Year: 1867

SNSeS@1


Ours being a Government in


which the will Of the people can


be known through their represen-


tatives alone, just after the surren-


der, when the President imposed


certain terms, we, supposing them


to be the final will and determina-


tion Of those against whom we


fought, as he was their represen-


tative and not ours, having been


elected to his high position by


their suffrages and not by ours,


carried them out in good faith and


to the letter. In this we have


been misled and disappointed.
The terms that come to us now,


however, come from the people Of
. the several States that constitute
! the Union through their immedi-
late representatives, and there can
be no mistake. Let US take them


in good faith as their final will and
determination, and let US carry
them out strictly and to the letter.


Let US not stand and gaze listless-
" at the wrecks and ruins by
which we are surrounded, but let
each and all go to work manfully
and courageously, and build up the
broken and shattered fortunes OF


our country, and if fpossible, make
Carolina more resplendent in the
future than she ever was in the
past. Away with all feuds. and
chickering's among our people. Let


every one who is allowed to vote
register his name, and when the
time comes, let him vote: Let
each and all who are denied vote
Observation-Disclosures with those who


are allowed to vote, and put in Of
fee the best men we can get: and
let us establish the best. Covert


ment possible, for it will be the Gov
ernment under which we will have
to live. Let us act so as to amelio-


rate, as much as possible, the con-
dition of both races and all classes
in the community, and, if possible,
advance the civilization Of our age.
Should the clock Of time be rolled
back, let not the future historian
lay it at our door, and record that
we did it. Should the opposite
counsel prevail, and wild commo-
ton be added to our already dis
ordered State, anarchy may ensue.


Should this awful and dire calam-
itv be in store for us and befall our


country, nothing, no, nothing;
could be more fatal to civil freedom


and constitutional liberty. The


Government of the United States
is now our Government. We have


no other. The United States flag


is now our flag. We have no


other. Let US maintain and sup
port the one and assist in bearing


aloft the other, until the reveille


drums of the principles Of this


great republic are heard by apros-


perous and happy people in every


part Of this beautiful earth which


we inhabit, and her high mission


upon this earth is accomplished,


for she is the highest type and


most perfect system Of govern
ment ever devised by human ge-


MUS and intellect. While would


pause for a moment and drop tears


upon the graves Of the heroic and


gallant dead who fought, and fell,


and bled, and died upon the ensan-


guined plain Of their country,


whose noble sacrifices will descend


to the last syllable Of recorded


time, and be sung around the


graves Of the last generation OF
man, whose hallowed spirits have


assembled to high Heaven, where,


with wide open gates, their manly


souls have been received; and they


now hold ;:sweet converse" with


angels around the throne of the
Eternal, yet | would shake off the


habiIimcnts of the past, and move


out into the future with firm and


steady tread, for it is for the living
that we are to lcgisIate; and not


for the dead.


Trusting that the magnitnde~o1
the subject will befcgarded as a


snff3iciei1t excuse for the length OF
this letter, have the honor to be,
very respectfully, your o6edient
servant. ELLISON S. KEITT.