Year: 1867

From the Charleston Daily News


! Let US see what that course


would likely lead to. It is argued


by some that it will be better for
Us to continue under military


domination than to participate in


carrying into effect measures which
contain such degrading terms
that it will be more honorable to


adopt "masterly inactivity" and


take no part in the registrations


and elections which these measures


provide for. The most objection
! able features of this scheme are


universal suffrage and the disfran-


chisement ofpersons excluded from


Office by the Constitutional amend
ment. Universal suffrage is not
only to be allowed in the elections
! ofmembers to frame constitution,
! but it must be incorporated as an


article in the Constitution to be
| adopted. These are most certain
Iy very hard terms, and contrary
not only to all our prejudices, but
to all our views ofjustice and wiso
craftsmanship. Besides, we have
always contended that the regula-
ton Of the elective franchise
! belongs, under the Constitution, to
the States. But have we any cleo
ton in the matter, that is the
question Can the people, ( I mean
! those who have heretofore exer-
cised the elective franchise) by re-
fusing to register their names and


keeping away from the polls, pre-
vent the election being held and
the Convention from meeting, and
in this manner retain over them
military rule? Will not that por


ton Of our population who have
| the elective zfranchise conferred
upon them by the Military Bill,
and those acting with them, regis
ter themselves as voters and parti-
cipate in the elections 5? If they
will, and | do not think there can
be a doubt that they will, then by
this course, by this mastery in
activity, all power in the State is
given up to these persons. They
will make q Constitution to suit
themselves, and may carry out the
doctrine already advocated in Con-
gress, and sought to be engrafted
on this very Bill, the distranchise-
ment Of all who voluntarily parti-
cipated in the rebellion. But for
the conservative members Of the
Radical party this would now be
the law. Will the people Of South
Carolina place themselves in this
| dilemma? 1t seems to me that it
would not only be unwise and un-
patriotic, but sheer madness. An
! other course is advised by some
! which I consider equally mischie-
vous and suicidal. 1t is this: Let
those entitled to vote 60 forward
and register their names and then
vote mo convention" Admit, for
! the argument, that a convention
may in this way be defeated, what
will we accomplish by it? 1t is
true that we would be left for the
present where we are now under
a military government. But is
there any ground for the belief
that, by voluntarily choosing to
remain in this condition, we shall
thereby secure better terms in the
future?


A new Congress has just gone
into power, and from all that we
know Of their, opinions, they will
! offer no better terms to us than
The last Congress. They are in
Office for two years more, and have
q working majority Of two-thirds.
Hopeful, indeed, must be the man
who expects that so great change
can be- effected as to reverse this
majority within the next two
years.
But it is said that a reaction is
going on in the Northern States,
and that at the next election, two
wears hence, or at some remote
ssperiod, the Radical party will loose
their power. This is matter
of mere speculation. There is
nothing more difficult than to
prognosticate political events. Nor
is anything more unsafe in politics
! than to base present action upon
changes to take place in the future,


and especially when those changes


involve a total reversal Of the


whole current Of present thought,


feeling and opinion. This reaction
Of public sentiment at the North,
on the subject Of slavery, has been


rung in our ears for quarter ofa


century, but my observation and
reading have been to very little
purpose, if public sentiment on


this subject has not, from the


beginning Of the agitation to the


present hour, been set in the same
direction, and gathering strength
from year to year, has swept away
every obstacle before it, until now
of all other sentiments in the
! Northern mind, it is the most
powerful, all pervading anduncom-
| nroroisinU. It has never gone