The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-12-22


Democratic party, there is no rea-
son now, the danger being thus re-
moved, why the South should not
abandon the Democratic party and
join the Republican party Indeed
a.. curious logic this! Especially is
it an interesting proposition when
it is recalled that the last Republi-
can national convention said in its
platform.
eve declare once more and with
out reservation for the enforcement
of the thirteenth, fourteenth and
fifteenth amendments to the consti-
tuition"
The present complete enforcement
of the fifteenth amendment, as or
iginaliy designed by the trainers Of
it, would still convert the South in
to another Hayti. I repeat what
have said upon former occasion
that there was never in all history
blacker or more Infamous crime
attempted against civilization than
the effort which the Republican par
ty made in the years succeeding the
civil war to overthrow the rule and
power of the intelligence and virtue
of the South, and to place them un-
der the enforced domination Of the
utterly ignorant and debased in their
midst. 1t was crime against So
siety and civilization, unsurpassed,
unequaled and unprecedented in all
the ages to endeavor by legislative
enactment to take millions Of black
men, the most inferior In blood and
development of the human race, ut
terly wanting in the equipment for
governing themselves or others, and
to place them in governmental pow
er and control over the white people
Of the South-a people Of education,
culture and refinement-a people
who, not only by their own charac-
ter, attainments and achievements,
but by the character, G.iainments
and achievements of an ancestry of
thousand years, justly ranked as
not inferior part Of the foremo &c
and most illustrious race Of all the
earth.
What the South Escaped.
/ repeat that If the South is not
today another Hayti, 1t is becaus"
the Republican party failed in a des-
perate effort to make it so. And
the Republican party in its latest
utterance says that it is in favor of
the present enforcement Of the fif-
teenth amendment, the chief agency
by which that degradation and de-
struction of the South was attempt
ed.
Let those forget it who will, but
the men who in that darkest day OF
heroic effort and unstinted sacrifice
thus saved the civilization Of the
South, never will forget 1t; and their
sons to whom has been bequeathed
that civilization thus preserved never
shuld forget it.
I take no pleasure in recalling the
horrors and animosities of that
frightful period in our history.
would prefer that that dead past
should remain dead, but when with
the promises Of the reward of po-
litical favor and power, the people
Of the South are conjured to ally
themselves with the party that thus
sought to destroy them, there is pre-
sented again the time for plain speak
ing. When the time comes for a
change of political parties in the
South, her people may well say to
the Republican party.
"Take any shape but that"
The political solidarity Of the
South does not bring to it politica!
isolation, as has been suggested.
The Democratic party Is not Sec
tional party. The Southern Demo.
Gratis are in political asso-
citation with the Democrats OF
the North, who constitute a
majority in some Of the Northern
States, and nearly half Of the vot-
ers in most of the other States OF
the North. The Republican party
is the isolated, sectional party
which exists only at the North, and
which practically has no membership
at the South except to hold federal
Offices and furnish delegates to the
national Republican conventions.
With some Republicans there does
not seem to be q realization of the
fact that the Southern people, in
their long and painful vigil of forty
wears have been Influenced and sus-
tanned by higher purpose than that
which animates the spokesman. For
the Republican, either at the North
or South, who believes In the princl'
ples and policies Of the Republican
party. I have no criticism further
than for what I conceive to be the
error of his political judgment; but
to the suggestion, now so freely
made, that those men Of the South
who believe In the principles of tha
Democratic party and who revere Its
great past, should for political powe'
and spoils OF office. abandon these
principles and dishonor the self
sacrificing record of forty years,
would recall the example Of the
Master when he was shown the
wealth and power Of all the earth
and was told that all should be his
II he would bow down to that which