winters whiten the heads
of some among them. There they SIT,
grim and silent They feel themselves
to be but the loose stones thrown in 10
partially obsiruct the current they arc
powerless to resist. They say little
and DO little AS the days 90 by They
simply watch the rising tide, and mark
the progressive steps OF the inunda-
tion. They bold their places reluc-
tantly. They feel themselves to be in
some sort martyrs, bound stoically TO
suffer in behalf of that still great ele-
ment to the State whose PROSTATE
fortunes are becoming the sport Of an
Implying fate, Grouped in corner
OF commodious and well furnished
chamber, they stoidly survey tho
Noisy riot that goes on in tho great
black left and centre, where the bust.
ness and debates of tho House are
conducted, and where sit the strange
and extraordinary gnides of tho for
tunes of a once prond and naughty
State.
In this critical trial Of his pride, bis
manhood, his prejudices, his spirit, il
must be said OF the southern bourbon
of the legislature that hc comports
himself with dignity, reserve and
u decorum that command admiration.
He feels that the iron hand of destiny
is upon him. He is gloomy, disconso-
late, hopeless. The gray heads of
this generation openly profess that
they look for no relief They see no
way of escape, The recovery of in.
euencc, of position, Of control in the
State, is felt by thcm to DO impossi-
bio. They accept their position with
u stoicism that promises no reward
here or hereafter. They are the types
of conquered race. They staked
all and lost all. Their lives remain;
their children and their property do
not. War, emancipation and grind
ing taxation have consumed them
Their struggle is now against CON-
plete coniscation. They endure and
wait for the night. This dense pcgro
crowd they confront do the debating,
the squabbling, the law-making and
create all the clamor and disorder OF