Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1880-12-23
THE NEGRO As A RULER.
TIE FALLEN LEADERS ofsoUTH
CAROLINA.
The &alaxy Of Able Negro Orators
and Politicians That Ruled the PAL
p,ctto State--Why They Have Fas-
:cn--What They Have Done for the
Race.

;T;Iiiorim Cor. Philadelphia Times J
CoLrNnlA, S. c., Dec. 1O.-The
problem oi negro seii.rale has not
been solved, RS the true solution must
be the work Of years Of opportunity
lor growth in fitness lor. self.rule, but
it las been fairly tried in two por-
tons Of the Union $ Ince the war, and
in both instances it 'has resulted in
debauched leaders and demoralized
followers. leaving the.seneral condl-
ton of the raGa .1ssss of the
experiment. sh"+'-.-zA-.7::
black man, who has been a slave in
the South and meig al in the North
and whose elucation,.was either posi-
lively interdictad or neglected, should
prove himself proficient in selt-rule'
without aid or even lsympathy from
the mass Of the whites, is to Judge
l;m hv It STANDARD that would over
throw every principle OF popular gov
ernment: bnt country that lsstrug'
CLING to solve the problem of unlver-
sa, suffrage, with great States subject
to tie numerical majority OF Ignorant
and ttri!tl=ss masses, must carefully
study every recurring phase of the
effort. In Washington City, where
the negro was first enfranchised, the
nation exhibited to the world the
most corrupt, pyohigate and demor'
alizsd government to be found IN the
Union, and the same political power
that gave the ballot to the black mer
of the capital was compelled to re
woke the elective franchise and save
the credit and good name Of Wash
ington by making the negro voiceles'
in his own government: 1twas sac
nYcessity-and sad confession OF the
failure Of outrage when exercised by
race prejudice without intelligence
hut the same Republican statesmen
who gave tie right of self-ru!e to the
black man in the capital of the no
iio,, had to rescue the capital from
destruction and shame by sweeping
Acknowledgement.
Negro Rule III south Carolina.
In no section OF the Union did th'
cj;oYe / race have sd@h All opportunl
ty to succeed in creditable self rnl
rs in South Carolina, and the failure
has simply made it impossible TO
them TO regain power in this Stat
for many years to come. That tn
illiterate bondman Of Yesterday shoult
rule great State wisely to-day, coult
not be expected: bur the masses hav
failed to be Just to themselves and t.
the rower they were suddenly calle'
unon to exercise, mainly because
the corruption and Iaithlesaness of IL
leaders Of the race. South Carolin
; had a galaxy of colorsd leaders whe
reconstruction committed the contrc
OF the State to the preponderatin
race that has not h0en eGualed /
ability and culture in any other POI
ton OF the country; and if they ha
been honest with their race and wit
power, the negro masses would hsv
been elevated, instead Of demorall'
ing Them, and they would have bee
taught industry, selfreliance and thru
instead of appealing to the passion
preindices and low cupidity OF ign
;. rance. When l recall the long list
n able negroes who were prominent
: the early Republican rule OF Sout
E. Carolina, and follow them throuf
their gradual descentinto dependon
or shane, it presents pointed cor
ment;.,y upon the problem of Sc
e rule by the negro. There are neg
n u. names connected with the control
Y. South Carolina which should ha