Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1874-03-03
ANOTHER CONFESSION,

i
Below we submit leading editorial from
the New York Times. IF this picture of the
outrsges perpetrated on the Southern States,
says the Lynchburg Republican, were drawn
| by the liveliest imagination of one of our own
people standing amid the crumbliug ruins and
desolstion of these States, it could not present
the euormity OF the crime in more faithful
and fearful colors. That our people may see
how the tide of sentiment is turning in the
North, and among the ruling party of the
country, wecaiI attention to the following
portion of the Times remarkable article:
cat moment when the sad condition of
affairs in Louisiana is attracting the attention
of the whole country, and when Mississippi
has elected steamboat porter to the United
States Senate only because his skin is black,
the proceedings of the South Carolina I.eeis-
lature are more scandalous than at any time
since the close of the war. No one can deny
that some of the members of the culored race
have displayed rare capacity for public af-
fairs. Yet, owing to a combination of unfor-
tunate circumstances, the race, has not dis
t;nguished itself favorably in the three States
we have mentioned. With Louisiana we have
resently dealt at length, and we need not now
refer to it more in detail. Mississippi is not
in so bad a condition, and has not been pluu>
dered to the same extent, but the recent
elections prove that the State can hope for no
substantial prosperity under its present con-
troll 1t is, however, in South Carolina that
negro domination in affairs is most pronounce
ed, aud there its evils are most apparent
eff there we're any doubt of the uuftness
of the present rulers of the State to hold the
trust now reposed in them, they would be
wholly removed by the purusal of sketch
of the proceedings Of a recent session of the
Legislature which we print in another COL
umu. Those who have hoped that matters
were improving in South Carolina will be
sorely disappointed by this latest specimen of
the temper which controls the law. making
power of the State, There would be little
cause to complain that the manners of the
Legislators are not better than in former
years if the morals had improved Blu. this,
unhappily, does not appear to be the case.
The Legislature Of South Carolina is apparent
| ly gang of thieves, intent only upon plum
| deriug the people whom it is supposed to serve.
Long practice has made tho Legislature of the
State perfected system of brignndage Ig>
norant negroes, transplanted from the cotton
| fields to tho halls of the Capitol, where they
have been drilled by INSCRIPTIONS white ad-
venturers, have naturally made mockery of
government, and bankrupted the State. 1t
is not surprising that such legislators, repre>
senting constituencies debased by long Pc
Rod of vassalage, and under such tutelage,
should have displayed ingenuity in fraud
which has no parallel in history
SIT is among the least of the deplorable
consequences of negro supremacy in South
Carolina that the credit of the State has been
utterly destroyed. The State debt has been
increased over $40, OO0,O 900 since the close
Of the war. and nothing has been secured in
public Improvements for this prodigal waste
of the public revenues. The bonds of the
State are worthless, and matters have now
became so desperate that the robbers who
rule it are forced to depend for their
stealinrs upon the pittance of taxation which
can still he wrung from an impoverished
people. Public morals have been SO dpbased
that any hope for publication from within
the State can hardly be entertained"
With such testimony from the leading
organ, both in circulation and ability, of the
Radical party. further proof is unnecessary of
the truth of al the ontrages that have been
charged against the Radical party in the
South. But the day of reckoning and corrcc
ton is surely approaching