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

would clapSe before the negro would
show himself entirely and absolutcly
unfit for self government. These pre-
dictionists were mistaken More than
six years have transprc sinc, you took
charge of South Carolina, anl every
year has been an improvement over the
one which preceded it.
or course our party has made great
blunlcrs, but charge here that we are
not responsible for them. You know
yourselves that the men whom you first
elected to Office were too poor to buy
decent suit of clothes If they made
money, who is responsible for it, the
tcmpter or the tempted? My belief is,
that had the Democrats RETAINED from
trying to buy our first Legislators the
charge Of corruption could never have
been laid at our doors. The members
went to Columbia perfectly igno"a ut,
not knowing how they would ply their
board, and least dreaming Of fbribcs, and
but for Democratic villainy would hlvc
been stainless today. l charge that for
the corruption which exists to day the
opposition is responsible. And what
must we do to prove it upon them. l
will tell you. We must go on in our
course. We must stand bJ our colors
and elect none but Republicans to Office
whose honesty will redeem whatever Of
error has been committed by Our party
hcrctotorc
The advice Of men in our own midst
to makc compromise is unsouud
None but towards ever suggest such
measures. lie who is conscious of the
uprishtucss Of his own curse, n,ver
wants any such thing.
We were now about to entering mon
another campaign, and need 1 say that
the enemy is better prepared than ever.
They have their tax unions where We
used to have our Union Leagues, and
every colorcd man they can decoy into
them they will do so IF he will not
come willingly they will use force as
they did iu caro-. What must we do?
Show ourselves firm and uniaunted.
The threats of Democrats, the dcclara
tion that you must do the bidding Of
midnight workers must be disrcgarlcd
and set at detinancc. The Republican
party has been tramplcd under foot lon.
enough; its leaders must stand by its
co!ors once again. the bone anl sincw
OF the country-you my fellow citizens
will not sec its flag rallied in the dust
aud we must say to the opposition one.
fsr all, way with your compromises
Let each man stand by his party, and
ere long these struggles Of ours will be
como thing of the past, and let the col
orcd voters take courage and fight their
battle out Let them remember that
rs far back as l77G was sown the seeds
Of their liberty and that to day they are
enjoying the fruits thereof in manner
which skeptics never thought of.
Capt. Rufus MILESTONE was next
introduced, and made one Of his strong
and characteristic speeches. He was
followed by Mr. John II Livin ,ston
who was listened to with marked attcn
ton. Mr. i told he color,d people that
he thought emancipation day should DC
nearer their h carts than the Fourth of
July; that from that period many of
their race commenced to enjoy The
sweets Of liberty, and finally, all Of
them were endowed with its privileges.
He expected to address his friends
more iilIy after a while, and closed by
congIatuating them upon the success of
their celebration
Mr. w n Mount was the last speak er
He was proud to meet such large
crowcd, but thought if it had not been
for the Republican party much larger
one wonld have turned out Rcmcm
bcrcd the time when call from any
body would summon hundreds of men to
a meeting. Times had changed and it
was now hard to get up respectable
number Told the colored people to
watch their leaders more scrutunizingly
lie declared that he was disgu sted with