Year: 1874

PEOPLE OF SOUTH CAROLINA


In the Taxpayers Convention on Fri
day, Gen. j. B. Kershaw, chairman Of
the committee appointed to prepare an
address to the people of the State, read
the following, which was unanimously
adopted:


Fellor Citisens-The representatives Of
the taxpayers to whom has been entrusted
the high and solemn duty of recommend
ing measures of protection against the
corruption and rapacity that rule the or.
ganized band of wicked and unscrupulous
adventarers who, under the guise Of gov
ernment and in the name of party, have
persistently despoiled you of your proper
ty and outraged your most sacred rights,
deem it becoming and proper to lay before
you in this form certain considerations in
connection with their action and delibera-
tions, which they suppose worthy of your
earnest and thoughtful attention,


1t would be unnecessary and painful to
recite your wrongs the sense of these is
not the least poignant of the suffcrings
you have been called to endure these
FIVE years of unparalleled outrage upon a
refined and Christian people. We would
have our words speak OF courage, of hope,
of faith, of work and Of duty. He who
has rightfully pondcred the dealings
of an all-wise and benefcent Providence
with the affairs Of men, cannot fail to have
disco erred an unvarying and inevitable
social law, that all great wrongs tend to
their own correction, and work out in the
end sure compensation for the ills they
inhict. Thus the ebb and flow Of human
ideas, ohcying the divinely implanted
principle of perpetual gravitation towards
the right, always returns from the widest
deviation, and recols most violently and
with accelerated velocity from the greatest
errors. This truth has impressed itself
upon the thoughts Of the world with the
force of an axiom upon which may be
based the. soundest propositions Of the
stateSman. 1t has been aptly styled "the
fanaticism Of justice, which the stars in
their course sustain, and against which
no attribute Of the Almighty takes part" ="
1t is vain to suppose that the enlightened
American people are exempt from the ap-
plication of this universal social law. We
feel justified in stating our conviction
that. breaking through all the barriers of
prejudice, political strife, and the resent
ments of internecine war, the rchux of
the great tide Of opinion and sympathy is
already moving with overwhelming force,
bearing with it the promise of a restored
nationality, based upon the broad and en-
during principles Of liberty, justice and
truth. We would not be understood as
encouraging the thought that what has
been swept away in the past can never be
restored This great country has taken a
uew departure; has engrafted upon her
system Of government new principles, and
deals with new clements. The returning
sense of justice will find its task in the
adjustment Of these new factors Of power
into harmonious accord with the true
principles of republicanism, and in pro-
viding ample protection for the rights and
liberties Of the people. 1t will probably
deal not with organic laws, but with faith
less, corrupt and oppressive administra'
ton.


While We present these cheerful antici-
pations, which we feel justified in doing
by many and great changes in sentiment
aud opinion, manifested among even the
most extreme of the great political leaders
and high officials Of the country, ana still
more recent popular movements, it is
intended TO invite TO earnest and hopeful
effort and action, rather than to lull into
false security. No help can ever reach
people who suffer themselves to fall into
apathy or despair The energies Of men
seeking relief from wroHg and oppreS sion
must be vitalized, organized and uni'eI'
Every accessible position Of power must
be seized, held ard utilized, and the FIGHT
carefully, vigilantly and faithfully fought
from place to place, until the citadel be
won and the right restored The Convcn-
ton looks to your action as the most
prominent and essential element OF the
success. to be achieved. In order to pro-
cure a restoration of AN honest adminlstra'
ton Of affairs. the rons Of honest govern
ment must pass into the hands OF honest
men. Hitherto, political issues nave
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