Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1880-11-18

presented to him. Work him up to the
proper pitch and ho will vote for convic-
tod felon who calls himself Republican,
in preference to man Of the highest re-
spectability who is styled Democrat.
Fidelity to the Republican party, however
loathsome its local candidates, is the religion
of the negro. We arc Obliged to assume then
that if tho negroes were now to elect the nomi
necs of the Republican party, tho State
would be cursed again with rule of
ignorance and corruption. There is no i'm
provcment in constituency or candidates.
South Carolino, if her white citizens could
submit to it, would be once more the Prost.
rate State.
But, our Northern friend tells us that
the great desire of tho Republican party,
as regards the South, is to secure to all
the members of tho purity "frce political
discussion, free voting and a FUR count"
Unfortunately, the Republican party in the
North does not appreciate the losses and
perils to which any State is exposed that
can be dominated by negroes or by
negro influences. The Southern freedmen
arc spoken Of and written Of, in tho North,
us if they were white men. Tho law makcs
them the equals of tho white men in OWL
nffuirs. Unhappily, the Jaw did not aud
could not give then, tho Intelligence, the
self-control and tho sense Of responsibility
without which the right to voto work io4
jury to both the possnssor aud his neighbors.
The North is up in ar,ns when there is q
probability that the white mechanic will be
Injured by "Chinese cheap labor" What
our Northern friend say aud do, for instance,
if the State Government Of Pouusylvapia,
and OF tho three fourths of tho counties in
that State, we're in the hands of tho almond.
eyed OricutaIs7 Yet these people, with
their opium, their joss houses aud their
indescribable nastincss, would mako virtu
Gus and faithful rulers, we doubt not, in
comparison with those who arc elected as
Republicans, by the South Carolina ncgrbes,
whenever there is an opportunity. Yet
there arc forty thousand more colorcd
voters than white voters in South Caaolina.
And there must be free vote, and fair
count!
How can entire freedom of political
action for the colorcd people be made
compatible with the good government, Sc
| Guilty and justice, for whites mud blacks
| alike, in South Carolina aud in other States
in similar position? The way is not olour,
olthough it must be found. There is no
simple remedy but one must be had.
In saying that we hoped and believed
"that the business Interests which we're the
handspring of Tuesdays work, will be
opposed utterly 10 any legislation that
would in any way embarrass tho ngricul-
| ture and manufactures, the trade and com
merce Of the South" we had in mind tho
Stnlwart menace that the Southern States
! should be reconstructed over again, or that
rcpressivc and subversiye legislation of some
sort would be enforced, on the plea that
the colorcd vote was Systematically suppress
| ed. This would play havoc With tho South,
und VIC look to the business influences Of
the North and West, and to the moderate
politicians, to prevent it, Military rule
would be preferable to lengthening line
of civil governors headed by IL new Scott
| and Moses. Moreover, it would make the
| pacification of the State impossible for this
generation. What then must we have?
The opportunity to solve the problem for
ourselves, on TIC basis of q free uotc and a
| tar cOunt
In suDc mode tho cure for the ills of the
body polite will be found. Public thought
in the State is alivo to the pressing impor.
tance Of the subject. The white people of
the State cannot endure the demoraiizing
effects of election Irregularities, any more
thau tho North will acquiesce on any nulIi
fication of the colorcd vote. BY changes
in existing laws, by that "registration of
! all electors" which the General Assembly
is required by the Constitution to provide
for, or in some other way that not now sug
gests itself, means of escape ,yil be OBJ
taned. The desired end will be reached
quickly md quietly, without lawcssness or
| or ppfi nd ,pifh