Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1889-09-12
rl,e Racc Conflict.

ssS;sI2iots and bloodshed between the
whites and blacks have recently oc-
sscurrcd in the six States of Texas,
Louisiana, West Virginia, Arkansas.
Mississippi and Georgia. There has
been more or less loss Of life and
bloodshed in all the States. These
conflicts have grown, in no small de-
gree, out of politics, either directly
or indirectly. Their occurrence has
been mainly due to the return to
power of that party which lures the
negro on by false promises and in,
flames him by inccndiary pleas.
The Republicans of the North use
the negro simply rs a tool by which
y hey hope to gain for their party a
longer. lease Of life, and their chief
Z occupation in the South has been,
and still is, to array the blacks against
! the whites as natural enemies.
They never miss an opportunity to
fomcnt discord, and seldom neglect
to make one. The supremacy Of
this party in natioI;! affairs is hay
ing it's natural effect in the stirring
up of strife between the two races
who have heretofore dwclt together
in comparative peace and quiet in
this highly favored Southland.
During the administrations of
Presidents Hayes, Garfield, Arthur,
and more especially under Demo
cratic rule, the race problem. was fast
solving itself. In peace and tran
quillity the two races were moving
on to prosperity, and there was
neither turmoil, excitement, nor con
tlict. But the election Of President
Harrison brought change over the
spirit of our dreams. That election
marked the return to power of n
party whose every interest is antago-
nistic to the dominent sentiment and
abiding faith Of the Southern people.
And tho gravity of our situation
to-day cannot be ovcrcstimatcd.
With some of the negroes clatcd and
inlamcd by lIarrison's victory, and
some of the whites depressed and
cmbittcrcd by Clcvcland's defeat, we
are not to be surprised at moro or
less conflict, riot and even bloodshcd.
But our condition is indeed seri-
o,,s, and there is the greatest need
that wise heads and cool counscls
should prevail, lest the problem will
not reach a safe solution. There
must be the steady and constant re-
preston of quick temper by the pas
sionatc, as well as the enduring pa
ticncc, fortitudc and sclf-control
which has thus far so cmincntly dis
tinguishcd our people in bearing the
many insults and outragcs wantonly
heapcd upon them by the Rcpubli-
can carpct-baggers, who, during the
dark days of reconstruction, were
here to do the bidding Of this
iniquitous party, by manipulating the
ignorance Of the negro with The skill
of . dcmagoguc. And it is with
sorrow we note that the same spirit
seems to be inspiring all the South
crn appointments Of Importance
made by President Harrison. Take
our own State, and the important
federal Offices are filed with carpet
baggcrs, who have come South since
the war. And what is true of us, is
true of the whole South. Where is
the native Republican who is sitting
in any high place and administering
the affairs of our great government
for the Southern people? Such a
Republican as Gen. LnngStrcct, Of
Georgia, is passed by in contempla-
tive silence, and the rich political
chicken pie is served for a carpet
baggcr. Why is it SO? The reason
is plain; mono but the carpct-baggcr
can be so deaf and dead to the wei
fare and prosperity of the South as
to scatter fircbrands broadcast among
the negroes. The native Rcpubli-
can yet has some feelings OF huma-
nifty left; he cannot go to the foul
and desperate length Of the carpet
baggcr in appealing to the Ignorance,
passion and prejudice Of the negro;
he has some sympathy with the
overwhelming sentiment of the
South-pcrchancc some friends and
relatives who arc welded to the su-
premacy Of good governmcnt-and
hence he is served and shclycd by
an appointment to some petit post
Office or marshalship, or worse still,
given nothing.
As cause must always produce
an effect, SO this status produces Of
necessity irritation, friction and con