The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-01-06
GOV. PerrY's Reply.

its soundness or Legality made debatable.
Gov. Perry's Reply.
We chcerfully give space to Governor
Perry in this issue to state what was his
position in regard to certain political
canvasses of the past, and are glad that
he has put himself right before Che peo-
pie upon these matters, for we do not
desire to do him or any other man the
| slightest injustice. In examining Gov.
Perry's political record, we find that he
| differed from most of the State press,
and his difference at that time caused
the masses who were in doubt between
the two policies to stand aloof and not
| vote at all. The military order required
that majority of the registered voters
| should vote upon the subject of con-
| vention, and a majority of those voting
upon the subject to vote in favor of call
ing the convention. The majority of
our politicians favored registration and
voting for good men, without voting for
or against a convention, but Gov. Perry
advised them to vote against the conyen-
tion. BY not voting, at all as TO the con-
| vention, there was better chance to
defeat its call than by voting against it,
for every vote cast against it only helped
to give a majority OF the registered voters
voting upon the subject, and thereby
insure its call. II was bad policy to
have produced division of sentiment
upon this important subject, and Gov.
Perry's course did produce that division
of sentiment, which resulted in inducing
the people who were in doubt as to the
best course to stand off, thereby turning
the State over almost unanimously to
the Republicans. Gov. Perry's motives
were no doubt high toned and honorable,
but we think the result from his course
was disastrous.
We cannot zee how Governor Perry
can claim consistency in opposing the
acceptance of Office under the Republi-
can party in 1868, and now advocating
not only the acceptance of Office under
them, but also supporting portion of
the very men from whom he advised our
people not to accept Office in 1868. Did
not Chamberlain, Corbin, Cardozo, De.
lany and Carpenter control the first Leg.
islature, from which he thought it sac.
ri6ce of principle to accept office? Ii
republicanism any more respectable to-.
day than it was then? Is it consistency
to denounce men as rogues and scoun-
drels in 1868 and call upon them as
worthy champions to redeem our State
to-day?
| Speaking of political events, Governor
Perry, in letter to the PhGnir in April,
1867, said:
Let him endorse on his ticket, "Ne
Convention" If he is patriot and hon
orable man, he cannot desire the change
which the military bill c0ntemplates,
| and he should not vote ksl, n
II But if the people should vote
"no convention, what then? The honor
and dignity of the State will, at least,
not be thereby sacrificed by their citizens.
We shall remain as we are under military
rule, till there is reaction at the North.
Let us await this Democratic triumph,
be. it hundred years, rather than seek
new associations with our black Repub-
lican tyrants and oppressors, and be
guilty of the baseness of abandoning our
friends at the North who have nobly de-
Tended our cause for two years past, and
sacrificed themselves in the struggle for
Southern rights and constitutional free
dom. If we are unwilling to bear the
ills to which we are subjected for the
maintenance of honor and principle,
then we deserve our destiny. n
Why, then, shall we voluntarily degrade
ourselves, and give up our dearest politi-
cal rights for a delusion. If dishonor
must come, do not embrace it. If we
are to wear manaeles, let them be put on
by our tyrants, not by ourselves. We
have lived already two years under mill
tary rule, in great poverty and distress,
and have beerI cheered all the time by
the consciousn ess that we were not a de-
graded people, though a conquered peo-
Die. We can continue to live in the
same way two years longei, or, if need
be, ten years and feel freedom, know
| ing that we have maintained our honor,
and made every effort possible to preserve
our freedom and constitutional rights.
A man who feels that he has dishC nored
himself is lost, and so it is with a people.
Does this read consistently with the
coalition letter which we published three
weeks ago? Does it not show a very
great change of sentiment in the writer
Then he would not even have his friends
to accept office from the Republicans,
and yet to day he is willing to support
Gov. Chamberlain, who lis an avowed
advocate of miscegenation in our State
University. Then he thought it would
be voting lie for man who opposed
the change contemplated in the military
bill to vote for convention !; to-day he
thinks it right for men who have not a
single principle in common with Gov
Chamberlain to vote for him because ne
thinks him an honest man. so far as the
dollars and cents of our treasury are con-
cerned! Then he thought our principles
should give us strength to stand our po-
litical misfortunes for century rather
than sacrifice our honor and dignity