The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1877-01-05
NasIonal Notes.
TWO WEEKS IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

During this time have heard the
stories and statements of over two
hundred citizsns,-men aad women
white and black, republicans and
democrats, cultured and iliiterate,
soldiers and civilians, frem different
and districts of the State /;
and l have read the swern testimo-
ny Of host of witnesses who have
been summoned TO Columbia to give
evidence in the United States Dis
trict courts as well as large col
lection of sffidavits aud letters on
file In the executive archives. Gen.
Sheridan once remarked, in a casu-
al way, that, if he owned he'll and
Texas, and was obliged TO live in
one of them, be would not hesitate
to rent out Texas aud live IN the
other place. Now, South Carolina
is worse than Texas. Last June l
was in Mississippi and heard all the
evidence given before the Senate
Investigating Committee there.
thought, then, that had seen the
reverse of the apostolic vision of the
heavens opened-and that the Infer
no had been removed to Mississippi.
But South Carolina is worse than
Mississippi. It's banditti are more
remorseless. its politicians more IN
scrupulous, and it's distinguished
more untrathful.
If tie Republicans of the north, and
the law abiding portion ofthe Dem
ocratic party, could know the true
of affairs in this State, it
would be blOtted out Of the RePub.
lie, and q military government es-
here until the present race
dies cut. The evidence given be-
fore the Congressional Committee
here has been sptly characterized as
"monotonous--the monOtony Of as
This was the utter
ance of one of the most conservative
and distinguished Statesmen of the
nation.
"THE CHIVALRY."
There are no such people here as
the chivalry, in the sense in which
civilized persons understand the
term. The public men of South
Carolina are veneered barbarians.
And the yeneeripg is very thin.
They scruple at neither lies nor
murder to accomplish their ends.
1t is perfectly astounding to read
here the statements that they tele-
graph to the north. Seven-tenths
of them are absolute lies. In en-
franchising the blacks, the North
forgot two thipgs-first, the abiect
ignorance in which slavery had kept
the bondman and second, the saw
age brutality that slavery had bred
in the blood and bones of their mas
tsrs. Andersonville was the ripe
fruit of such system. heard the
other day an old Judge in speaking
of these people say, "The Sioux
should be brought here to improve
the breed" "South Carolina" he
added, Gin the geology of human
history, has only reached the Dsyo-
MAN peri0d-the epoch most profit
ic of monsters" 1t seems q harsh
saying. But I predict that the cyl
dence that will be published by the
Congressional Committees will show
that this verdict is as just as it is Sc
we're.
THE TWO RACES AND PARTIES.
Let me briefly indicate how these
brutal chivalry' conducted the last
election. Early in the spring Gen.
RI. c. Butler began to advocate the
out pOlicy'-that is that the
rebel Democrats should refuse to
with the reform Repub-
licans and make partisan effort to
carry the State.
There are $4,000 more adult male
blacks than there are adult male
whites in this State. Not one in a
of the blacks can be c0axed
Or bribed to vote the Democratic
ticket. They all vote at every cleo
ton. They regard the ballot as the
most precious symbol of their man
hood. These facts rendered the sue
cess of the Democracy as q party,
utterly hopeless st any free and fair
election. Their leaders tried by ev-
cry peaceful agency to divide the
black vote. They never made con-
vert.
"CARPET-BAG RULE"
This was unfortunate for all class
es; for it made the Republican par
ty irresponsible and put many bad
men into office. Black demagogues
were often elected to the legislature
and there were unwiss expenditures
and unnecessary extravaganza. But.
the taxation was necessari-
ly heavier than before the war, it
was and has always been much less
onerOus than in the Northern States.
Apart from any extravagance, the
mere fact of emancipation more
than doubled the expenses Of the
because rs one examp-
Ie, every black offender, Formerly
punished by his master or not pun
ished at all, had now to be prosecu-
ted ia the courts of the State. This
nearly doubled the machinery Of
justice. Schools were established
for all classes. In the days when
ruled there were no free
schools fer the whites; and it was
, penitentiary offence to teach .
black child to read. Almost every
and institution of progress
N South Carolina has been intro
1uced by the denounced and detest.
I'D csrpet-bag governments" Bear
Ibis vital fact in mind. Now, the
reason why, Notwithstanding this
fact,) the taxation here under carpet
bag rule. is not excessive as com
pared with the taxation of New
York under shellelah rule is because
The Federal authority commanded
hat all the Southern war debts
should be wiped out. This mandate
ruined thousands Of rich men wao
had loaned their money to the reb-
d Government, but it iessened the
burden of taxation all oyer the
South.
REFORM INAUGURATED.
But the wise and honest men in
.he Republican party Of whom Gov.
was the leader, saw
hat unless the rule Of the more ig-
lOraDt dSmaQoCues ehOuld he over.