The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1875-12-16
.oIht.Governor tPerry'sLe

!. r,.c '..1 -.,1.i.;r, L.. n,c- .--...-
nro Ex-Governor Perry's%Letter. y
" The letter of ex.Goiyernor Perry, upon
tho policy Of, the State, which we repro
duce from the Charleston Nea0s and, C6n-:, C6n:,
r;e., will receive the, attention which ,is
due to one who hss. occupied many com;
Iaandipsi positions, and, in them ag has
been distinguished for patriotism ability,
courage and integrity. But twill fail to
satisfy his friends or, the, public, We
shall indicate more at length andil detail
in subsequent issues. the difficulties which
lie in the way Of acceptance of these
views. For the present, we are content
with outlining them merely m their es-
iaence, with such objections as are obvious
and upon the surface. ,ri..g.r. FL -:
/, The expression of these views, is not
unexpected by us, although we were not
ilooAing for them to;come from this quar-
ter. They; are the logical sequence of the
policy, .or. lack of policy into which we
/ have allowed ourselves to lapse. Through
i the inertia Of public men, on one side,
Public opinfon has for iiome' time past,
drifted along, without T any concerted
effort to control it or give. it useful aim.
The activity and keen ,aense of interest
and advantage Of men on the other side
have been brought into play to seize it
and give it practical turn 10 serve their
uses. They:have imposed their view of
the situation upon lthe public attention
while it was listless and Indifferent, Men
like Governor Perry. who live in the
shadow 'of'the past, Have been con-
strained, by the appearance of things
around them, to conclude that the "peo-
ple's hopes are dead" Hence he says to
them substantially: "Hug your chains,
limit your desizes,, accept the crumbs
which fall from your rulers tables, and
make the best terms with them you. can,
upon the basis of their pre.arhinence and
piedominance in your affairs."' ',''.2-'f
:. This letter, coming at the time and
from The source it does, indicates that we
are at turning point in our State poll
tics. It makes the question. practical, |,
whether the intelligence and honor of
South Carnlina are prepared to attach
themselves subordinately to the triumphal
car of Republicanism-th South Carroll.
ma style Of Republicanism-in the State
or not. .<Te'- '''i';- l:'''''';,
Governor Perry's fundamental PROPOSE
ton is that the effort to organize ConserI;
yative public opinion and give" 1t any
consistent shape, so as to make it thing
of power and influence, would result in
failure, for the tYo reasons, first, that it
would provoke counter organization on
the psrL of the colored people, and, sec
ondly, us their numbers are so much In
excess; of the, Conservative whites, Con-
servatiYe organization would be worse
than hopeless. A sufficient answer to the
first branch Of the proposition may be
found in the remarks of Governor Perry
himself, where he says "the great mass
of the colored people are beginning to
see That they are in no way benefited by
electirrg corrupt men to, ofice-having
heavy taxes to pay. If the white people
will pursue liberal policy towards them,
my impression is, they would discard the
scound[Iels who haye governed them since
their emancipation" &c. How are they
to be credited with disposition, of this
kind, snd at the same time to be supposed
to be- n1ortally averse to the organization
of, the intelligence, honor and character
of the, State in behalf of good and hon
est government? If they are tired of cor.
rupt men, if they feel the pinch of high
taxes, If they can appreciate liberal
policy, Rhy, in Heavens name, may we
not offer them without ineurring their re-
sentiment, the alternative of joining bet
ter men, of really dininishing taxes,
of improving the character of the Gov
eminent, and of accepting aiberal, poll
cy, under which both races will prosper
and live in harmony ls to their num-
Der Of voters in excess Of the whites, We
have more than once shown that it is
greatly exaggerated. This will be fully
proved if the white VOTE is ever fully
brought out. A careful Republican cal
culator comedies thatthe numerical black
majority is not more than 10000. If it
was 100000, it wonld not be just to con.
slider it as lnassed forever against the
white, resisting every approach of change
and every invitation of q liberal policy.
The color line is melting away in other
Southern States, and why mayitnot here,
tool. .,,i.,. ...ts:... r...-.....
Governor Ferry n1arrowi the opposition
of the Conservative public of South Car
olina to Radi:al rule to the single plank
Of reform. The only question at issue,
he says, is, an honest administration of
the government. There is nothing else
worthy of entering into the canvass next
fall for State officers, county officers and
members of the Legislature. In saying
this, does he mean that our community is
in some way An exception to others, and
willing to have all its distinguishing char
acteristics obtlterated, all its aspirations
to an honorable and Independent. life
suppressed? or has he collected in those
words reform" and "honest administra-
ton of the government a pregnant
force and power which they do not ordi-
narily bear3 It would. appear as if he
attached only the commonplace ideas to
them, and we know how fallacious and
short-coming they are. --. ..'.'
+ With nothing. then, OF graver evil in
his mind than political compromise and
bargain can remove, and with the pre-
conceived idea filling it that every deter
mined effort to better our condition must
prove abortiye, it is not surprising that
the e1-Goyernor proposes an impractica4
Bile scheme of convention of both par,
ties, who are to act separately end uni
tedly at the Same time. They are to meet
in convention, lay down common plat,
form ofan honest State government, light
taxes, competent and honest officers and
economical expenditure Of public mon
eys, make nominations of candidates,
and then 60 before the people and vote
fer them. That, we suppose, will be q