The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1874-01-21

It would he hard to fud in the
history of modern nations more
saddening Or. disgusting picture of
the wreck and desolation OF society
than is presented at this moment in
South Carolina, and tho condition OF
South Carolina, we suppose, while
perhaps moro picturesquely misera-
BILE, is but typo Of the social
wretchedness aud the political shame
which attach to the other States OF
the far South. These are facts which
concern not alone the States immcdi.
ately immersed in this civic chaos.
The nation is u partnership in dis
eases aud disgrace as we'll as in
benefits with the suffering of ono
member all the members suffer, and
whatever is blot uron Texas or
Georgia strains through to Maine.
The time has fully arrived when all
citizcns who do not believe that Ffour
politica! system can stand anything
and defy anything" should condo
ceud to cast some serious glauces
npon the hapleSs circumstances of
our friends and brcthen Of the South.
ern States. Ofthis we may be sure,
that the present apathy OF Northern
people upon this subject is largely
Conditioned on their ignorance Of
the real state Of the case and tho
difficulty with US has been that we
would not, all 70 to the South to see
for ourselves, end that we could
not thoroughly conlidc in the
testimouy of those who did
did 20. 1t is greatly to be desired
that some Northern mcn Of real
ability, and Of unquestionablc repute
among us, could pass through u the
Southern lauds and study the actual
situation, and report to Us in terms
which we could altogether trust.
From this point of view, We deem
1t an event to be particularly men
toned sthat one such citizen, Mr..
James j. Pike, an old abolitiouist, IL
journalist of high standing, aud, by
appointment of President Lincoln,
late minister of the United States at
the Hague, took the trouble to 20 to
South Carolina during the last scs-
sion of the Legislature, and to spcud
two months at its capital in the study
Of men and things. He has now
made his report, aud has embodied it
in a little book, just issued by the
Arrletons, and bearing the gloomy
title that stands at the head of this
article. The book is so small that
It can be read in an evening, but it
is large enough to- give to every Amer
ican anxious reflection for many a
day.
Mr.. Pike finds society in South
Carolina "bottom side up" The
people of character and culture, who,
IN normal and righteous state of
affairs, would give direction
and tone to public proceedings, are
trampled under foot by n host OF
voting barbarians-"the most igno,
rant democracy that mankind evcl
saw'-"lhe dregs Of the population
habilitated in the robes of their in
telligcnt predecessors, and asserting
over them the rule Of ignorance and
corruption through tho inexorable
machinery of u majority ofnum bers."
Carpct-bag rulc Is ut i'm end in South
Carolina, for the carpet -baggers were
on the outside at least, white men,
Even negroes taihted with white
blood, and so unfortunate as to have
the nobl, blackncss Of the ancestral
complexion debilitated into some
shade of yellow, are beginning tc
feel the contemptuous antagonisin oi
the unmixed African, who means to
have things all his own way there
BY sheer force Of superior number.
tho ignorant and unprinciplcd class
es have taken complete possession q
the government of the State. Anc
what sort Of IL government have they
formed ? According to the tcsti
mony Of Mr.. Pike, tho rule of Soutl
Carolina should not bo digniicd will
the name of government. 1t is the
installation of q huge system 0
brigandago: The men who have had
1t In control, and tho men who nov
have it in control, are the pickee
villains of the community. They ar,
the hlghwaymcn Of the State. The,
are professional Legislative robbers
They arc nicn who have studied ant
practiccd the art of LOCALIZED theft
They are in no sonso different from
or bottor than, the men who fill tn
prisons and penitentiaries of til
world. They are, in fact, Of precise
ly that GLASS, only moro daring an
audacious. The solo, base object
to gorge the individual with publ
plunder. Having dcno it, they tur
around and buy immunity for tboi
acts by sharing their gain with tn
ignorant, pauporized, bcsotted crow
who have chosen thom to tho station
they fill, and which enables thom thu
to rob and plumber"