The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, March 07, 1879, Image 4
THE R08AHY 07 MY YEARS.
BY FATII ICR BYAJi.
Some in Ay reckon (heir ago by years,
Some reckon Ihcir life by act ?
Hut soma (all tlieir days by the flow of their
tears,
And their life by the nioans of thoir heart.
The dials of earth may show
The length not depth of years ;
Few or many they come?fow or mitny they go?
liut our timo is best measured by tears.
Ah ! not by the silvery gray
That creeps thro the suuny hair,
And not by the scenes that wo pass ou our
way?
And not by the furrows, tho fingers of care,
Ou tho forehead aud face have made;
Not so do wo count our years;
Not by the sua of the earth?but the sli&do
Of our souls, and the fall of our tears.
For the young arc oft-times old,
Tho' their brow be bright nud fair ;
While their blood beats wurui their heart lies
cold?
O'er them the spring-time?but wiutcr is there.
And '.he old are oft-times young.
When their h?ir is thin and white ,
And they siug in tvge as in youth they sung,
And they laugh, for their cross was light.
But head by bead 1 toll
Tho rosary of my years :
Front a cross to a cross they lead?'tis well,
Aud they're blessed with a blessing of tears.
Better a day of strife
Than a centuty of sleep ;
Give ute instead of a long stream of life,
The tempest uud tears of the deep.
A thousand joys may foam
On the billows of all the years ;
But never a foam brings the hark buck home ;
It reaches the heaven through tears.
HAMPTON ON THE COLORED MAN AND
HIS RELATIONS TO THE
COUNTRY.
In discussing the question upon which
my viows arc asked, the limits prescribed
me in the invitation prevent auythiug more
than a mere statement of opinion. Eveu
were this otherwise, my prcseut condition
forbids me to enter into any extended or
elaborate argument. Mine must be, therefore,
simply a presentation in crude form
of the views I entertain, and have entcrtaiucd
for some years, upou the grave questions
submitted for consideration. I shall
endeavor to write in a spirit free from all
partisanship or sectionalism, with the sole
purpose of promoting the cause of truth and
tho welfare of the whole oouutry.
The first question is, "Should the negro
be disfranchised ?" There has been much
ngitatiou of this subject recently?chiefly
at the North?and many who have hitherto
been the most earnest advocates of negro
suffrage begin to thiuk that tho bestowal of
this privilege upon him has resulted in failure.
Those who thus think suppose that
the withdrawal of tho right of suffrage
would at onco restore tho ancient and normal
condition of things in the country;
would re-establish friendly relations between
the races of tho South ; and in so far as it
would diminish representation would lessen
the influence of that sectiou in uatioual affairs.
This latter argument, I regret to see,
has had most weight with a largo class,
though it is inconsistent with a true und
catholic patriotism?a patriotism which
looks to the good of the whole republic, and
not to that of a limited section.
But, whatever may be the motives of
-? 1 1 .1- - I * f .1
tnose wno uesirc me uisiruucuisemcut 01 me
negro, the aecouiplishuient of such n result
has been rcudered impossible by the action
of the national aud State governments.?
Grjat and startling as have been the political
mutations of the last few years, the disfranchisement
of the negro at this or any
subsequent period would be more surprising
than any political event in our past history.
The question, therefore, does not belong to
practical politics, and is a mere speculative
one. Considering it in the latter aspect,
I do not hesitate to auswer in the negative.
Whatever may have been the policy of
conferring the right of voting upon the
negro, ignorant and incompetent as he was
to comprehend the high responsibility thrust
upon him. and whatever may have been the
reasons which dictated this dangerous experiment.
the deed lias been done, and it is
irrevocable. It is now the part of true
statesmanship to give it. as far as possible,
that direction which will be most beneficial
or least hurtful to the body politic.
How is this to be accomplished '(
My answer would be, by educating the
negro until he comprehends tlie duties and
responsibilities of citizenship, iiy ' education"
1 do not mean the mere acquisition of
learning, hut I apply the term in its broadest
sense. The posscsiou of the rudiments of
education?the mere mental training that
this implies?so far from being always beneficial
to its possessor, is olt< n harmful.?
Many of our lately enfranchised citizens
make the first use of their newly acquired
ability to read and write by committing
forgery, and hero, at least, they have manifested
a wonderful aptitude, liy educating
thcui 1 mean that their moral nature should
be cultivatedparijmxsu, with their intellect.
This moral education is of far greater importance
than an intellectual otic. A man
is uot necessarily a better citizen because
ho can read anil write, nor does tho possession
of these acquirements make him, as a
matter of course, more competent to understand
and discharge the duties of citizenship.
I doub', whether the citizens of that State
which makes its boast that more of its ponplc
cau read and write than in any other government,
are equal in art, in culture, and
in statesmanship to the Athenians in their
palmiest days, who were, without any of
these accomplishments, the most intelligent
and critical of political constituencies.
As the stability of our institutions depends
ou the intelligence and virtue of our
citizens, it is the duty of every patriot to
promote the cause of true education. K?pccially
is this the case with regard to that
ift
unfortunate people who, after centuries of
servitude, wcM-suddeuly culled to oxercise
the high duties of ireeiucn. They catnc to
the discharge of these duties utterly igno-;
raut, with tho prejudices, the habits and
tho evils inculcated by a life of slavery;
merely childreu of a larger growth, aud,
like all children, full of credulity. It is
uct to bo wondered at, then that thoy were
ousily misled by tho wicked and* designing
men who flocked to the South wheu she was
prostrato. But, in spite of the ovil advice
they have so constantly received, they have,
ou tho whole, behaved better than any other
people similarly situated would have dono,
aud the whites of the South have no roason
to cherish any ill-will toward the blacks.?
Nor do they ; and the tiuio is rapidly approaching
when the colored people will find
their best friends among the thoughtful
aud cousiderate whites of the South?a
class by no means small at present, and
which is growing larger and slronget every
hour, llut this digression leads mo from
the discussion of tho questiou under consideration,
aud uiy purpose, as declared at
the outset, was only to state my opinions,
uot to enter iuto argument to establish
them.
From the remarks already made, my'
answer to the puestion submitted is easily
anticipated. It would be almost impossible
to disfranchise tho negro, and if possible, it
would not he carried into effect. The South
docs no desire to see this doiic, and with
out her aid it can never be accomplished.
The uegro contributes not only to the
wealth of tho South, but to her political
power, and sho is indisposed to deprive
herself of any of her advantages.
As the negro becomes more intelligent
ho nhturally allies himself with the more
conservative of the whites, for his observatiou
anil experience both show him that his
interests are identified with those ot the
white race hero.
This is the inevitable tendency of things
as they now stand at the South, and no
extraneous pressure can change a result
which is as sure aud fixed as any other natural
law.
The opinions which are announced above
have not been hastily formed or only recently
entertained. They arc the result of very
earnest and long reflection, and as au evidence
of this it may not be improper, even
at the risk of appearing to touch too closely
on personal matters, to state the positiou
that I have occupied iu regard to these
questions since tho close of the war. In
1S(>5, even before I had received my parole,
I spoke, and was the first man at the South
who did so, to a large audience of uegrocs
upon the changed relations between the
two races, and I gave to them the same advice
that I have given from that dry to this,
hi 18U7, in the city of Columbia, at the
earnest invitation of the colored people
themselves, I spoke to them again, and
upon that occasion advocated qualified suffrage.
It must be borne iu mind that at
the time this was done some of the most i
prominent leaders of the .Republican party
had taken decided ground against giving
the right of suffrage to the negro. It is
unnecessary to give all the reasons that induced
me to take this course ; it is sufficient
tosav that I /nilv realized that when a man
had been made a citizen of the United 1
(State? he could uc t be debarred tlie right
of vutiug on accouut of his color. Such j
exclusion would be opposed to the entire j
theory of Republican institutions, and 1
foresaw that, unl.-ss the .States, while they
had the right of regulating the elective
franchise, prescribed the qualifications of
their voters, the nutioun! government would
intervene, and wo should have uuivcrsal
suffrage forced upon us.
My object, then, was, by fixing an educational
qualification as a prerequisite for
voting, to allow the most intelligent of the
colored people to vote at once, and this
would have been an inducement to the
rest of the race to endeavor to qualify
themselves for the attainment and
exercise of this privilege by securing
the necessary education. The admission
of the limited number who would thus
have been allowed to vote at first wtuld ,
have produced no confusion in the uiaehi- j
noiy of the ^tate governments, and the rcla- j
lions between the two races would have been
friendly and harmonious; but the course j
that I recommended was not adopted, and ,
we of the South have becu subjected to all j
the humiliation and crime brought about |
by reconstruction. As the negro is now .
acquiring education and property, he is
becoming more conservative, and naturally I
desires to assist in the establishment and !
maintenance of good government and home |
rule. 1 have endeavored?and 1 think not;
without success?to teach him here how to ;
use the vote lor lus own good, and the
benefit of the political society in which he
lives and with which his future prosperity
is identified. The result has been shown
in tho last two general elections in this
State, where thousands of negroes have
voted with their white friends; and if any
doubt is entertained of the sincerity of
these voters, and auy impartial visitor from
the North will take the pains to inquire
throughout the State, I will venture tiic
assertion that in every locality lie will find
as earnest, as active and as consistent Domoerats
among tho colored people as among
the whites, and these colored Democrats
are generally among tho more intelligent of
their race.
I 'mler these circumstances, as tho negro
is endeavoring very generally to qualify
himself for the duties of citizenship, the j
wrong of disfranchising him would be as '
great as that inflicted upon us in the firrt j
instance, when universal suffrage was given i
to liiin while lie was yet utterly unprepared !
to exercise it.
The second question to which my nttcn- i
lion has been invited is, ought the negro I
to have been enfranchised?" It may six-ni
I inconsistent with the views I have expressed
iu tho first put of this article to say that I
m m m M?M ??g???g3B
do not Vhink ho should have been enfranchised
at the time and in the manner in
which fl'wasdono. My lirst objection is,
tbat theMtoode that was pursued, it' not directly
unconstitutional, was certainly extra
constitutional, ?"d I am utterly opposed to
any-vlblatUn, direct or indirect, to that
inptrumcrtB Whenever a political party
thiuk^fc ?HM-<tcssary, in order to secure its
supremacy, to act'outside of tho constitution,
and this is permitted by the people
without rebuke, we may be sure that we
havo entered upon that downward plane
which every previous republic has traveled
to destruction. The ouly hope of maintaining
our institutions in their Integrity
is by a strict observance of the constitution,
and no party should be allowed to remain
a moment in power which countenances
in any manucr any violation of its
sacred provisions.
My ue*t objection to conferring suffrage
on the negro, immediately upon his emancipation,
was that he was totally incompetent
to exercise or even to understand the
rights conferred upon him. The injection
of such a muss of ignorant and uutraiucd
voters into the body politic was the most
perilous stra!u to which our institutions
have ever been subjected, and the danger
arising from this experiment has not yet
passed. It was a crime against the whites
of the South to disfranchise them in large
part while enfranchising the negro, and
thus practically placing all the rights of the
former at the uicrcy of newly emancipated
slaves. All those difficulties might have
been avoided had partial suffrage been
adopted in the first iustauc, and the relations
between the two races been allowed
to adjust themselves by the unimpeded action
of natural laws. This course would
have been infinitely bettor for tho negro
himself, as it would gradually have trained
nun in inc exorcise 01 inc rignrs ui iroouiou,
and would have prevented that antagonism
between the two races which lias
resulted, in so many instances, to the injury
of the ucgro.
Those who assert that the negro should
have been enfranchised have not hesitated
to declare that the Indians, the native freemen
of America, and the Chinese, who
have sought our shores in such numbers,
should be debarred that right. There
sccuis to be some inconsistency in these
views, and the advocates of negro enfranchisement
should be called on to show why
the privilege should be granted to hiui, tlu
newly emancipated slave, and yet denied
to men who have always been free and win
possess more intelligence.
When the negro was made a citizen, ii
followed as a logical consequence, undei
the theory of our institutions, that he must
become a voter. My objection to his en
frauchiseuicut, therefore, is confined to tin
time when and the mode in which this
privilege was conferred upon him.
answered these question witli
entire frankness, in the hope that such a
discussion, free from political acrimony and
partisan misconceptions, would encourage
a calm and coucicutious consideration ol
the whole subject.?W.un: IIami ton, </
Xort/i Anurn-tin lie view.
HounowF.ns?Where one of these nuisances
is located in the neighbtrh >od ofai
industrious farmer, he will cause more lus
and annoyance than the llessian lly or tin.
potato jcctlc. Trob.tbly farmers sull'ci
more from borrowers than any other class
of people do. .Not only are many farn
implements costly, and generally returned
in a dilapidated state, but at tho very turn,
when the tanner and his men are about tt
use scythe >r horse-rake the article will be
missing, his neighbor having fo?gottcn to
return it. liy the time its owner can lay
hands on it and sharpeu the dullest blade
or supply broken teeth, serious loss may be
caused. Wagons and carriages arc bur
rowed and sent home covered with mud
and minus a bolt, or nut, or with possibly a
broken spoke.
When a farmer cares enough for his business
to take agricultural papers, he gene
.tally likes to preserve them, but in steps his
borrowing friend and carries off his last copy
which will never be returned For all
this there is but one remedy?be brave
enough to refuse Say honestly that you
do not intend to lend. Show that you
pruliee what you preach, and never borrow.
The uiost persistent will soou stop troubling
you under such treatment. Of course
there are people co whom it is a pleasure
to lend, who take good carc of what they
borrow, but such persons are not habitual
borrowers. Almost every ono has had
sonic experience with the cheerful, careless,
"easy going sort," who will ask for the meal
from your table and the bread from your
oven to feed unexpected visitors. Wo have
only to call on our memory to prove that
the latter instance is not exaggerated,
and wo blush to confess that wo were actually
weak enough to give up our Sunday
dinner at tho demand of an improvident
neighbor, it is bard to say no the first
time, but say it once anu you will never fear
tu repeat it.?X. 1'. J/mi/d.
T>Ut'NKHXXESS NO P.M.I.J AVION. It M
inure than thirteen centuries ago when Belisarius
on his way to Africa, gibbeted two of
his soldiers for an net of violence. Arid when
this summary punishment aroused some
mutiny anions the comrades of the executed
men, tho (icneral explained that the
crime alone might not have boon visited by
this terrible retribution if it had not been
aggravated by the fact that the perpetrators
were drunk. This is pretty sound law
to-day. Surely a man will not bo held less
guilty of crime because be deliberately prepares
himself for it bv stifling all that is
human in his nature, and stimulating all
that is brutal. He should rather be held
morally responsible for all the other possible
crimes which tho alcohol he swallows
would diivc him to commit if nppnrtunity
offered.
They havo uovftl Christinas trocs out in
tlio iilack Hills. News has couio of one
which the Dcadwood pcoplo enjoyed this
season. Ouc gentleman, as his nufuo was
called, stepped forward uud received us his
present) n hangman's uoose with a card attached,
whereon was the legend, "twentyfour
hours to git outcn the towu." He louud
that the time allowed hiui was tuiplc.
? - 'i-VfriNj.
Ere long tlio mellow juioy spring?Rochetler Expreta.
Will gambol liithorward and bring?Graphic.
The violet's breath and early greens?Burlington
Ifaickcye.
And lloston's next year's crop of beans.
.?. -?t
"Darn a fool," says Hark ins, who was
vexed, to his wife. "So mote it bo," said
M rs. II., flourishing a needle, "whereabouts
*1 I'm trnn twnnii rxitf V" Ifurl* inc aniil untti.t
people were too smart to live longAn
Illinois man writing to the Clerk of
the Supreme Court of the State for a lieensu
to practice law, said : "If you have
two sizes send mo the largest one."
?
We saw a young man with two heads on
his shoulders the other day, but didn't consider
it much of a curiosity?one belonged
to his girl.? College Argus.
James H. Rodger
?DEALER IN?
GROCERIES, HARDWARE,
HOOTS AND SHOES.
MA y i'FA CTlW nil O F
TIN WARE, STOVE 1*1 EE AND SHEET
IRON PANS.
ROOFING, GUTTERING AND
REPAIRING
I>0!VE AT SHORT NOTICE.
:o:
T HAVE just received a large lot of Groceries,
_l_ consisting or
, Sugars, Coffee, Tea,
Molasses and Syrups,
Paeon, Lard and Salt,
Flour, F.icc and Grists.
Cheese and Canned Goods.
I
, ALSO A COMPLETE STOCK OF
BOOTS, SHOES AND HATS.
II II 1> W A1JE.
. In this lino I have everything you may want,
from a Cambric Needle to a Proad Axe.
| Cooking and Heating Stoves.
NEVER SO CHEAP BEFORE.
I invite an examination of my Stock, know'
ing that 1 can please in quality, quantity and
! price.
Do You Want Tin Ware?
J I manufacture my own Tin Ware, Stove Pipe
and Sheet Iron 1'ans, which 1 warrant to be of
[ i tliu very best quality,
i HOOFING, GUTTERING and REPAIRING
DONE PROMPTLY AN1? WELL.
I
Castings for Stoves furnished at the Shortest
; Notice.
DO XT XCGLKCT TO CALL OX
J. 97. s:O2><;I;K6.
Nov '?> 48 tf
IS. I<\ H S AWI^S,
IiKALKK IN
(iltOL'EllIES, HAIU>WAKE, 1HIL*(?S, AC.
NO. 1, EAST UNION.
LOG WOO/),
MA DDK/!,
cor KG AS,
llOS/XH,
FOR COUGH AND CONSUMPTION
Wild Cherry ami Tar,
Cod Liver < >i 1?Cure,
Cod Liver Oil with Wild Cherry and Lime?
tastes good.
Cod Liver Oil with Lime,
I lei lTS! I KI ITS!
ORAXGLS,
JtA/S/XS,
CCMIAXTS,
ALMOXDS.
COCOA XVTS.
French Candies, a full Assortment,
I'on't forget to call at No 1, Last I'nioti.
I>ec Id ."?(? tf
OILS,
li.vskkd,
kkuosknk,
II AUNF.SS,
MAUI I INK,
8W KIT,
UAKTOU,
AND Tl UFKNTIN K,
S..M ri.cap by It. I1. KAIVI.S.
Nov. 1"? Ifi if
PAINTS AND VARNISHES.
! faint uufsiiks,
I DUUOX AM) MKDH INKS,
' (MO A US, SNUFF,
i ( UKWINlrAND SMQKINU TOUACCOS
A FINK LOT OF CltOOKKUY, JUST IN.
j TINWAUK, WOODF.NWAUK,
I IIAKDWAUK, Jl US, JAUS AC.
For < ii!e very ! .? by IJ. F. R\ \\ I.IK.
rrrrr .
S. W. Porters j
NEW STOCK! |
Av'.id ?t<ricii"s*ib?. . ,
FOR CASH ONLY.'
o:
THE CHEAPEST
DRY GOODS,
NOTIONS,
GENT'S HATS,
READY-MADE CLOTHING,
BOOTS AND SHOES,
1IA RDWABK
?AND?
GROCERRIES,
Can be had atS. W. Porter's Cheap Store,?fer
CASH ONLY.
Please don't ask for credit,' as it is very unpleasant
to refuse it; but I sell too cheap to allow
a day's credit to tny best fricnif?
S. W. POliTKll.
Sept 27 S'J tf
UNION HOTEL
Reopened and Furnished Throughout frith
NKW FU11N1TUKE.
:o:
mUE Subscriber lias the pleasure of nnnouncJL
in to the public that lie has lensed the
Union Hotel ami fitted it up with new Furniture
and every other convenience for the comfort of w
the traveling public.
THE TABLE
shall be provided with the- best of everything
and served in the best style, to suit the tastes of 1
all. i
Attentive and obliging Servants will bo
found at all hours to respond to the calls of the 1
patrons of the bouse. \
A First Floss Iturr
in the basement, where gentlemen can always
find the choicest of all kinds of mull and spirituous
liquors, served in all styles.
Having determined to make the Union llotol
equal to any Hotel in the State, in all respects, ?
1 hope to receive the palionapc of the public.
11. J. THOMPSON.
Spartanburg Ilrrahl and Carolina Spartan
copy three months.
)ecG 49 tf
Fine Brands of Chewing
Tobacco:
LUCY IIixTOx,
a out ex riri'ex,
j-it; Tail twist,
fixe cut,
77A 7'.If/ AMI*]',
xickei,,
flea a xi)
(tun) rno quo.
For Sale by 15. F. I1A1VLS,
No. 1, Fast Union.
I>cc 20 i>1 t f
Trusses, Trusses.
VLA11UE assortment, for Sale Cheap, by
15. F. 11 AWLS. ..
Dec'JO 61 tf ;
Grecnvillo and Columbia It. It,
CHANGE OF SCHEDULE. ' '
j%<assasga%c?!38gi
Passenger Trains run daily, Sundays excepted,
connecting with Night Trains on South Carolina
llailroad up nnd down. On mid after
: vmvnvv .i.?. c.-ti-...:? ...mi i? .i.
I , -./??!, HIV iuiiu \> 11.^ n in uv IIIU
schedule :
VP.
Leave Columbia nt 7.1". a tu
Leave Alston 9.20 a in
Leave Newberry 10. 70 n in
; Leave Cekesbury 2.17 pm
Leave Helton -LOO ;> in
Arrive at Greenville 5.35 p in
no w.s.
Leave Greenville nt 8.0-7 a in
Leave Helton 9.55 a in
Leave Cokosliury 11.SO am
Leave Newberry 2.-10 p m
Leave Alston 4.20 p ir.
Arrive at Columbia 5.55 p in
ANDKHSOS RRANCI1 AND HLUE RIDGE
DIVISION*.
news. vp.
Leave Vi*nllia)la....ti. 15 a in Arrive 7.1-7 p m
Leave l'erryville...7.0() a ni Arrive 0.40 p m
Leave l'en<!)elon...7.<70 a in Arrive 0.00 p m
Leave Anderson...8.oO a m Arrive (7.00 p ni
Arrive at Helton...0.10 a m Leave 4.00 p ni
THOMAS DODAMKAD,
General Superintendent.
J aim:/. Norton, Jit., General Ticket Agent.
.Inne 1870. 22 tf
Pioneer Paper Manufacturing; Company*
*]y,|"ANl*FACTUItF.I!8 of Hook, News and
n i I ai l.h.
John W \lcliolson, Agent, Athene, Ga
I'or sample of News, seo this sheet,
Nov 22 4r, tf
I V JI1 LV h IhK KH I l'-S.
HAMS AND MIDDLINGS,
MACK Fit KL,
FLOUK, 1 J
CORN MKAL AND MOLASSS& 1
Sol?l chcnpor (lian over, by I
H. K. It AWLS,
at No. 1, Fast Union, ^
Nov 1."> lli if
Miss Reid's School.
rnilK exercises of Miss C. M. Itchl's echnol
J_ will lie resuinvil on Moiniay Jan. Oth 1K7'.?,
in ino minding occupied lust year by MaJ.
Townsend, as a School House, next door to Capt.
F M. Fnrr'n residence. H
The course of study will embrace all the
branches of a thorough Knglish education.
Instruction in Calisthenics givcu. -jS
Terms, current prices. ' flH
1. Jg|