The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-10-23
Appeal OF the German Merchants.

TO Our FslLoaO Germans Throughout the
United States:
Feeling that, just at this time, false
ana highly colored reports of the condi-
ton of affairs in this section are being
spread before the country by different
partisan Journals, which tend to produce
impressions and opinions unfavorable to
the good name and reputation OF
our adopted home, and indirectly
to seriously injure our trade and
business prospects; and knowing that,
however earnest the native citizens have
labored to repel the charges of lawless-
ness and unchecked disorder on their
part, these explanations have with very
many been regarded as political efforts
to whitewssh and palliste offenses OF
which they were really guilty; we, the
undersigned, being all the German
merchants and citizens of Aiken, b. o.,
desire to present feir view OF the condl-
ton of things here to our friends and
fellow-citizens throughout the county.
Having come over from the fatherland
for the purpose of advancing ourselves
in life by. means of the business faclli-
ties offered us here, we have constantly,
since the time of our coming, devoted
ourselves zealously to that sing lie object,
and we have never allied ourselves with
any political party in times past, giving
our suffrages at each election to the can
didates and tickets which we thought
would best advance the interests OF our
adopted home and our own private in
terests, with those of the public. The
course of events in South Carolina during
the last few years, however, has forced us
10 offiliate with the Democratic party
here as the only one that can relieve us
of the burdens that are well nigh crush
ing us. especially of the system OF exor-
btant taxstion whichIis gradually deprlv-
ing us OF the fruits OF many years labor,
while, at the same time, running those
upon whom we are dependent for patro-
mage, and of the Misrepresentation OF
the same when collected, which has
thrown the State into condition ofpros-
tration that can find no parallel North
or South. Year after year we have
watched the course of the Radical party
here, in hopes that its better clements
would rise into power and by a proper
administration of the Government
bring us back on to the
high road to prosperity. But
we utterly despair now of any change
coming from them. Now and then re-
torn is promised, fair words are spoken
and. few favorable measures are passed;
but it is not long before the corruption
that has always characterized them crops
out again, and the beneficial results OF
the good measures are soon destroyed and
overwhelmed in the disastrous conse-
ouences of the bad. The country towns
in this state, nearly all of which were
once thriving and prosperous, are grad
ually losing the good appearance
which once marked them, under the
whiting effect of so many years Of mis-
government. Many of them now, with
their badly cleaned streets, dilapidated
fences, dirty, implanted houses, and al
most empty stores, are sad but speaking
monuments of the ruinous effects of the
radical msrule. We ask you to look for
a moment at the character OF those VINO
govern, and then you can readily under
stand the reason of the PROSTATE condi
ton of our State.
The negroes who largely outnumber
the whites, were suddenly lifted, with
out any preparation, from state OF
servitude to one of equality with their
former masters, and endowed lmmedl-
ately with the right OF suffrage; un-
qualified by any condition, property or
education. Political adventures from all
sections of the Union came here and be-
gan to work upon the mind OF the negro,
in order to elevate themselves into
position where they could advance their
fortunes. They found him dis
posed to regard them as the
representatives OF the power
which had emancipated him
and his friends and disposed also to show
his gratitude by giving them control of
the government, while at the same time
ready to listen to any teachings which
would fill him with distrust of his former
master. By the sutfrages of these lgnor-
ant men the government of our State
was wrested from the hands of the intel
ligent property holders and placed under
the control OF motley crew, composed IN
part of these INSCRIPTIONS politicians
and in part of the newly enfranchlsed
but still ignorant and easily corrupted
negroes.
Is It any wonder that with such men
at the helm our good ship of State should
be we'll nigh stranded upon the shore OF
irretrievablc ruls2 The property hold
ers for eleven years have had no voice IN
the government, which has been run al
most entirely by men having neither
property here nor aught of interest IN
our welfare beyond what tends to add TO
their own enrichment.
Recent events, occurring in a canvass
in which the native whites are earnestly
striving for reform under the leader
ship OF Hampton and other true sons OF
Carolina, have brought the town and
section in which we live into an unde.
served and unpleasant notoriety. The
accounts of them spread forth by differ
emf journals in the North and West
IF we exempt remarkably fair
and impartial report of the "Ellcnton
Riot" lately published in the New
I ork HeTGtd, ana WHICH, We ttuss, WIN
NEE: with the credence it deserves),
greatly iniure and malign the people with
whom we have cast our lot, and the I'M
preston made by them is greatly inten-
slfied BY the action of the United States
and state governments, both of which
seem TO us TO be acting in unison against
the whole people of the state, whose only
crime appears to be their earnest, Pstri-
otto efforts for reform.
But the difficulties at Hamburg and
Ellenton were the result OF the antsgon
ism which we stated before has been cum
pingly sown in the minds of the negroes
toward the whites. The white people,
here as elsewhere through the State, en-
terrain the. kindllest feeling toward their
former slaves. Their know their ignor-
snce, and know also that they are being
worked upon by designing demagogues.
The State government will not give the
whites any protection or redress
against the acts OF lncendiarism,
robbery, &c, perpetrated by these ne