The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-03-03
Pu(ldleH.

IOeCOmes, that WelSneu ana eStl-
By our finite understanding, there
Is to be two sides to every question.
Gaving spread before the public most
convincing array of facts aud figures IN sup
port of view held by US, we note the follow
| ing in reply therefor
.'The Charleston Sun deplores the action of
the South Carolina Legislature In refusing to
repeal the migration law, which forbids
agents to carry carloads OF negroes from
South Carolina TO other sections of the
country.
The Press and Banner would heartily COM
mend the Legislature for doing exactly what
The Sun would criticise so severely"
Judged by the action OF their representa-.
tives, the Press and Banner represents the
views OF the white people OF this State, but we
cannot reconcile 1t with our conscience 70
keep the blacks with US, and treat them DIFF
ferently from the whites and we think that
every argument advanced by the Press and
Banner might have proceeded out OF the
mouth of Pharoah with regard to the children
OF Israel.
Pharoah and all his hosts were overwhelmed
in the Red Sea, for interfering with m1gra.
tory movement, and while The Sun cannot
say that 1t apprehends any Red Sea disaster
for US, we are weary of those horrible red pud-
dies, which the presence OF the negroes IN
such numbers among US Is continually pro-
duclng and which we are told are split upon
the ground to protect our women from what
our friend calls san ignorant, dependent and
unsuspecting people, who have the strongest
local attachments"
Leu lHeIn SC.
We copy the above from the Charleston
Sun. We believe the reference to Pharoah
and the migratory movement Is literally
true. But If we are not mistaken, these "mi-
gratory people" were.held in bondage-they
were the servants Of Pharoah. and sought TO
be free from the merciless taskmasters. Phar-
oah, like the white masters OF the South, OBJ
jected TO the liberation OF the Israelites. He
followed after them when on their way to
the promised land. His chariots and horse
men came to grief, but the Israelites never
set foot on the promised land.
The masters OF the South. like Pharoah,
went to war, and the shackles fell from the
feet of their slaves. Rivers of blood and un-
told treasure were spent to perpetuate the
bondage OF the slave, while he gained the
greatest of INSTRUMENTATION an effort.
If we are not mistaken the Egyptian king
and his army suffered greatly In the Red Sea
while the children OF Israel passed over dry
shore. The negroes gained their freedom
without the loss of blood. Their masters, like
the King OF Egypt, suffered greatly.
The Southern bondsmen had severe ordeal
to pass. The freedman OF the South In his
new relation to society and to the govern
ment, has much to learn, and he must often
learn at the COST of blood. In former times
he had no rights which the freeman was
bound TO respect. When he was made equal
before the law, and when the restraints OF
slavery were removed, forgetting the bounds
ofreasop and the restraints oflaw, the negro
committed crimes for which he has suffered.
He must learn TO obey and respect the law,
aud TO respect the rights Of others. Until he
does do SO he will suffer at the hands OF in
Jured neighbors. The bondsmen of Egypt
desired to 60. The negro of South Carolina
does not want to 60, except as he is lured by
illusions OF brighter prospects and more fer
tile fields in distant and, to him, unknown
lands. The negro wants TO stay with US; he
ILLS useful place In the economy OF the
State, AMI we would not entice him away by
promises and hopes which will never mate
rialize. If the negro's presence is OBJ
Jectionable, is 1t right to palm him
of on unsuspecting communities? II
Louisiana Is anxious TO get him, why
should we not allow him to stay?-
The conditions change our notions Of right
and wrong. Before the war. the poor white
trash was regarded as the Objectionable citi-
zen, and the slave-owner encouraged nom
slave-owners to 60 to the West-to Alabama,
10 Mississippi, to Lousiana-to any where
from Abbeville county. The result was that
the slave.owners became also the land own
ers, and the Savannah side had few white
people when the war broke out. That land
to-day, In a large measure, is elthe. lying
idle or occupied by negroes.
Before the war hundreds Of non n-slave-hold
ers moved TO the West to give place 10 the
negroes. No, things have changed. The
negro is no longer a chattle, and 1t Is claimed
that We do not need him any longer, and
that he ought TO 60.
IL has been held that while individuals lost
everything, yet the South lost nothing by the
abolition of slavery. The labor Is still here.
The fields are cultivated. And more cotton
Is made now than before the war. The differ.
ence Is, that instead OF task masters grabbing
1t all, the many get the benefit OF their labor.
Ifthe negro wants 10 20, we say let him 60,
but we say that the white people suffer per-
sonal loss when he does go.