Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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INTELLIGENCER. ' A.nderson, S. O. "LETTER FROM HON. B. F. PERRY. In response to an invitation from a Masonic Committee, to deliver an address before a Lodge at Cedar Falls, Greenville District, on Saturday last, " on the duty which all men (citizens, Christians and Masons) owe to themselves, their God, and their countrj-, in this their- hcur of trial and disappointment," the Hon. B. F. Perry has written an admirable letter, containing practical ideas and suggestions as to the course to be pursued in these times of perplexity and difficulties. "We have only room for a few ex'tracts: But the death strugglo is over! ?The Federal Union must be restored and sla? very abolished. The military authorities have already abolished slavery. An amendment to tho Federal Constitution has passed both houses of Congress, abol? ishing slavery and has been ratified by the Legislatures of twenty-two States. Five more States will secure its adoption. I have no doubt they will be obtained. Likewise the Southern States are required ?to re-form their Constitutions and abolish slavery before they will'be permitted to be represented in Congress. Until this is done the country Will bo held in military subjection. Hence there is no hope, no possibility of the continuance of this in? stitution. Tho oath of allegiance which we are required to take binds us .individ? ually-to set our slaves free. His excel? lency President Johnson has issued his amnesty proclamation, and it becomes the duty of all to whom it applies to take tho oa'th and demean themselves as true ,;and loyal eitizons. The excepted classes may swear allegiance and apply for par? don} The Confeceracy being dissolved, all oaths to that Government are annull? ed. The Government which protects you is entitled to your obedience. This is the behest of Christ himselt: "Render to Cajsar the things that are Casars, and to God the things that are God's.''" It is to be hoped-tbat the benign spirit of the American Republic will }Tet prompt -a general amnesty to all who have erred in this great rebellion. After acknowl? edging the Southorn States as a beligcr ont for four years, and exchanging pris? oners with them, it would seem strange, now that the}- are conquered, to execute their leaders and generals as traitors ! A great Republic like tbe Federal Union, all powerful, and spreading over a whole continent, can afford to bo mag? nanimous and forgiving. She can feel none of the selfish, personal, revengeful spirit of a monarchy in laest/e wnjestntis. The Southern States have already been punished in pride, feeling and houor for their rebellion. They are amply punish? ed by their pecuniar}' losses. Two thous sand millions of their wealth and capital have been sunk in trying to sustain the Confederacy! And now four millions of of their slaves are set free, worth two thousand millions of dollars more! This punishment, too, has mainly fallen on those who were most active aild forward in . organizing secession. They thought that Disunion would be the protection of their property ! It has proved, as I al? ways said it would, " the death knell of sla? very." It is to bo hoped, however, that the loss of slavery will not effect so seriously as is generally supposed, the prosperity -and happiness of the ?Southern States. The poor negro will be the^greatest suf? ferer. Thousands will perish annually from cold and hunger and disease, in? duced by idleness, vice and want of fore? thought in providing for the future. In? stead of increasing rapid!}-, as the negro heretofore has in the Southern States, the race will henceforth diminish as the Indi? an has in proximity to the white man. Tho.abolition of slavery will require a reformation of our State Constitution, and a re-organization of our State Gov? ernment. A Convention of loyal citizens will be ordered by the Federal authori? ties for this purpose. When this is done it.wjll be the duty of all good citizens to Jcnd their aid in the accomplishment of this great work. None should refuse. Heretofore.slavery has been the bone'of contention between the North and the South. This is now removed, and the fu? ture may be peaceful and quiet. There never were two peoples more necessary to each other than the North and the South. Instead of rival interests, their interests are dependent. This is a bond of Union. The natural consequence of four years spent by our people in war and revolution is their demoralization! Plunder and open robbcrj-have be?n of too frequent occurrence. It must bo suppressed.? The well disposed should unite for this purpose. It is a mistake to suppose we have no law in the land, and no magis? trates to enforco fhe law. In other States the Federal authorities haVe invi? ted the public functionaries to take the oath of allegiance and continue in the dis? charge of their official duties. No doubt the same course is desirable in South Carolina. t The abstraction of labor from agricul? ture, and a succession of bad crops for two years past, have reduced tho country al? most to starvation. It. is tho duty of tiiose who have provisions to share with others who have not. .The soldier who has been absent, experiencing all the haz? ards and hardships of war, should not on his return, find Iiis wife aud little ones in want of bread. The greatest economy possible should be practised in our living, in order to assist the needy and starving. Idleness should be banished from the land, and the idler regarded as an enemy to so? ciety. Ho should receive no countenance from any one. Shut your doors against stragglers and loafers. Arrest all raiders, robbers, aud persons seeking government stores, and'eommit them to jail. Tho countrj-, at present, is without a currency,, our banks are doing no business, and their bills arc at a discount, which excludes their circulation. It is a mqst I remarkable circumstance, that a country so rich as the Southern States are, should be without money.or a medium of ex? change. This evil may be remedied by the sale of the cotton still in the Southern ? States. Every planter and holder of cot? ton should make a sale ot it as soon as possible. This will luring an abundance of money into the country, and give us a currency with which to pay our taxes and our debts. Tho condition of the Southern States is indeed one of deep distress and humilia? tion. After a gallant struggle for lour years and tho loss of a hundred thousand of her bravest sons on the battle-field, the South has been conquered and subdued! Her effort atindeponenco and iself-govern ment has signallyfailed ! Thecountry has been ravaged and desolated, and is now filled with mourning widows and orphan children ! Everywhere there is a scarcity of the absolute necessaries of life. But we must not despair of the future. I have always said, through life, and endeavored to impress it on others, that the Southern States were better off in the Union than out of it! I still adhere to that opinion, so far as our future peace, prosperity and happiness are concerned. If we had gained our independence, other family lends would have sprung up, and States would have seceded again, until each had become a. petty nationality. Continued wars would have ensued, and our history would have been that of the heptarchy of England! The future, to my mind, is not so gloo? my as many suppose. The loss of slavery may prove to be no loss at all. The plant? er's nett profits will be gieater than they ever were. Instead Of oeing invested in the purchase of more negroos, as hereto? fore, they will be spent in substantial im? provements, enriching himself and his country. Our habits of industry and economy, and those of our children, will bo improved. Tho negro will be the% greatest sufferer by emancipation. There arc many persons who seem to be alarmed at tire magnitude of the Fed? eral debt, and tho burthen of taxation which it. will be necessary to impose, in order to pay that debt. But this does not appal inc. Tho resources of the Re? public, and the energy of the- American people are beyond all calculation. It is said that tho vacant lands belonging to tho United States will pay tho national debt twico over when brought into mar? ket. Tho entire loss of tho Confederate debt will work great individual hardship. Many wealthy persons have invested theiif entire estates in Confederate bonds. ' But still the property thus sold remains in the country. -It has changed owner? ship. That is all. Our national wealth remains the same. - The gigantic war, which is just over, shows the power and resources of the* country! Peace, indus? try and prudence, will soon produce a re? turn of prosperity. Lot us all dovote ourselves to our respective occupations with renewed energy and zeal, and the future may yet be bright and glorious. I am, with great respect and Osteom, yours, ifcc, B. F. PERRY.