The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-02-16
THU NEGRO LEGISLATURE IN COLUMBIA.
THE WAR FOR REFORM.

COLUMBIA, S. c., Feb. a. 1876.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HKRALD:-
South Carolina Is becoming a national
question and brief survey OF the political situation
here may enable the people outside OF tho State to
comprehend the character and extent OF the issues
at stake, The difficulty in dealing with these South
ern questions is that the passions OF war are not
dead-that men look at politics with anger and appre-
hension. On side have a once powerful
and still proud whose ancestors ruled this Com
monwealth and the Union behind Il, and who,
rather than surrender this domination, forced the
country into civil war On the other side we have
race, only yesterday in slavery and in that darkest
form once seen in the rice swamps, suddenly given
freedom and power and called upon to govern
themselves and their masters. The slave race
outnumbers the white by over 1870 900 in population
OF n little over 700 600 ind IT recorded in the
ensus OF 1870 This numerical superiority is
strengthened by the presence of federal troops by the
mysterious power OF the government and by the pain
full fact that South Carolina rich in statesmen
and warriors, has since the war produced
worthy to pronounce the name
Of McDuGie Calhoun. Tho proud Palmetto
spirit seems to have fallen into abjcct submission
and all that tho bravest OF the old leaders dares
to hope is that the State may be saved by the
aid of gifted and courageous Yankee, son Of
New England and graduate or Yale, who
South Carolina unAl after tho war; and who sits in
the Governors chair 1t is TO Chamberlain that all con-
sentative eyes turn with hope 1t is Chamberlain
who two years ago was among the detested "carpet
baggsrs" who is now high In the favor OF the white
men of the State. he s regarded by them as tho
Moses suddenly arisen to lead them out of the wilder
and into the pleasant lands. And what is more
these proud Carolipians only too willing to follow
the New England Moses-to follow him with enthust
AZ. ~. tho land
CHAMBERLAIN.
There is no problem interesting than this now
solving itself in South Carolina Can any good
come out OF the carpet baggerS Is there any way
for good government, except by the return OF the
men who once ruled here-the Hamptons, the Ker-
shaws, tho Rhetts and their companions-to power
Is there any hidden purpose in the policy OF this
Yankee Governors Does he social recognition or
business patronage does he aim to be Senator or 10
DO named in the National Conventions for still
higher placer for the enemies of Chamberlain are fer
tile the development Of motives for his course.
only road the events they appear the surface,
and it seems clear that good citizen, no matter
what his politics. hesitate to wish the Governor
well in his ntents and feel that they wise and
Just and II successful rebound TO the credit Of
the Northern residents the South and to tho honor
and peace Of South Carolina
MICRO LEGISLATURE
You can better understand this when you think OF
the recent history OF South Carolina Here 6rst the
question of race uppermost in the minds of every
Southern white The white mon who grant
social and political equality to the negro for political
purposes do it with shudder and an apology Good,
friends told me when came TO Columbia to hurry TO
the Capitol that l might the Congo Legislature,
and mourn or make merry, the humor
swayed me, at what saw l went
TO the Capitol There were the Senate and
the House in full session The Lieutenant Governor
OF the state presided over one body, ex-Congress-
Elliott over the other They were both black
They seemed to preside well enough and we're evidently
of much intelligence many OF our Congress-
men from New York l would much rather they had
been white men but God Almighty in his infinite
wisdom mAdo them, there they were and such work
as came before them they did as well as Mt Kerr or
Mr.. Ferry would do in Washington. To be sure, IL is
not much that presiding officers have TO do, but the
SOoty statesmen did 1t with dignity and
tesy. The members generally black with
little section Of proud white men
clustered In cerneK There they Sit"
said kindly cicerone, who had dono his share IN the
Confedsracy, and who took grim, melancholy pieas
ure In showing what the Union had brought 10 his
POOR PROSTATE State 'There they Sit str-the Spar
tan band-every true southerner and democrat
clustering around all that romans Of The honor OF
old Carolina sir and willing TO set sde by side with
darkies sir, to make the last sacrifice in the hope
OF doing something to the old State Think OF what
they must fcsli But nike true men, they
stand up to IT," asked my friend II
they we're paid, and when he told that
they were and that there was accessible
evidence showing that they had declined their pay, my
sympathies became more under control
admitted 10 the noor and sat the Spartan band
some Of whom eating peanuts freshly roasted,
with much resignation and industry. But the
main body Of the statesmen black-all shades OF
black, from tho shining ebony dark with the Of
Congo River TO the pale olive tinted muattowho told
even a sadder tale than that Of slavery In his finer
tempered and more delicatey framed organization.
expected from what l had heard that we
should have unusual ceremonies during the session
was quite prepared for walk -aroundn OF plan
taton jig the Speaker pa,ung time aud the members
singing the Essence Of Old Virginia. Nor would IL
have annoyed me # one member, gray old coon, who
shamblod along with that peculiar gait witch the negro
comedians preserve the stage had insisted upon adj
dressing the chair rhyme with banjo accompaniment
The poor old soul seemed capable OF Il, as he sat
blank and dull half sleeping, wondering what 1t
all meant-ony yesterday slave down in tho
rice lands Of Edisto and statesman aud an
honorable member" Well II was transformation
and nave no doubt felt my gorge rise within me
thought OF this sovereign Carolina tramped in the
dust aid these savagcs riotng her spoatcn and
her shame But as my duty to see what was to DO
sscn and to record il, ] had no time for nero
emotions / saw a body Of well behaved men OF
various coiors-some mapping, some shuiiing around
the aises whispering, speaking, some trying
to speak, many eating peanuts freshly roasted.
saw a clerk who read through his nose, that
one could understand him. There considerable
quantity Of tobacco In various processes Of use.
a couple OF doorkecpers in chairs tilted against the
wall With strings tied 10 the door to them the
labor OF rising 10 open IL, just as had seen IL in
our Washington Supreme Court saw groups OF lob.
byists In the rotunda plying their calling and the
prcsent apple and cake women, who are per-
guaded the forcrunners Of civilization. gath