Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-10-21
A gxAaAzETTE &vlRGrNIA ADVERTISER
PUBLISHED DAILY By &
.D sNowoErH-
q XETTE BUILDING, no. 20 PRINCE STREET
che Germans Of south Carolina 10
iheir aOuntrymen Throughout the
n5nn
From the New York Herald.

IGcllEg tlaC, JUST aC IUts llnC einie' '''''
and highly coored reports OF the coDdltlon
affairs 10 this section are being spread before
the country by different partisan Journals, whlct
tend to produce impressions and oplnlons un
favorable to the good uame and reputation o
onr adop,cd h me, and indirectly to seriously
ipiure our trade and buslnoss prospects; anC
kHnwipr that however earnestly The uatlv(
citizens have llbored to repel tue charges o.
law,csSness aui unchecked disorder on the!i
mart. these explanations with very mary have
been rcga;dcG AS political efforts 10 whiywast
and paate offcuces OF which they were really
yu!ty; we, the undersigned, being all OF tie
{, rman merchants and citizens OF Aiken, 5 C.,
desire to present fair view OF the coudluru
oi ,1iugs here 10 our treuds aud fellow Grey
mans throughout tie country.
Having come over from the latherlaDd Tor
the purpose of advanclCg ourselves 10 lIie by
ueaus oi the business facilities offered US here,
we nave constantly, siDce the time OF our COM
ior, devoted ourselves zealouSly to that sugle
Obi ct: and We have never allied ourselves With
any political pariyS 10 times past, glvlDg our
sutfrages ct each clec;lou u the candidates aud
tickets which we thought would best advance
the Interests OF our adopted home and our own
private interests. With those OF the public. The
course of events 10 Sou;h Carolina during the
last lew years, bow Yer, has forced us 20 athllate
with the democratic party here as the only one
tlat can relieve Us ul the burdens which are
well oieh crushing uS, especially OF the system
ul cyorUltant taX.tlon which Is gradually de-
rrlcjng us Of the fruits of many years labor,
whc, at the same time, rululag those upon
wnoaI we are dependcu for patronage, and OF
il, misappr0prlatIla G! the same when col
Icc.rd. which has throwu the State into a con-
H.. oi ti,r, that plp4fln1 n9rIiini
North or South. Year Liter year we have
watched the course of he radical party here,
u pes that It's better clements would rise
into power aud by.a proper administration OF
the government bciug Us back TO the high
road to prosperity. But We utterly de-
SPAR pow ct any change coming from
them. y Nv and then reform is promised, fair
wuris are spoken and 4 few favorable measures
arc passed; but It Is oot toLg before the cor
ru1tlon THAT has always claract rlZcG them
crnps out again, and the beneficial results OF
tie good measures are soon destroyed anu over
whclmct in the disastrous consequences OF the
bad The couulry towns 10 this State, nearly
nj If ,9hicl: we're once thl!vlng and prosperous,
are graGuai!y losing the good appearance which
once marked them, uoder the W!iuug effect OF
10 many years OF misgovcrnncut. Many OF
tictn now, with their badly cleaned streets, d.
ap.iatcd icuces, dry, uDpa'oted houses aud
alnlsG empty stores, are sad but speaking
ncaumenls OF the r, inou> fleets OF the radical
mi,rule We ask you to ovG ior momcut at
the character of those who govern, aud then
you cao readily understand tie reason OF the
prostratc condition of our State.
Istc negrJes, who largely outrumher the
whites, were suddenly liftei, wIthou; any pre-
.ara.lon, FROM a state Of serVltude into one Ot
equality with their former masters, and cudow-
ed Immediately with the right o SUIT age un
qualified by any condition, property Or cduca-
,,,nai Political adveuturers irom all sections
Of the Union came here aud began to work up
on the ulud of the negro, In order to elevate
themselves into position where they could ad-
vaucc their fortunes They found hlm dlspcS-
ed to regard them as the Tcrres ntatvts OF the
power which had emanc!patec HIM and his
friends, anu disposed also to show lis ,rattule
by giving thcm. control OF the government,
while AT the same time ready to lsteG to any
teachings which would fill him with dlstrust OF
his lormer master. BY The sutfragcs of these
iruoraut mcn the government oi our State Was
wrrstcd from the hands Of the intelligent prop
eyty holders apd placed under the control ot a
motley crew, composed 10 part OF these un-
Scrupuiuus politicians and 10 part OF the newly
cutrlnch,scd but still ignorant aud easily cor
ruptcd negroes.
Is |. any woudcr, that with such men at the
hc,u, our good ship of State should be well
nigh stranded upon the shore of lrrctrcvable
rum? The properly holders tor eleven years
have had no voice IN the government, which
has been run almost entirely by men having
neither property here nor aurht OF interest III
our wc!laic beyond what tends to add to their
O,pn enrichment.
Rcccut events, occurring 10 a canvass III
wnch the native whites are earnestly STRIVING
lar reform u1dcr the leadership of Hampton
aud other true sous OF Carolina, have brought
the towu ani section 10 which we live lnto an
un1cscrvcd and unpleasant uotorlety. The ac
counts of them spr, I'D forth by different Journ-
al Ia the North aud West (it we except re-
IL rkably lair aud impartial report vi the FL
lrntuu Rot" lately published IN the NV
York lIrrald, aud wblch, we trust, viii meet
with hc credeucc il deSarveS,) greatly lnlure
and mallgu the people with whom we have
east our lot, and he Impression made by them
is greatly IL tcuslicd by tie action OF the United
States aud State governments, both OF which
Seem to us to be acting IN unison against the
Waite people of the State. whose oo!y crime
appears to be their carncst patriotic efforts Tor
rirrm.
Eur The difficulties at Hamburg and Ellen
tou We're the result OF the aGtagonlsm which
We stated before has been cunnlngly soWn II
the minds Of the negroes toward the whites
The white people, here as elsewhere through,
the State, cutertain the kindeSt feelings toward
their former slaves. They know their iguo.
rance, aud ku;,w also that they are being worked
up}o by designing demagosues. The State
government will not give the whites any pro
lection or redress against the acts of lnceudl
arl<m, robbery, &c., perpetrated by these ne:
groes, and they have been obliged to dcteno
themselves aud to enGeavor to put stop tt
these disorders by prompt and summary pun
ishmeut Of the Offenders. ln all these Gthcul
tics the whites have at first acted altogether OF
the defensive, aud they have assumed the OF
tcnsvc only when it became necessary by dc
clSlye action to prevent greater difficulties. Ii
ali cases they have shown their willingness &c
submit to the proper officers of the State or Q
the United States Whenever they appeared acc
showed an ability to cope with and check th,
rlotouS negroes.