Orangeburg times. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1872-1875, 1874-04-23
GIFTS Defence.
q oRAsoEnuno, s.. C., Apl. 90, 1874.

I.
so Sade through the whole of "Republi-
cans" elaborate epistle Of the 18th, in
ahswerto mine of the 9th, and while. of
:, course, during lis perusal. I must have
grown older" I cannot say that have
}orrespondingly improved, or grown " User.
~ Perhaps my unfedged Imagination has
teen everstrained in the rash attempt to
follow him in his dizzy fight With Tenny-
fans eagle" or my reason bcwildered
at his style not being further embell-
ished by a quotation from poe's Raven"
However, as we cannot "see ourselves
as Others see US" + will not say that "he
'is wrong, and l am right" but simply
apd briefly review my position, and leave
the decision of the question to others.
! BY reference to the letter attacked, it
will be seen that my argument i'll opposi-
tion,, to Republican" was substantially MS
follows:
=, That the blacks, and not the whites, are to
blame for our present political condition, mas
much as in 1870 the whites came to the blacks
land begged them to unite with them in the
establishment of an honest government and
they positively refused to do SO.
= That for this course of hostility they cannot
plead ignoraRce, or being fooled, as the subject
was thoroughly explained to them by men who
proved their sincerity by not only nominating,
but supporting colored men to office
tinpThat by their rejection of this propositions of
otleiwhites, to osesight of color, and look only
i, tomerit and honesty; and by their determined
hostility to the whites in every election since
the war, the matter has assumed the deplorablc
form OF a question of race, instead Of party, for
which the blacks are responsible
- That inasmuch rs the blacks have resolutcly
taken this stand against The whites in every
-sinotance in the past, it would be degrading, if
not impudently intrnding, for us to go to them
again, uatcss they first conc to us that u.s. announce
their willingness to meet us
That such being the experience of the past,
s'wc had better go to work with our means and
eencrgies to induce immigration and overcome
Gtthb fnegro majority--looking to the ultimate
Adoption Of the just system Of cumulative voting.
ssl The above, I believe, is n true synopsis
-oofmy letter, and l willingly submit it to
a,public criticism, failing to see where
YaRepublichn" has disproved a single
point. g,lr; * M
bnr1tcannot be said TINT / am opposed to
yecoEciliation, for if did recommend that
1--we should not turn to the blacks again,
I,is wasiwith this distinct qualification /:
r9qnless theyfrst come TO ua. t
iii, If the negro shows the least disposition
q "toarerede from his hostility" am MS
Ii ready 10 meet him now, us l ever have
5sbeen in the past.
.rn It cannot be said, becaus, wish to
overcome the negro majority, that con-
template .'his exile from home, or cur
,tailment of his civil and political rights, "
orfar here is my exact language in the very
ia letter from which Republican, would have
>. the negro draw this inference: Think ifh,
d'roAd aeeept the system Of cumulative coting and
tn'ns,ify representation noa, !hat should ertcnd
re same rishtto him whea vc hare rhite majority
,L 1t his breast is suspicious sanctuary"
] fear he has made it 50 himself, by his
o&n evil thoughts.
" The system of cumulative voting re.
gard as ono of the grandcst achievements
il the line ofpoltical science, and espec.
cially adapted to countries inhabited by
two distinct races. In this line it is
cheering to note Republican" sanguine
expression that "it will yet obtain in this
country" and it is hoped that he will
hereafter work for it.
In his ramblings, outside of the qu S
ton under discussion, "Rcpublican'
ailuding to the old rulers cf South Caro-
lima, says, eve can very well spare them
!, i from ON. any further management Of the
country" and that they should rest quiet
" "before t. Q onward march of tic new
civilization"
Now Dlr. Editor, as know nothing O.
these men, beyond what gather from Tho
current history Of the times, not being
one ofthem, or in anywise connected Will
them officially in my life, cannotspcal
from experience, but my observation in
clinrs mo to tho hclicf that (oxcont;nr