The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-07-01

| p@tIloGlCdlly dll Ino prlVaGlOnS anu
horrors OF q great var, cruelty forced
upon US. for the purpose of upholdipg
the constitution and laws of the United
States as preserving the rights of the
several States to regulate their own
domestic policies, and of protecting the
people against spOliatiOn and robbery
by dominant majority, some of whose
members, because the Holy Bible sane
toned slavery. declared that they
wanted an "anti-slavery Bible and an
, anti-slavery God" ana who because the
constitution OF the United States recog
nlzed and protected slavery, declared
that it was "lcague with hell and a
covenant with death.'
Whatever may been said in the past
in the defence Of the institution OF
slavery, and whatever now may be
thought of the means by which it was
abolished in this country, the spirit OF
the present age is against it, and it has
passed away, and | suppose no one
wishes its restoration, if that were
practicable. Certainly | would not re-
store it if had the power. | thing it
better for the black race that they are
free, and | ain sure that it is better for
the white race that there are no slaves.
Some great Macaulay Of tho future
Will tell these grand truths to posterity
better and more forcibly than [ can in
this brief address, and will by reference
to history, to the sacred Scriptures and
to the constitution OF the United States,
rs made by our revolutionary fathers,
vtndicate the patriotism and the heroic
virtues and struggles Of our people.
WHY THERE WAS NO COMPROMISE.
In later times those not familiar with
the facts to which | am referring have
asked the question: "Wny was not
this great question compr omised p"
stating that it would have cost a fifth
OF the money to pay for and liberate
the slaves that the war cost, and that
in that way the tens of thousands of
valuable lives Of good men might have
been saved, and all tho attendant suf-
| ferlng prevented.
The first answer to that question is
that the slaves in the United States at
the beginning Of the war were cstima-
ted to be of the value of three thousand
million dollars, and if they were TO be
liberated cornmon honesty required
that it should have been at the expense
OF the nation, which was rcsponsl BILE
Tor It's existence. The Republicans
and the anti-slavery people were then
majority OF the white people and had
full possession OF the Federal govern
menL, or were ready and aHJhOr Il I'd to
take possession Of it. And they de-
manded that the whole loss to arise
from the freeing of the slaves should
tal! on their owners and on the South
ern States. They mover proposed and
would not have consented for the Fed
eral government and the Northern DeO-
pie to pay any purt Of the cost Of free
Ing the slaves. Their patriotism WAS
noto OF the Kind which would cause them
10 assume part OF the burden of cor
rectlng what they claimed to be Il great
national wrong. And that, TOO, a
wrong, IL 1T was wrong, which we in.
herlted FROM other and older ma
t'Hns, and which was Incorporated in
, our social and industrial systems. and
sanctioned by our constitutions, ST It,
and Federal, in the organization Of tn.
governments Ihe agllatOrs wer,
willing and anxious to be patriotic ano
| just AT The expense OF other people
Ihe second answer to it is, That the
industrial aud social systems of the
Southern States were SO interviewer
with the interest OF slavery that the
people then believed the freedom OF The
slaves, without compensation, meant
: the bankruptcy Of the people and
States where it existed, to be followed
probably by a war OF races, am speak
ing or what they then believed. AS an
evidence that our own people, in the
earlier years OF the Republic, rccos
niSia the necessity Of acquiescing in
the social and Industrial conditions
Witch had grown out Of African slave
~ history tells us that Gen. George
washington, who was an ext .nsivc e
si&7.ac!"e", "as made commander in
chlet or our revolutionary armies. He
was the president of the convention
which formed the constitution of the
. United States, and was elected as the
lrst president OF the United States, and
was Reelected to that position. Mr.
Jefferson, Mr.. Madison, Mr. Monroe,
Gen. jackson, Mr. Polk and Gen. Tay-
lor were each elected president of tn e
United States, and all OF them were
the owners Of slaves. They, like the
trainers OF the constitution, recognized
that this country had inherited a con
dltion OF things in this respect in
"nlcn IL became necessary to acQuiesce
40 not assume to know whether, if a
proposition to pay for the slaves had
oeen made, it would have been accent
cd.
Such sacrifice as that which was
demanded OF tho Southern people, has
not In the worlds history been submit
ted to by any people without an ap-
peal to the last dread arbitramsnt of
war. And ours were u chivalric, intel
ligent, proud and liberty loving people,
lice without a struggle they would have
proven themselves unworthy to be free
men, and unworthy Of tho proud title
T OF being Americans. And | say now,
with deliberatiOn and sincerity, in
view OF all the calamities of the
, war, II the same condition Of things
, could again occur, | would rather &C.
. cept those calamlties than belong to a
race of towards and surrender the most
sacred rights Of self government to the
. camor OF a mi rity overriding the
constitution and demanding tcrms SO
revolving to our sense OF Justice.
. THE HAMPTON ROADS CONFERENCE,
U In this connection | desire TO say
: that it has b:cn frequently asserted
or late years that ut the conference be-
tween President Lincoln and Secretary
, Seward of the Federal side, and MeSsrs
, stephens, Hunt'r and Campbell OF the
! Coniederate side, at Hampton Roads
on the I'D OF January, 1868, that Presi-