The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1874-02-19

Good Advice from Black Man to the
Blacks of the State.
The following sensible letter of Maj. Delany
should be carefully read and seriously considered
by every colored man in the South. 1t is not
wild prophecy, but sober truth, the inevitable
results Of fhistory ard experience:
CHARLESTON, February 10, 1874.
Hon. J j. Wright, assistant Justice Supreme
Court, South Carolina, Columbia, s. e.:
MY DEAR S1R-I see by the recent conVen-
ton held by the young men OF Richland C0un-
ty, at which you spoke and gave some e1ceilens
counsel. that much interest and alarm were
manifested by them at the influx of white i'm
migration; -. ,-. - ~ -. ou.;uu,
t;on of which frequently cautioned the people
concerning in 1866, at Hilton Head, and among
the sea islands; and spoke Of it at the great re-
construction meeting at Epping Hall, lnow
United States Court House,) Charleston, 1868,
and more particularly at the club meeting OF
Republicans at Beaufort the same year, be-
ing then in the United States army, stationed
at Hilton Head,) and subsequently at other
times when you were present. l remember the
club meeting particularly, as the suggestions
made by me met with determined opposition,
and one of the most prominent leaders OF the
party there at the time arose in the meeting
and advised the people that there need be no
fears of any such thing ever taking place, as it
was simply impossible ever to outnumber the
colored people in South Carolina and Missis-
sippi. where the blacks now had the prepon-
derance. You must remember this at the Beau
fort club meeting. spoke of general amnes-
ty, and this too, was "pooh-poohed!" simply
desire to say that this tide of emigration having
now set in will go on to completion--that is, it
will not cease till the white population in the
State sufficiently outnumbers the blacks to Sc
cure to the whites the basis of a ruling ele-
ment.
The object of the "Granges" or immigration
movement in this State, as you very well know,
is to neutralize the black ruling element by
reducing or exceeding its majority. And my
candid opinion is, that the whites in the South
generally, and South Carolina in particular,
prefer as agricultural, mechanical, and laboring
elements the blacks to the whites; and that
this immigration scheme never would have
been organized had they, from the past and
present aspect of things, not been led to be-
iieve that we, the blacks, were influenced, con-
CrOlieQ anQ leu III Jul poiltiCaA aStiouo Wituout
principle or a will of our own, and that so long
as we outnumbered them, they would never
get a chance to participate in the political
affairs of the State. This is my sincere con-
yiction, after much observation and intelligent
inquiry.
But the thing is now done, and it is a fixed
fact that in I've years, if not less time than
| this the black population Il include all people
l ac hoi in ifv fofo
What our race requires is proper information
to rightly direct it. This has been too long
neglected, and should have been given by those
| who led them in politics. What desire now
to say is that it is your duty, as it is every in
telligent man among US, who aspires to lead
ership, loves his race, has the capacity, and is
| versed in the great principles of political
science, and, consequently, the philosophy Of
| popular succession, to warn his people of a
great approaching reality, which, sooner or
later, will verify itselfin history. That, having
! prospectiyely lost the popular preponderance
and consequent certainty of representation in
all the departments of government, local, State
and national, our only hope and chance of its
future security is in the principle of cumula-
| tive voting which secures minority representa-
ton as we'll as ma jority. Let our Legislature
be wise enough now, while it is in the power
| of our race to do so, to take such measures as
to secure, By constitutional enactment, the
right of minority representation, which, while
it Immediately secures to the whites of the
State, irrespective of party, a pro rata repre-
sentation, or representation in proportion to
numbers, it secures to the black race the same
ratio Of representation in counties where the
whites have the majority, and when they shall
preponderate in population in the State, which
they most assuredly WILL at no distant day.
The white race is true to itself, and it is
| useless and doing injustice to both races to
conceal the fact, that in giving liberty and
equality of rights to the blacks, they had no
desire TO see them rule over their own race
And the blacks may as we'll know this at once
that there is no scheme that can be laid, nc
measure that may be entered into, nor expense
so great, which they will not incur to change
such relation between the blacks and whites
in this country. Rest assured of this, that
there are no white people North nor South
who will submit to see the blacks rule over the
whites in America. We may as well be plain
and candid on this point, look each other in
the face, and let the truth be known. Radi,
calism, as taught by political leaders for selfish
of our untutored race to believe otherwise, and
act accordingly. But it is dreadful, terrible
political heresy. which should receive the
stamp of condemnation by every friend O.
mankind and just government, black anc
white. They are, as they should be, willing
to have US participate to concede us our legit
innate and reasonable share as citizens, but no
an absolute and supreme control in politica
affairs.
have the honor to be, sir, your friend ane
fellow-citizen,
| NJ. R. DELANY.