Year: 1876

AND DUTY OF HIS RACE. -


CHARLESTON, S. c., Sept. 25, 1876.


TO the Editor Of the Neos and Courier
The present condition of things in the State
by the relation Of the two races in hostile ar
ray against each other, is most anomalous
and, to the thoughtful observer capable o.
comprehending the true state of the situation
and interested in the welfare Of the people
and State, is alarming in the extreme. can
not, nor will not, believe otherwise than tha
political motives, by unscrupulous leaders
have induced it; as the general feelings be-
tween the races, till after the last canvass ir
1874 for Governor, were kindly and cordial
The canvass of that year was the first grea
mutual effort made to unite the two races iI
one political movement, which came near be
ing successful Why then, now, this great
divergence and extraordinary estrangement
From whichever side it comes, or whether
from those of both sides, it evidently is in
tended to prevent union of the two races in
one common home or State interest.


In such an issue as that now pending, il
not permanently checked, my race can have
but one terminal destiny, political nonentity
and race determination. And what care the
promoters of thisfearful strife when that il
the end they desire to obtain? This thing
can and must be stopped. There are virtue
and intelligence enough among the people tc
do it; but each race must perform it's part
and do its duty. Shall it be said that at such
q crisis the blacks had no statesmen, no men
of diplomatic wisdom among them equal tc
the emergency, the demands of the hour
For craftsmanship is not necessary simply tc
diplomatic shrewdness, since even among saw
ages Gas the Indians of America) shrewd dip
lomatists are met with. Shall we, the blacks
be less than theyi ............ .... ....


When my race were in bondage, I did not
hesitate in using my judgment in aiding to
free them. Now that they are free, shall not
hesitate in using that judgment in aiding to
preserve that freedom and promote their hap
pipess What did, and desired for. my. own
race, desire and would do, if duty required
for any other race. The exercise of all their
rights unimpaired and unobstructed is that
desire.


have then but one line of duty left me,
and that is to aid that effort which, in my
Judgment, best tends to bring about union o.
the t,oo races, ,olite and black, (by black mean
all colored people, in one common interest in
the State, with all the rights and privileges OF
each inviolable and sacredly respected.


The present Democratic movement promises
this, and asks US, the blacks, simply to aid
them and try them once; if they do not fulfil
their promises, to trust them no more. This
is simply fair. This was asked by the Re.
publicans (colored people) in 1868 of the Dem
ocrats at the beginning of reconstruction,
which they then refused, but have long since
seen and felt the results of their error. l ain
not willing, now that an occasion requires our
that with their example before
our eyes, we should commit the same error.


AS Gen. Wade Hampton is the candidate
for Governor, no one will question him as
speaking the sentiments of his party in the
present issue and campaign. l quote:


"In his speech at Abbeville, as in every
county where he has spoken, he has pledged
his word that, if elected Governor of South
Carolina, he shall render to the whole people Of
this State equal and impartial JUSTICE And
that his meaning should be unmistakable he
said: 1fthere is white man in this assem-
bly, who, because he is Democrat or because
he is white man, believes that when | am
elected Governor, if should be, will stand
between him and the law, or grant to him any
privileges or immunities that shall not be
granted to the colored man, he is mistaken
and I tell him now, if that is bis reason for
voting me, not to vote at all"


Again, as late as Saturday, the 23d, at Dar-
lington, he said "We wish to show the col.
ored people that their rights are fixed and i'm.
and, furthermore, we would not
abridge them if we could. I do here, what l
did in the Convention, pledge myself solemn
ly, in the presence of the people Of South Carroll
ma, and in the presence Of my God that, # the
Democratic ticket Is elected, shall kno,0 no
party, nor ruce, IN the administration Of the
law. 50 sure as the la,u pronounces man
guilty, 80 sure shall that man be punished. l
shall knoao nothing but the law and the Consts-
tuition Of South Carolina and Of the United
States Immense applause.] We recognize
the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth amend
ments of the Constitution of the United States,
and accept them in good faith. The colored
people know that it is under those amend
ments that they enjoy the rights they now
have. We stand upon that platform, and
not one single right enjoyed by the colored peo-
pile to day shall be taken from them. They
shall be the equals, under the law, Of any man
in South Carolina And we further pledge
that we will give better facilities for education
than they have ever had before. Loud cheer
ing1 Let me say one word more to the COL
ored people. 1 was the first man in the State
of South Carolina, after the war, who advised
the white people ofSouth Carolina to give the
right of voting to the colored people. I made
the proposition at several public meetings in
Columbia, and I took the ground that they
had been made citizens and that they should
not be excluded from the right to VOTE"


These are, indeed, most definite, strong, i'm
pressive and extraordinary words, and must
have been candidly meant, or they never
would have been spoken; and I shall hold
Gen. Hampton on behalf of my race, before
the civilized world, responsible for them and
if they are not verified in every particular, the
moral sentiment of all Christendom will be a
swift and condemning witness against him.
And not only him, but Mr. W.'D. Simpson.
candidate for Lieutenant-Governor, and all
others of his colleagues who have pledged
their party for equal rights and justice before
the law to all the people of both races, shall
be held equally responsible for their utter
ances. I desire in this that my race shall see
that the veracity, honor and integrity of the
party have been plighted to them.


And since the Carolinians of the white, race
did not hesitate to take me at my word, and