, 1874-01-11

TIE PROSTATE STATE: SOUTH CAROLINA Us-
DER NEGRO GOVERNMENT. By JAHEs S. P1kE l1te
Minister OF the Uuited States at Tha Hague, New
York: D. Appleton 1 Co.
The terrible march Of Gen. Sherman's hosts
through. South Carolina. the burning Of her
beautiful Capital. and her snbjcction to the rule
Of tho plantation-neero, as depic:ed in this book
Of 11r. Pike, constitute shout the most fearful
example Of retributive justice that modern times
can furnish. There Calhoun and his compeers
devoted their lives and their great intellects
to preaching secession and rebellion !;
there nulliEcallon was squelchcd by the iron will
Of Gen. Jackson. only 10 fire upon the flag and
lead the rebellion, under Buchanan; and there
tAe fruits of that act seem to have ripeued into
the bitterest possible punishment upon those
who caused it.
Tho book originated in the attendance OF Mr..
Pike upon the sessions of the Legislature OF
South Carolina, in February aad March, 1873.
BY way OF preliminary remark, he says:
The wealth. the intelligence, tho culture the wis
dom, Of the State, have broken through the crust Of
that social volcano on which they cuneu.edly re-
posing aud awe sunk out Of signt consumed by the
su,ierranean fires they had with such emcrity braved
and deed In place Of this old aristocratic society
stands the rude form OF the moss tgnoran: democracy
that mankind invested with the functions Of
gorel nment It is the dregs Of the population lnhl
taed in the robes OF their Intelligent predecessor
md asserting over them ths rule OF ignorance aud
corruption, through the iEexorGble machinery Of
minority Of numbers It is barbasis,n overwhelrn-
ing civilization by physica force. It is the slave
rotjng in tho balls Of his maater, md putting that
master uu,cr llis feet. And though it IL done With
out rlaliee and without vengeance 1t is, nevertheless
no1e tbs less completely aud abso.utey done.
OF the 124 members Of tho House of Repre-
sentatiyes, % we're white Conservatives. OF
them he HayB:
These are good-1colnE, substantial citizens. They
are Of wsigLt and standing in tho communities
hoi :her nacss reluctantly, They feel themselves to
be, IN aoZt usrtyrH bound stocar tn RuHc7 n
behalf Of that still area. ellen lent in tho State whose
pros:rato fortunes arc becoming tho sport o. Al mn
plying fate In This crucial trial OF his pr1le his
manhood, his prejudcea his spirit, it must TO said Of
the Southern Bourbon III the Legislature tla. ke
ports himscf with dignity, reserve md dccorun
that command admiration He feels that tie iron
hand o: Destiny L. npon him. He T. gloomy. tseon-
prC.ess that they looi fur relief. They 500 no way
Of e4cnpe. They arc the types OF conquered
rn:t; their properly and their children do not. War;
e1nauciration and grinding tasattcn have consumed
them Their struggle now Is against complete conhs-
cauon. They enlure and wait for the night
THIS is surely sad picture. Ons can scarcely
forbear to pity tho white people OF South Caro-
linn, though III their pride and folly they did
bring upon Themselves all the modification and
the misery they are forced to undergo.
OF the remaining members, ~ were coloced,
and were their white alies--carpat-bASgera
OF the Assembly he says: 1
Tbs body is aln1as Iaraiiy Black Parliament, and
il only the face Of the earth which is the
fesscd exponent Of advanced typo Of modern civil
zatiun But tho reader Will ind almost any portrait-
ure inadequate to give vivid dea Of the bodywhout
observing its detcls. Tie Speaker is blacE; |
The Clerk is b&ck; the Door-ieepezB a:e
black the little Pages are black; the Chairman Of the
Ways erd 1eans COMMITTEES IL black and tla Chaplain
coalblack. At Of the desks sit colored men
st1oae types it would bo hard to dnd outside os
Congo; waoe costume, v:ss3es attEdes aud e1pree-
lion only bcfit tho forecastle Of 4 buccan=er.
His descriptions Of this q BLACK Parliament
Ire so graphic that, At the. .risk Of quoting too
much, wa add:
Tho negro Is initiative in the extreme. He copy
De . parrot monkey, and he is always ready for
tcial IT his ai1l Hc believes he eau do anything,
md loses ctance to - znd is Just ready to
laughed nt for his failure .7pauded for his sue
tsk. Ho Ia viyac.oas than tho white, md, BE-
ng roztiie rud good-nstured he Is correspond
n9iy irrepres.ihle Hfn misuse Of ,angnaKe in his
mutations in At timex lu1ic-uus beyond measure.
Ie nooriousiy loves joke an aaecdote, sud VIII
urst into bread Eudaw the smallest proToc-tion
Ie brek cut into incoherent harsnsue IN the door
,st as easl and will go repeating himself, dnac-
ng 1t were to the uauzto Of bis o"n voice. for
Ter.
But the odstagers admit that the colored brethren
aFe wonderful aptoass 1t legislative procesdiuez
hey arc "eu1cf ~ lightning" At debating Potats OF
xd*r and theY estziniy t1Ake uessxAnt Ad axtr3a~4