The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-05-13
bishop sapsOn and sho soatl..

The genera. impressions which L .e.
ceiyed upon this trip were OF q pleasant
and favorable character.
| 1. ! am satisfed that the South Is grad.
ually but surely improving financially
business is regiving, and every indica-
tion points TO period of financial ease
end comfort. This revival of business
has tended to soften and smooth scme OF
the asleritles which have heretofore ex-
listed. The people arc rnure oontendeti
and moro happy. The commercial In.
tercourse between the North aud the
South, const' tly increasing, people
know each -er better, and find less
canse for nnklndnesa and complaint.
3. While political difficulties haye ex.
istod, and do still exist, it is evident 10
me that o day Of greater ,afety and of
moro expression Of opinion is rapidly
approaching. I conversed freely with
our intelligent colored ministers, and I
did not hear from any one of them any
expression OF apprehension Of danger In
mis- work. The only fears whiyh, think,
need TO be entertained arc by those
whose influence Ia supposed TO be exerted
in political directions. Our white minis.
ters are greatly disliked by some because
they Gre supposed to exercise O strong
influence over portion Of the colored
population. Those who are uuecYupu.
ious towards the coloTed people-as some
thereare In every commLlity, either NAL
treating them personally, ordefraudinR
them of the wages for thair labor-ro.
gard our ministers with aversion. 40 be.
Ing tho friends and protectors of the coll
ored race. In South Carolina the color
ed population Is largely in exceas of the
whites, and wera elections conducted
fairly, their vota would always out num-
Der the votes Of the whites; but, by
various processes, tho most Of which a,e
under color of law, this vote isso counted
that the colored influence ie greatly d.
minished, If mot destroyed. But as
time wears away, as sectional differences
shalt cease, as local issues shall rise on
which the colored people, as we'll as the
white people, shall be divided, there
will probably be an opportunity given
for Q fuller and freer expression OF senti.
ment &C tile polls.
While I depiore all wrong-d doing, and
while sympathize deeply With those
who have suffered, yet I can not but
think 1t 10 alnlost miracle that even so
much Of quiet, good order, and kindly
feeling prevails 80 soon after the total
revolution which occurred in Eouthern
society. Anti.slsvery as / always was
from early youth, had my friend asked
me twenty years ago to express my Mt
most wish for the coloFed people, I
should not have dared to ask for al much
advancement as has been made. That
o race, comprising four millions, should
be changed at once from. slaves to citi-
zens, and should be granted, uit only
the right TO vote, but also to rit as repre-
sentatiyes Ia the State Legislatures and
in Congress, and yet dwell In tho midst
of their former masters, / should have
thought would occasion convulsiops OF
the most terrible kind. To mo &c Ia q
matter Of surprise that, at this compare.
lively early day after ouch revolution,
so little friction exists. It would have
been impossible but for The general
Christain sentiment of the people, and
for the influence Of the calming and con-
trolling power Of the Gospel of Jesus
Christ. To-day there Is more ennnity
between the landholders and ruling nor.
tion of Ireland and its peasantry, though
so many years have passed away Bince
the union with the Br:tt.h crown, than
there 10 between the forr.3r shareholders
and the emancipated slaves. While I
write thus, however, I see there is great
room still for improvement, and years will
probably pass before there Is that pro.
lection of individual rights, and that scru-
pulous regard ssSr tEo interests of the
colored people which ought to prevail.
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