The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-04-17
MR.. DEPEW'S ISLANDERS.
The New York Tribune and ias Pre-.
sumptions .Inlcrmeddltng With
S0uihpru Affairs.


| W. COPY two articles which we find in our
exchanges credited 10 the New York Tribune,
OF April llth and l2th.
i These articles show an amount of igno-
rance of the affairs IN South Carolina which
is dense; and they echo a selfcOnsttuteu and
uaSeleSS puritanical presumption. which Is
only equaled by our hum iliatipg and degra-
ding oOsequous cringing to northern senti-
| mcnt.
We deSp'se the selfconGessed inieriority OF
the Southern people, and especially is IL hui
niliatng when the people OF south Carolina
admit tnei Inequality to anybody.
We naveas proud IL lineage and as glorious
Il history as can be- claimed for the people of
any State in the Union.
i The results of the war made us poor, but
our manhood and our character remain.
Even in our material misfortune we should
blush TO trucile To ony one, or To any com.
rnuuity because of our poverty, or because OF
their riches. We are not rich as Mr. De-
pew, but we are just as good. and he utters Il
SANDER on South Carolina when lie charges
that immigrants do not come TO this state ne
cause of the election laws and because we do
no: allow evil disposed men TO lay violent
hands on our women. If NJ r. Depew wants
70 send immigrants or anynody else TO land
where they may assault good women at their
pleasure, he does right in directing such i'm
migrants TO other fields than South Carolina.
II immigrants are looking for Il place where
their own women are not protected against
violence, then they must go To North Carroll
ma or to some place where women may be
matreated with impunty. We give immi'
grants due and timely notice that south Car
0lina is not a healthy or a safe place for such
men rs lay violent hands on women. We
take IL for granted that no worthy imml-
grant will stay away from South Carolina be-
cause we protect our women. and because no
man can assault women and live Ill South
Carolina. The man that assaults women
must ana shall die, and we utter our contempt
for any Northern man who would do less for
his own women.
Immigrants do not come to South Carolina
for the simple reason that there Is here al
ready an oversupply OF labor-an excess OF
poor peOple-and labor is so abundant that re.
numeratlve wages cannot be had. LabOrers
, would be foolish to come to community
where there Is next 10 no demand for their
services. Anu he who would advise labor
! ing man to come South with a view to earn
ing wages, Is either interruptions or is wo-
fully ignorant OF the subject. The South
needs no laboring immigrants, and laborlng
, : Immigrants would be fools to come TO land
where three-fourths OF the population are
laborers, and as poor as they are, and where a
large per cent. Of the lasOrers have not q
weeks supply OF bread.
When Mr.. Depew talks of honesty in cleo
tions, and when he speaks OF Wade Ham pton
NJ. T.. Butler and men OF that stamp, Joining
the Republican party, IL seems that he bor-
I deIs on insanity. He knows nothing of the
: present situation, and has forgotten South
y Cardinals history for twenty-five years. The
: negroes ruled SoHth CaroliDa from lS6S 10 1876
Everybody in South Carolina knows the de-
! moraiiZation and financial ruin that resulted
tlfe negroes have lost their right OF suffrage
= because OF their own ignorance In not com
plying with the requirements OF the regiStra
J tion law, and because OF their being unable
to deposit their ballots intelligently. In re-
cent contested election case, at Abbeville
Court House, where this newspaper Is pub
' lIshed, we believe that every negro swore
=, that he did not know n congressional box
: from State box, and nearly all OF them
. swore that they were instructed" to do thus
and so. Everybody knows, too. and we pre-
,l,,,t, ..vill n hat he
best and most patriotic people OF South Caro-
: lima DO not want the State turned over TO the
negroes. IT Mr.. Depew wants this State
brought back Iss to the I'm wheh arG eTs IS
= The South and no friend TO the white man any
: where.
All this talk of honesty In elections is the
merest twaddIe. This editor has lived 10
South Carolina all his lte and he claims q
reasonable degree OF intelligence and he
would say, without any reservation whatever
!, been absolutely fair. By that assertion we
mean to say we believe that every mans vote
: in South Carolina has been counted. as he
cast it, and that no man who had u registra
tiOn ticket has been denied the right 10 vote
: for whomsover he pleased.
= When MIR. Depew talks about Hampton and
Butler going into the Republican ranks. and
necessarily, in that event appealing, 10 the ne
} groeS, he gives evidence that he knows moth
ing OF which he Is talking.
who ruled South Carolina up to 1880 are
greatly disconnected At being thrown out o
Office; but Mr. Depew ISLANDERS the old sci
4! when lie suggests that they will desert their
white friends to go into the Republican fold
Even II these gentlemen should turn
against their former comrades In arms, and
seek TO belray their own kindred into The
bands OF the negroes. or republicans, (synon
ymous terms IN South Carolinn) they could
carry no influence with them. Not q hundred
'twhite men in all South Carolina would fol
{. low them. They would have neither the re-
-lspect of the white man nor the confidence o1
the black man.
l The history Of the past goes to show that
such men as Hampton and Butler can never
have strong hold on the negroes OF the
. South. Men OF their proud lineage and man.
ly bearing can never get down to the level o.
the average negro voter, and the history ol
the past shows that II gentlemen like these
, should by accident tenn mporarily get into office
that they would be cast aside at the first op
portunity.
Mr.. Depew talks freely about honesty and
dishonesty of elections, seeming TO make the
J inference that Hampton and Butler and theil
followers were the paragons OF perfection and
purity In that line.
II is notorious, and we presume that no one
will deny II, that the election In 1876 In Will icl
Hampton was elected TO office, and in which
the white people were restored 10 power, was
tainted with more Intimidation and fraud
than any election that was ever held In any
country. The perilous condition OF the State
demanded the overthrow OF the Radical rule
in South Carolina and there was not perhaps
a hundred men In all 0. South Carolina tina
did not countenance, aid or accept the tntim-
iuation and fraud az necessary for the restora
!, !, tion Of good government. The end Justified
the means.
, For the next few elections the same intimi
dation or fraud was kept up 10 more or less
: extent. Seeing the demoraliZing effect o
such Il course the Legislature enacted the reg
istration law which has preserved white su
prenacy without resort TO doubtful or repre-.
hensble practices. The negro by lawful
means, rather than by fraud and intimida.
tion has been prevented from taking posses
sion of our State.
We offer nobody any apology for desiring
TO hold this State against all corners.
This country was conquered by our people
The valOr and daring of our fOreiathers
wrested 1t from the mother country.
Il We would be cravenS indeed, Ii we Surren
dered the heritage. which was won at SO much
cost In privalion. blood and treasure.
$ We offer the North no apology for. the In
timidaliOn and fraud OF 1876.
We urge no excuse for the use OF the tissue
ballot in 1878 and lSS0.
Il We crave uobody'S pardon for the eight box
! law and the registration law.
This State belongs To the people OF South
: | Carolina, and the Press and Banner, at least
; does not seek to transfer this land To foreign
erS and aliens. If any man should come
among US rs 81 freeman, as an independent
y liberty. loving citizen, let him come. lie will
find warm place In the hearts of Il warm
hearted people. lie will bc welcomed, and
! will receive the right hand of fellowship.
. But thnt class OF pauperS whose railroad
. fare has to be paid, and whonre hauled about
by the car load 10. they know not where, and
who may be seeking for gifts Of farms at the
end of their Journey, may 90 TO the West or
&. elsewhere. People that are hauled about aS
beeveS to the butcher. or az sheep 10 the sham.
5les, can find better and more con.enial
, places than South Carolina.
/ There is more actual rot to the square inch