Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1874-10-22

laws giving them full recognition to citizen
ship in the fullest sense ever enjoyed by the
whites He then, from the manifestations OF
his hearers, saw signs for hope, and felt that
the welfare of South Carolina depended upon
the whites gaining and deserving the conf
dence of the blacks At the same meeting
BENJAMIN Randolph, a colored man from
Ohio. was present. He followed Gen. Ker-
shaw in speech, and said that in the interest
of his race he could not refrain from express
ing surprise at the liberal sentiments express
ed by the former slaveowners, and IT the
whites would come up to the promises then
made, he advised his people, as their friend,
to take them by the hand.
But once. G. Bowen, Democrat and ex-
rebel, was present. He complained that Ran
dolph was off the track, and addressing the
crowd, after Randolph had concluded, he
showered his eloquence in abuse of slavery,
and labored to show that the colored people
would again be brought to bondage if they
followed the lead Of such men as Chestnut aud
Kershaw. On that night, under the auspices
of Bowen, was inaugurated the first Union
League in Kershaw county, and until quite
recently the manipulators Of the League had
full possession of every colored mans vote,
which he regretted to say had been used for
the worst Of purposes
Of course, with such influences to contend
against, the whites, who we're willing to lead
to honest government, were powerless. They
had honestly tried, and if they were afterward
compelled to stand aloof, the fault rested not
with them. One consolation to the speaker
was that in his own county he was now reap.
ing the benefit of the counsels he had then
given the colored peeple-time having vindl-
Gated what he had said.
The Presidential campaign of 1868 was
next adverted to, and the relation OF the two
races in that canvass discussed when, from
the failure to win the coIored people to the
Democratic party, as the speaker had predict
ed would be the case, political power in South
Carolina passed into the hands of strangers
and adventures, who had used it solely for
their own purposes-by plundering the pub.
lie treasury and plunging the State in debt.
In the campaign Of 1870, we thought the
time had come when we could say the recon.
struction acts are the organic law Of the land,
not to be fought against, but accepted. The
speaker had the honor of introducing the
platform adopted by the Conservative party
in that canvass, and since that time the idea
of the reconstruction laws being temporary
had been entirely eradicated. The rights OF
the colored men are secure. Only the power
which can create can unmake and the colored
people will be allowed to enjoy political rights
so long as the government stands. This is
fact admitted by all.
1t must be admitted, however, that we are
two peoples. The colored people, too, have
the majority, and will have it for years to
come. 1t is also recognized fact that the
State government, by their votes, has been
placed in bad hands We are now called
upon to ask, how can we better this condition ?
What shall we do to rescue the good old State?
What shall we do to introduce good govern
ment in order to enjoy its benefits? We must
secure the cooperation of all good citizens. If
we make race line, we necessarily putt out
of our power to help ourselves. There is but
one way-and that plan have ever advoca-
ted.
The colored people of South Carolina ought
not to claim the exclusive right to govern the
State. The whites possess the property, sa.
gacity, experience and all other qualifications
to entitle them to be permitted to assist in
wise administration The colored people
ought not to arrogate to themselves exclusive
rights Nor should the whites arrogate to
themselves the exclusive right to govern the
blacks. Hence, you must establish confidence
between the races as the only means of secur-
ing fair and honest government
Calhoun's pet theory was that State or
not enjoy concurrent majority OF people and
property. With such concurrent majority,
he maintained, no laws could be enacted hos
tile to either persons or property, and conse-
quently the government would be conducted
on just principles. There may be no doubt
that the philosophy of government requires
such principles, especially in our present con-
dition, where neither interest is properly rep
resented.
A solution of our difficulties has been pro-
posed by the colored people Of Charleston.
They have organized an Honest Government
League, and adopted the same platform after
ward adopted by the Conservative Convention
in Columbia, which has for its object the &C.
curing of an honest State government They
propose for the honest colored people to share
equally the offices with honest white people.
The whites wish to be represented by their
own people, named by themselves, and it is
proposed to the whites to agree upon condi.
tions, and unite with the blacks in electing
men on this basis of honest government. The
blacks have furnished this solution, but too
late, fear, for its operations to be felt at this
time; though hope you will consider the
propriety Of the method proposed by those
colored citizens and let your actions be gov.
erned by it in the future, and as citizens of a
common country work out a common destiny.
Let each people, if they desire, have politics
suited to their own notion. Such govern
ment would be one of concurrent majority,
based on the soundest wisdom. The property
in the hands of conservatives would be repre-
sented by conservatives, while the other party
would represent the rights of labor and the
people,
The speaker next defined his position on
the civil rights bill. Mr.. Wallace had charg-
ed in the canvass that he (the speaker) was
opposed to the civil rights bill. This bill, as
you all know, was devised by Hon. Charles
Sumner, of Massachusetts,; proposed in the
last Congress and defeated. The subject will
no doubt be brought up in the next Congress.
It's objects and purposes are we'll known to all.
As the friend Of the colored people, and as an
advocate of what would be to their best in
terest, be had to declare that he was not in =
favor of the bill. 1t will prove mischievous
in its operations in South Carolina, and might
lead to hostility, while he wanted peace
peace, always and under all circumstances
between the whites and blacks, as essential to
good government. He had but recently re-
ceived letter from leading Democrat Of
New York, urging him to advocate civil