Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

WHAT RECONSTRUCTION WAS. Worse Than the Destruction Wrought by the War. From the Norfolk Landmark. ': Dr. Thomas Nelson Page's contribu? tion to the September number of the Atlantic Monthly shares with that of Ex-Governor Chamberlain, of South Carolina, the distinction of being the most notable <5f the Atlantic's fine se? ries on ' ' The Reconstruction Period. ' ' We gave to our readers an abstract of Governor Chamberlain's paper when it appeared. Chamberlain was himself one of the " reconstruction'v Governors of South Caroilna and was in office when Gen. Wade Hampton made the masterly campaign which restored the State to the control its real people. Governor Chamberlain (a New Eng? lander, who had moved to South Caro? lina after the war, and who has since moved back to his old home) was * quite a partisan in those days. He fought hard on the wrong side. In his article in the Atlantic he made a clean breast of the whole thing, ad? mitting that he had been wrong, that the treatment of the South during the reconstruction period was shameful, and that the administration of the carpet-baggers was as great an injury to the South as che war itself had1 been. | Dr. Page approached the subject i from the point of view of the native Southerner. He writes in a temper? ate vein ; indeed, his reference to the carpet-baggers, while unmistakable in its import, is no more scathing than was Governor Chamberlain's. After remarking that the people outside of the South before the war had an ut? terly mistaken conception of the char? acter of the Southern planter and slave owner, imagining him a lazy fellow who cared for nothing but his pleas? ures, Dr. Page observes that the war had not been in progress many days before the North and the rest of the world was entirely relieved of this wrong" impression. But, as Dr. Page says, the strength of the Southern peopie was demonstrated more strik? ingly in the wretched days after the war"than during the war itself. We quote: "What the South really was she gave no small proof of during the war ; she gave even stronger proof after the war. Without ships ; without money ; i without machinery that would pro duce a knife, a blanket or a tin cup: without an ally: without even the sympathy of a single nation ; without knowledge of the outside world, or in? deed of her able and determined op? ponent, she withstood to the final gasp the vast forces thrown against her-en? during all things, hoping all things, until she was not only overthrown, but actually destroyed. When Sher? man marched across the South to the sea he found it to be an empty shell. At that same time the campaign from the Rapidan to Appomattox cost Grant 154,000 men-about two men for every man that Lee had in his army. "But as notable as were the intre? pidity of her soldiery in the field and the endurance of her people at home, they were not equal to the resolution and courage that her people displayed in the great and unrecorded struggle afterwards. The one was a fight of disciplined armies, with an open sky and a fair field, the endurance of a "Pieople animated by hope ; the other was a long and desperate struggle, with shackled hands, against a foe "that in the darkness, unknown to the rest of the world, or with a sort of blind approval on its part, fastened on its vitals and slowlv sapped its life blood." The distinguished writer is sure that if Mr. Lincoln had lived the country would have escaped most of the blun? ders and follies and crimes of the re -construction. Whatever may be said of Lincoln, he had common sense and applied it to the business' of govern? ment. His death let loose upon the Southern States a horde of fanatics -and unprincipled schemers, against whom the forces of conservatism, de? prived of their leader, were unable to make any headway. Returning to the impressive language of Mr. Page: "The white race were disfranchised and were not allowed the franchise again until they had assented to giv? ing the black race absolute equality in all matters of civil right. This the leaders of the other side vainly imagin? ed would perpetuate their power, and for a time it almost promised to do so. The result of the new regime thus es? tablished in the South was such a riot of rapine and rascality as had never been known in the history of this country and hardly ever in the history of the world. It would seem incredi? ble to any but those who have investi? gated it for themsevles. The States were given over to pillage at the hands of former slaves, led largely by adventurers whose only aim was to ^gratify their vengeance or their cupid? ity. The measure of their peculation and damage, as gauged by figures alone, staggers belief. . . . L'n happiiy, the credulity and ignorance of the negroes threw them into the hands of the worst element among the adventurers who were trying to be? come their leaders. The mar who was bold enough to bid the highest out? stripped the others. Under the teach? ing and with the aid of these leaders . "the negroes showed signs of rendering considerable parts of the Southern States uninhabitable by the whites. Had the latter given the slightest sign of being cowed or of yielding they probably would have been lost forever : but, fortunately for the South, they never yielded. " All "of Dr. Page's article should be read by those who wish to get a clear, accurate and good-tempered descrip? tion of the sufferings of the South .during the reconstruction. Not with bitterness, not with vindictiveness, should we remember these sufferings: but we should remember them, never? theless. We should remember them in S2722. Tears ia Bed. "Will wonder* cease?" inquire rhe frier)''? of Mr- L Pease, vf Lawrence, Kan. They knew she had been unable to leave her bed in ?even year? on a c 'mit of -kidney and iiver tr^u'de. nervou* prostration i?r>d general de? bility : r>ut "Three bottles of Kle'?tric Hitters eanb^ei rae to walk" she ?rites, ''and in thr^.e months I felt ?ike a new per#on." Women ..?1 Jar ir % frera Headache. I'^ckache. Nervous *?e?s, Sleeplessness. Mel?neho!y, Fainticg and Dizzy Spells wii! find i' a priceless blessing* Try it Satisfaction is guaranteed. Onlv 50c ?tJF W De Lorine's. 5 | order that we may escape ever having to go through such an ordeal again. Until we have put about the ballot a safeguard which will protect it from those who lack the intelligence and character which a suffragan should possess, we cannot forget these things without peril. Two of the most famous and prob? ably the two ablest reconstruction Governors were Daniel H. Chamber? lain, of South Carolina, and Adelbert Ames, of Mississippi. They have given recently very strong testimony against the scheme which they were chosen to assist in carrying out and which they found to be based upon such false principles that its complete failure was not surprising. In the Atlantic Monthly a few months ago Ex-Governor Chamberlain set forth one of the most powerful ar raingments of the reconstruction pol? icy ever made.. He showed that Thaddeus Stevens, Zachariah Chandler, Henry L. Wilson and the other organizers and direc? tors of the Reconstruction movement were animated neither by love of the Union nor by a determination .to secure justice to the negro, but by hatred of the white people of the South and a determination to humil? iate them as much as possible. The chief aim of reconstruction was "to put the bottom rail on top." Governor Chamberlain contends that the policy which was directed against the South for several years after the war was from every point of view as ; discreditable to the statesmanship of its authors as it was to their ideas of fairness to a helpless people. Ex-Governor Ames, while not so severe upon Thad. Stevens' coterie as is Ex-Governor Chamberlain, is quite as emphatic in his condemnation of reconstruction as a complete failure. He admits that he came to the South j from New England with preconceived notions, which experience proved to be entirely false. He believed that legislation could elevate the negro to political equality with the whites. After seeing that theory tested and helping to test it he was convinced that it was absurd. In his recent book on his adminis? tration as govenor of Mississippi, he records his conviction that no political party in this country ever made a greater blunder than did the Republi? can party when it attempted to place the negro on terms of political equality with the whites. It is a pity that men like Chamber? lain and Ames did not see the light earlier, but it came to them finally in overwhelming force, and their re? nunciation of the false and vicious theories to reconstruction is creditable even though late. Our Ruined Streams. i When the first white men came to America they found pellucid streams seaming the entire land. Wherever they went they heard in the forests the tinkle of laughing water. They could fish and bathe in the rivers and even drink from them. Even within the recollection of middle-aged men "the old swimmin' hole" was a place of delight for the boys of every village. There was always a clear creek with 1 in reach in whose dephts they could get aquatic joys with an incidental cleanliness that could hardly have been forced upon them in any other way. All that is gone, or is rapidly going. Modern sanitary science in America has advanced just to the point at which every stream is being converted into an open sewer. The old-fashion? ed town knew nothing about drainage. American towns of today are convinc? ed that they must be drained, but they think their duty in this respect per? formed when they have turned their sewage into the nearest creek or river. It never occurs to them that they are committing an atrocious outrage upon the people below them. Those same people do the same thing for the dwellers still further down, and so on until the sewers that have no running . water left to pollute take it out on the bathing beaches at the seashore. With the growth of population and tbe increase in the number of towns and cities pure water is becoming an unobtainable luxury outside of the mountains. Some cities, like New York, seecure a tolerable drinking supply by fencing in catchment areas. Others, like St. Louis, frankly drink sewage. In others the people buy spring wa? ter or distilled water by the bottle. Boys continue to swim in the streams, because they would swim in anything wet. But the old times when the creek rippled transparently over polish? ed pebbles and the most fastidious swimmer could dive in it and fearless? ly swallow the liquid he took into his | mouth are gone-let us hope not forever. If the ruin of our streams were a necessary accompaniment of advancing civilization we might reconicle our? selves to it, but it is not. It is merely the mark of a civilzation that has stopped half way. We have learned to drain our towns but we have not learn? ed to drain them properly. In Europe things have been carried further. There the largest cities dispose of sew? age by chemical methods that do not pollute streams, and, which, instead of proving costly, actually return a profit. We can do the same thing here. All we need is a public senti? ment which shall recognize the impor tnace of the end to be gained. Fortunately the evil is not past remedy. A polluted stream will purify itself if we stop adding new pollution. We have learned that our towns must be drained- let us advance the rest of the way by learning to drain them scientifically, and our land will again be threaded by limpid streams instead of by noisome sewers-N. Y. Journal. Stopps i Into Live Coals. "Wheo a chi ii I b irned my f?ot frightful ly." write* W li Eads, of Joneivil'e, Va. "wbic . caused horrible leg r?s for 3d years, but Pu .klenV Arnici S;ilve whol'j cured me niter evervrh;else failed." Infallible f<>r Caros, Scalds. Cur<. S .re.?. Bruises and Piles S<?1 i by .J F W DeLorme 25- 5 ? I iT> .? ? ? ? ? Orangeburg, Sept. 17. -Collector of Internal Revenue, E. A. Webster, died at his home here today about -12 o'clock noon, after having benn ill I st we ral months. Few <>f Mr. Web? ster's friends knew that his condition was so serious at this time, as he was out last. Tuesday and cast his ballot at the municipal election. A Reply to Mr. Brantley. Replying to Mr. Brantley's card published elsewhere in this issue, we desire to state that Mr. Lever is away from home and cannot be reached to receive his anwser in time for publica? tion in this issue. The friends of Mr. Lever indignantly deny that he is cir? culating any such report as claimed, but some of his friends are probably doing so, having good grounds for so doing in the statements made by Mr. Brantley himself. In his card" pub? lished in the State of September 10th, he says: "I was willin to pay it (the assessment) if the other candidates paid, and I requested him, (Mr. Wig? gins) my friend, to pay my assessment for me if necessary and draw on me for the amount," and then, after tend? ing his check, if it was conditionally, he went into a caucus with the other candidates without stating that he had offered to pay the assessment. He now says: "I have never paid or offer? ed to pay the Berkeley county assess? ment. " There is a direct contradic? tion in the two statements. One or the other must be wrong. It is a self evident fact that his friend Mr. Har? mon of Berkley considered that the as? sessment had been paid as he so stated in his card published in The Echo and Press. The card of Mr. Harmon published in this issue does not state that there was no offer of the check before the agreement not to pay was reached, but simply that he was "mistaken as to the sending of the check." The conclusion is, there? fore, that he did offer to pay the as? sessment and nohting is to be gained by denying the fact. Mr. Lever is on his way to Con? gress with his baggage checked through and therefore cannot stop to contradict anything that Mr. Brant? ley might say.-Lexington Dispatch. The Boers Win a Victory. London, Sept. 19.-A dispatch from Lord Kitchener from Pretoria, dated September 18, announces that the Boers on September 17, ambushed three companies of mounted infantry with three guns, commanded by Major Gough, in the vicnity of Scheeper's Nek. After severe figting the British were overpowered and lost their guns, the sights and breechblocks of which were first destroyed. Two officers and 14 men were killed and five officers and 25 men were wounded. Five officers and 150 men were made prisoners. Major Gough, who escaped during the night, reports that the Boers number? ed 1,000 men and that they were com? manded by Gen. Botha. Gen. French reports that Comman? dant Smuts, in, order to break through the cordon, rushed on a squadron of the Seventeenth Lancers at Elandspoort, killing three officers and 20 men and wounding one officer and 30 men. The Boers, who were dressed in khaki, and who were mis? taken for British troops, lost heavily. BOERS MAY INVADE NATAL. Pietermaritzburg, Natal, Sept. 19. In view of the imminence of the rein vasion of Natal by Gen. Louis Botha, with a force of 1,500 men, a special issue of The Gazette has called out a number of men of the Natal corps, to muster here today. A ?oor billionaire L i'ely starved in London because be c uld not digest his food. Early use of D* King's New Life Pilis would have saved him The}* strengthen tue ttotuacb, aid digestion, promote assimilation, improve appetite. Price 25c Money back ii not satUfied Soli by J F W DtDortre. drn<rgi<.t 5 Gen. Geo. P. Harrison. Atlanta, Ga., Sept. 18.-The an? nouncement of {General Geo. P. Harri? son, of Opellka, Ala., for governor of that State was a pleasant surprise to his many friends in this state, but one that will be more surprising still, ex? cept to a few intimate friends, is that of his forthcoming marriage to one of Georgia's most brilliant and charm? ing women. * General Harrison will soon lead to the altar Miss Sarah Nunnally of LaGrange, Georgia. Miss Nunnally is the daughter of Dr. Nunnally, formerly president of Mercer University, and now the effi? cient head of the LeGrange Female College. General Harrison is very popular in Atlanta, where he is well known. In fact, he enjoys an extensive ac? quaintance in this state outside of Atlanta, and is everywhere known for his sterling integrity. It seems now that General Harri? son will have no opposition for gov? ernor of Alabama, and it will likely be Georgia's honor and good frotune to furnish the first lady of that fair commonwealth. It will be remembered that a para? graph was published about two months ago to .the effect that Mr. S. W. Mitchell, of Hickory Grove, in York County, had entered suit against the local Camp of the Woodmen of the World, at Hickory Grove, three memebrs thereof, and also the na? tional Order, for 815,000 for damages alleged to have been sustained by his person on account of rough usage at the time of his initiation as a member of the Order in March of this year. Information has been received to the effect that Mr. Mitchell has deter? mined to amend his complaint and set his damages at $50,000, because of the fact that since filing his origi? nal copmlaint he has undergone a sur? gical operation, which adds at least 835,000 to the damages supposed to have been done, his person when the suit was entered. It is expected that the cause will be heard at the next term of court. A correspondent of the Anderson In telligencer makes ti novel suggestion in regard to the dispensary law. He thinks the law should be enforced as it now is with the exception of the price at which the stuff is sold. He would have prices doubled and at the end <>f each year have the dispenser re? turn t<> the wives or mothers of the purchasers one-half of the amount they paid in. When there are no de- | pendent members the share to go to i the county to enlarge the poor house which is likely to receive the old soaks in time. The only fault we see ; in this plan is that the man who ? makes a beast of himself by drink is j likely to wheeddle or steal his wife's | sri are of the profits and blow it in.- ? Aiken Journal and Review. is hard enough as A. it is. It is to her that / U we owe our world, / \\ and everything ??@??&v\ should be made as easy as possible for s? ^ \ her at the time of V/ <V-- ?\ \ childbirth. This \ is just what f^t ^^^x FRIEHO Q'?? will do. It will make \Vf baby's corning^ easy and painless, and that without tak? ing dangerous drugs into the sys? tem. It is simply to be applied'to the muscles of * the abdomen. It penetrates through the skin carry? ing strength and elasticity with it. It strengthens the whole system and prevents all of the discomforts of pregnancy. The mother of a plumb babe in Panama, Mo., says: "I have used Mother's Friend 'and can praise it highly." Get Mother's Friend at the Drug Store, SI per bottle. The Bradfield Regulator Co., ATLANTA, GA. "Write for our free illustrated book, " Before Baby is Born." Kodol Dyspepsia Cure Digests what you eat. This preparation contains all of the digestants and digests all kinds of food. It gives instant relief and never fails to cure. It allows you to eat all the food you want. The most sensitive stomachs can take it. By its -ase many thousands of dyspeptics have been cured after everything else failed. It prevents formation of gas on the stom? ach, relieving all distress after eating. Dieting unnecessary. Pleasant to take. lt can't help but do you good Prepared only by E. 0. DEWITT & Co., Chicagr The $1. bottle contains 2Y? times the 50c. size J S HUGrHSQN & CO A CHICHESTER'S ENGLISH PENNYROYAL PILLS _Original and Only Genuine. vBAFE. AIWSTS reliable. Ladle*, uk D raed ft for CHICHESTER'S ENGLISH I ia KED and Gold rastallic boxea, staled with blue ribbon. Take nw other. Refuse I Danserons Substitution* and Imita? tion a. Buy of jour Druggist, or a?nd 4c. in "?OP? for Particular*, Testimonial* *nd "Relief for Ladle*," in Utter, bj re? turn Hail. 10.OOO Testimonials, Sok! br all Druggists. Ch lea eater Chemical Co Mea ti on ibis paper. Madison Square, PIHIJU P? THE BANK OF SUMTER, SUMTER, S. C. City and County Depositary Capital stock paid io, . . $75,000 00 Undivided surplus, . . . 16,000 00 Individual liability of stockholders in excess of their stock, . 75,000 00 Transacts a general banking business : also b*8 M Savings B=nk Department. Deposits o' $ I and upward received Interest allowed aj tbe rate of 4 f er cent, per annote, payable semi-annually. W. F. B HAYNSWORTH, President. MARIOS MOISE. W F. RHAMB, Vice-President. Cashier. Jan 31 S Larpt ant Most Complete Islalslmeit Sit! Geo. S. Hacker & Son, -MANUFACTURERS OF DOORS, SASH. BLINDS, Moulding & Building Material. nffice and Warerooms, King, opposite Can non Street, CHARLESTON, S. C, ^^.PnrobASp our make, which we gu?rante supirior to any sold South, and thereby .^nv? money . Window and Fancy Glass a Specialty October 16 u FIRST NATIONAL BANK SUMTER. OF STATE, ?-ITY AND COUNTY DE? POSITORY, SUMTER, S. C. Paid op Cipi?H!. Surplus ?cd Profits - - - - Additional Liability of Stock? holders in excess of tn tri r 75, OOP 00 25,000 00 siock 75,000 00 T^'iii protection to depositors, $17i oOO 00 Transacts a General Bankin? Busings. Soeciai attention riven ?o collections. ;S1 VINGS DEPARTMENT. Deposits of Si atni upwards received. In tf-rfft allowed at the rate ot 4 per cent per annum, on araoucts above $5 and not exceed? ing $300, payable quarterly, on first days ol January, April, July and October. R M. WALLACE, R. L. EDM?5D3, President. Cashier. Levi Broi We wish to return thanks to our many friends for the liberal patronage given us in former years, and to inform them that in our New Quarters North of the Court House We are better equipped to serve them than ever before. A cordial invitation is extended to our former customers and the public generally to visit our new store and inspect the large and carefully selected stock of General Merchandise we are now showing. Dress Goods and Trimmings, Am A GENERAL LINE OF DRY GOODS, Notions, Clothing, Hats, Gents Furnishing Goods, Shoes, Etc. These stocks are new and complete in all lines and we are offering goods At Prices That Will Appeal to the Careful and Discriminating Buger Who wishes to obtain the best values for his money. A full stock of Standard, Staple and Fancy Groceries, Can Goods, Etc. The stock is kept fresh and new by frequent replenishing. We pay the Highest Price for Cotton. Levi Bros. Main Street, North pf the Couirt House, Sumter, S. C. Sep ll-3m gtfe (tilla** Palmetto Slate Chill and Feyer Core. A Guaranteed Cure. We take great pleasure in placing tbis sovereign remedy an absolute antidote for malarial poison-before a suffering public, and feel safe in asserting it will fill a long-felt want PALMETTO STATE CHILL ANO FEVER CURE Will cure any and every case of Chills and Fever, no matter whether it is the product of Malaria, Mal-aqua or the Mosquito. All we ask is that you give : t a trial. Don't wait until you are broken down in health, but begin right away and see what the wonderful remedy will do for you. We will gladly refund the purchase price, 50c, for any failure to cure when the directions are strictly carried out. Mail orders a specialty. Yours to serve, July 24-3m Wedge?eld, S. C Where Can you buy with lea?t money and most satisfac? tion excellent Vehicles, Horses, Mules, Feed, Flue Pipe, Terra Cotta, Uni? and Cement ? AT HARBY & CO'S STABLES.