I

CL53
3

YALE UNIVERSmr
LIBUARY ''^'

SOUTH CAROLINA

The Condition and the Prospects of the State.

CONFISCATION OF PUIVATE PROPEK'i'Y AN!) i;fiPM>l.VT10N OF
THE l^LIC l»Kp:r.

.A-X)xdi?,:ess

COLOl^EL PJCllKi) LATHERS, rn
DELIVERED BEFOKK '1'I!^:'^
NEW ENGLAND SOCIETY OF C^HAKLESTON,
ON FOREFATHERS' I>Ay, WECE3!BER 22. 1S7:i.

^^^ Charleston^ aS. C.
The Mews and Conrier Joh Presses.
1874-
3

BAKER LIBRARY
FROM THE LIBRARY OF
SENATOR NGLSON W. ALDRICH

NOTE BY THE PUBLISHERS.
This Speech has been reprinted by reciucst, to suppl3' a large demiind
from our Northern friends and sympathizci-s of all political parties iu
the interest of honest govemment, as well as for the use ofthe active young
men of our own State, desiring to circulate for consideration any practical
plan of relief against corruption and fraud in South Carolinfi, the spreading
and contagious influence of AA'hich is becoming a source of profound alarm
to all thoughtful men, both in and out of the State, because these frauds
and corruptions are rapidly invading other States, and even the Capital of
our National Government itself, by tlie force of example and the security
and success with Avhich these thicA'es imd public robbers haA-e been able to
defy the attempted political reforms of a disfranchised people. It is now
felt all over the Union that this State is suffering under every political evil
which fraud, supported by ignorance, can perpetrate.
The people's credit has been pledged for loans of money, which tlie mem
bers of the Legislature and their instruments have appropriated to them
selves for private and corrupt purposes. Creditors have been defrauded by
large issues of bonds, without even the form of law, and with unblushing
etfrontery, the Legislature has not hesitated to acknowledge the fraud by
repudiating obligations negotiated by themselves, but they have liumiliated
the State by repudiating, also, the Bonds ofthe State, issued by their hone.=?t
predecessors, for funds honestly loaned, on the good faith of the State, and
Ironestl}' applied for public purposes.
All other sources of public plunder being cut off, by the general exposure
of their frauds, they now resort to practical confiscation, by an oppressive-
form and amount of taxation, as indicated by the aianning frecjueiicy and
number of tax sales of even productive land, because the OAvners are no
longer able to keep pace Avith these exactions.
We are, therefore, under great obligations to the Northern press for their
heartj' and friendly S3'mpathy expressed in their editorials, and the general
endorsement ofthe objects of this speech, as well as the advantage of their
courtesy in spreading it in part, or in Avhole, before the readers of their
widely circulated journals, by Avhich our grievances can be made linoAvn to
our fellow countrymen ofthe whole Union. And particularly we desire to
accord thanks to the Bostok Post, New York Commercial Ai>a'ektisej!,
New Y'okk Tribune, Neav York Post, Pirii.ADEi.rHTA Ledger, Balti
more Sun, and the New York 'Wori.d, from Avhich last the following
hearty endorsement is taken : :
"A HOPE FOR SOUTH CAROLINA.
" Colonel Lathers is well known for a staunch Democi-at and an honest
man. But the address which he reQ.ently delivered betore the New England
Society, of Charleston, shows that he is, moreover, a clear-headed, thorough
going foe of dishonesty. Aiid the people of Sovtli Carolina would do uell to

follow tip vigorously the course of tiction which he urqes them to adopt. The
lial ol-box is not the place to secure reform in the affairs of South C^arolina ;
and until the ring of thieves and carpet-baggers who control the neirro vote
is broken up, it will only be the place for consummating Radical schemes
lor plundeiing the taxpayers. If it Avcre once understood that open lliieve-
ry 111 public olTiccs Avoiild be followed by inevitable and relentless prosecu
tion, the Ihief would soon be turned aside from running for office. And if
the thief Averc once turned aside from running for office, candidates for office
iu South Carolina Avould soon karn to attach a stricter meaning than many
of theni now attach to tho Avovds they use in making promises to the peo
ple. Kotrenchment and economy, at least, could hardly continue to be in
terpreted to mcuv increased taxation, as they are now interpreted by the
Radical Governor, Moses, and by the Radical Legislature, Avhich, along
Avith .Aioses, Avas elected to ofiire upon the most loud-mouthed promises (if
retrenchment and economy. But the taxpayers cannot or will not see any-
tliin.g good in Jloses's policy of retrenching and increasing the taxes every
year; and however difficult it may prove to inaugurate the course urged
by Colonel Lathers, they will haidly be adverse to acting upon his advice
Avhenever it is possible to do so. And the opportunities for acting upon it
will not be Avanting. JRcnohition and persistence, patience to abide the time for
strilung, and promptness ichen the time arrites for striking at a puUic thief
wit?t the hhintcd toeapons ofthe line, may accomplish iinexpected wondersfor the
outraged people of this unhappy Stated — Sew York TFc/'W.
In this connection, we desire, also, to thank the journals of our own
State, for their earnest and hearty support in this movement for effective
reform.

south: gj^i^olhstj^

The Condition and the Prospects of the State.

CONFISCATION OF PRIVATE PROPERTY ANI) REPUDIATION OF
THE PUBLIC DEBT.

A D D R E S y O F
COLONEL RICHARD LATHERS,
DELIVERED BEFORE THE NEW ENGLAND SOCIETY
OF CHARLESTON, ON FOREFATHERS' DAY,
DECEMBER 22, 1873.

[Reported for the T.e\v8 and Couiicr.]
J/r. President and Gentlemen of ihe New England Society :
I thank you for the kind exju-essions of your toast and its
complimentary reception, and in response to this valued expres
sion of so much good feeling from my Ncav England friends of
Charleston, I can only promise to try to deserve their confidence
by a ready and zealous co-ojjcration Avith them at all times in
any practical measures for the deA'elojjiuent of the resoui-ces of
our old City and beloved State, and for tho sup2>ression of the
fraud and corruption in the administration of our public affairs,
Avhich is so detrimental to their enterprise and industry, and cer
tainly derogatory to their manhood as American citizens descend
ing from the Pilgrim Fathers, AA'liose distinguished resistance to
misrule and oppression, and Avhose love of local self-government
and official honesty, have been so graphically laid before ns to
night by the reverend gentleman Avho has just so eloquently ad
dressed us in behalf of their patriotic example.

Tliese festive occasions of our different societies, especially
those marking different nationalities, sections, or races, serve to
exhibit not only *the intrinsic force of human affection for its
own stock and a Avell cherished love for the place of one's nativi
ty, but they keep alive that distinctness of habit and association,
and measurably the principles and practices Avhich distinguish
them as a people. When these qualities are kept Avithin proper
limits, in full harmony Avith tlie best interests of the community
in which they live, they are fraught with much good, and mu
tually encourage a spirit of broad patriotism, and demonstrate
that measure of harmony Avhich may spring from such a IMosaic
of national differences— producing as it has the highest type of
civilized manhood in this our great nation. One prejudice seems
to qualify another, till prominency is only given to those great
catholic truths and princifdes Aviiich are CA'olved by fair and gen
eral discussion. It was Avell said by JefTerson that error was not
dangerous Avhile truth was left free to combat it. Nor is misrule
long tolerated in any free community where indiA'iduals are Avill
ing to co-operate for reform. The " cohesive poAver of public
plunder" is but a rope of sand Avhen the community determines
to test its poAA'cr by an honest, earnest and unanimous effort to
break it. Social and political sliani soon gives Avay to that form
of individu.al manhood Avhich i)ractically asserts itself regardless
of the prejudice of age, station, or 2:>olitical domination. Each
citizen pl.ays his own part; but in harmony Avith the interest of
the community, the rays, so to speak, are angular; but they all
coiiA'erge to the great centre. The best musical productions are
not rendered by one instrument only, howcA'cr SAveet or poAA'er-
ful, nor by having all the instruments sounding the same notes,
but by a gre.nt A'ariety of instruments playing a great variety of
notes, harmoniously rendering the strains of the composer. So,
too, native and foreign born, Avhite and colored. Republican and
Democrat, all viewing the public interest from different stand
points, and perhaps with antagonistic interests in many of the
questions agitated, yet as good citizens they must harmonize for
that which concerns them all alike, A'iz: .an honest discharge of
public duty and official integrity; and a general co-operation of
individual effort to this end has never failed in any communitj'.
Harmony and good goA'crnraent is, therefore, not the product of

unanimity of sentiment, predomiiuincc of race, section or reli
gion, but that no one sleraent shall assume undue influence, and
th.at every individual shall exercise the right and duty of public
action, restricted only by a proper subordination to the rights
and sentiments of others Avhose iiitcre.sls arc as important as" his
own. Statesmen have souglit iu vain for a unity of power and senti
ment by Avhich to harmonize political intercsls, but Avitli all the
defects incident to universal suffrage and the Avarring elements
of individual selfishness, yet defective, as avc must admit them to
be. Democratic institutions, in their broadest sense, form the
safest, as Avell as the broadest, foundation for national freedom,
the rights of property and indiA'idual liberty. It is the criminal
neglect of indiA'iduals to perform their public duties, Avhich our
form of government implies, Avhen these duties devolve on tho
people, Avhich intensifies, if it does not produce, the evils peculiar
to a Democracy; and it is feared by many of the friends of the
South that nothing Avill reform those evils but that culinination
of corruption and misrule in this State, Avhich Avill bring home to
every individual personal losses Avhich cannot be resisted, and
Avhich Avill induce at least earnest and co-operative individual
energy to eradicate the evil. Old age for counsel, and youtli for
action; but old age should be Avise and practical, and youth
should be thoughtful as Avell as active, and both should be im
pressed with a sense of their individual resi^onsibility in tolerat
ing a form or practice of government which virtually deiirives
themselves and their families of their rights as American citizens,
as well as the hard-earned product of tlieir honest industry.
It seems to me that our young men do not sufficiently appre
ciate their own abilities and qualifications, and their own respon
sibilities, in this connection. Especially at this time they are
peculiarly fitted for the direction and even moulding of public
affairs. Older men, Avhosc taste.?, liabits and privileges Avere
formed and established under other and more genial circum
stances, can hardly be expected to conform AvlUingly to tho hard
conditions Avhich hoav confronts them; nor can they be expected
to co-operate fully Avith the necessary measures Avhich the result
of the Avar forces, practically, on the people of the South.
Whether these radical changes in the policy of our country are

the root of all the evils which we suffer under is not so important
to determine, as Avhether these evils can be cured by a prompt
conformity to the changes; and certainly the past four years
have demonstrated that a prompter and fuller acceptance' and
conformity to the nev/ relations in Avhich Ave found ourselves
Avould have greatly modified, if not cured, the evils under which
Ave suffer. Men, iSIr. President, of our age, are passing away, and
the young men have duties to themselves and their families to
jierform as citizens, Avhose future is to be made for themselves.
Nay, more : — any amelioration they can produce now is due from
them to the older members of the community in consideration of
the advantages Avliicli they have inherited, and Avhile eveiy re
spect should be paid to age and experience, yet practical Avisdoui
is often found in young men Avhose opportunities, and even neces
sities, 2:)oint to measures of relief. A naval friend furnishes me
Avith an illustration of this principle: An old, perhaps superan
nuated, officer taunted a younger one Avith not fully respecting
his experience in reference to some duty, Avhich modern naval
science liad somewhat modified; but the younger officer, having
accomplished the service, according to the modern process, re-
yilicd, " I do respect your venerable age and experience, but I
cannot value them above my OAvn practicnl knoAvledge, without
failing in my jn'ofessional duty."
I Avould noAV occupy your attention, a fcAV moments, with the
encouraging features of the mercantile prosperity of our city,
hoping that our business men Avill take courage in the steady
and substantial advance Avhich their industry, economy and en
terprise have produced in the Avay of accumulated capital and
increased resources for future earnings — comparing favorably
Avith any city in the ITnion Avhose business has been confined to
legitimate operations, and far exceeding the most sanguine ex
pectations of our best friends.
It Avill be remembered that before the Avar Charleston had an
invested capital iu Banks and Insurance Companies of about
$15,000,000, Avhich,Avith the capitals of the merchants and the
accumulations of her retired citizens and others, Avere totally
destroyed, and a large part of the residences, stores, and appli
ances of business; and domestic comfort and railAA'ay connections
Avere i>rincipally destroyed or rendered useless, paralyzing the

9
energies of the people and almost defying the labors of the most
hopeful and energetic. Yet, under these discouraging circum
stances, see Avhat courage, economy and industry have i)roduced
in about eight years, in actual accumulation of capital, and
Avhat, perhaps, is still better, the enormously increased facilities
for earning capital and in fostering enterprise in our old city:
1805. 1873.
Bank Capital  $200,000 §4,000,000
Bank Deposits  ¦.  200,000 2.750,000
Phosphate Companies' Capital   — 4,000,000
Tins table does not include the private bankens, manufactures,
and mercantile capital, so largely accumulated during this period
from the industry and enterprise of the individuals Avho haA'e so
largely developed the mercantile resources of the city, AA'hile so
worthily enriching themselves by the folloAving resources of their
business: 1865. 187:i.
Cotton receipts  111,714 bales 386,128 bales.
Rice  4,01!) tes. 48,943 tcs.
Naval Stores  32,136 bbls. 225,683 bbls.
I>;mber  8,389,171 feet. 20,749,280 feet.
Vegetables   101,629 pkgs.
Phosphates  7,884 ton.s. 56,298 tons.
To shoAV the steady increase in llie receipts of Cotton at
Charleston, I give the receipts from September 1st lo December
20th in each year, from 1865 to 1873. The period is less than
four months in each year, yet the receii)ls have swollen from less
than 40,000 bales in 1865, to 208,674 bales in the present year.
The full table is as folloAVs:
In 1865  bales.. 39,882
In 1866  69,222
In 1867  08,100
In 1868  '?8,807
In 1869  121,335
In 1870  187,353
In 1871  147,261
In 1872  187,837
In 1873  208,674
9

10
The ships now in Charleston harbor, loading for foreign and
domestic ports, Avith Cotton, Rice, Phosphates, Naval Stores and
Lumber, are greater in number and tonnage than at any former
period before the Avar.
The fleet of square-rigged vessels and steamers, bearing the
IJiitish, Gorman, French, and Spanish flags, indicate the impor
tance of our staples in the international trade of our countrj', and
the imjiortant part Avhich our old City by the Sea is destined to
take in it depends mainly on the merchants and citizens them
selves, not only in develoj^ing the commercial and industrial re
sources of our State, but in effectively reforming every public
abuse in the State or City Governments Avhich tends to burden
its industry and commerce.
Cliarleston now receives over one-tenth of the cotton crop, and
sells, through her OAvn factors, most of it; Avhilemany other large
receiving ports simply pass the Cotton through the forwarders'
hands lo be sold in Northern ports or Euroj)e. The jobbing
trade of the city reaches seven or eight millions of dollars, Avhile
the machinery, manufactures, and other industrial and profitable
pursuits aggregate large annual incomes in the Avay of wages,
.and iiroductiA'c in thcAvay of accumulated capital. These figures
I have hastily compiled from the columns of The Nicavs iM)
CorRiER, Avhose valuable statistics and zealous and intelligent
suggestions connected Avitli the commerce .and interests of our
city deserve the highest commendation. They arc adduced only
to shoAv the extraordinary increase of the resources and capil.abof
our business men during the past eight years, by no means ex
hausting tho sources on which we can rely, but only quoted to
compare a fcAv of the more prominent features of success, to en
courage our young men to increased efforts of business industry
and enterprise, and to stimulate them to protect such advantages
for themselves and their children against the Avholcsale frauds
which so terribly menace not only their business advantages, but
their dignity as men. These frauds to Avhich I noAv call your
attention are not the evils Avholly of a perverted political theory,
nor are they confined to race, color, or section, nor can they be
practically dealt with by referring to past issues or corrected by
so-called great political reforms, Avhich too often is but the sub
stitute of one form of fraud for another, and the acceptance of a

11
renegade candidate from one party to the other, after exhausting
the patience as Avell as tlie ])urse of those lie left. These frauds
against the people ot tlft; State, reaching as it does every indi
vidual, Avhite or black, rich or poor. Democrat or Republican,
native or foreign born, merchant or clerk, planter or laborer,
mechanic or profession.al man, each .and all of these are readied
by taxation — and the poor in gTcater ratio (according to their
means) than the rich. It has been well said that "Taxes and
death are tlie common heritage of all mon." I pro])Ose, there
fore, to lay before you a few of your burdens, Avhich these frauds
jjut upon you, by a compai'ison between an honest discharge of
public duties in the State under a former period and tlie dishon
est administration ofthe pre.sent period.
The taxable property ofthe State before the Avar.. .§490,000,000
The tax.able property of the State hoav  1 70,000,000
The highest tax ever levied before tlie Avar did not
average over  50(»,000
The tax now levied  2,720,000
Legislative expenses before tlie Avar  40,000
Legislative expenses this year  291,339
Public Printing before the Avar (under)  5,000
Public Printing this year.  3:}] ,94.")
So you perceive that Avhile the capital of the State, be
fore the Avar, reached, at a Acry low valuation, nearly
§500,000,000, the taxes on the same did not reach §500,000.
The present exaggerated valuation of the taxable ]iropcrtv
is only about one-third of the fonner amount, the taxes on
the same are nearly five-fold; and the printing bills of the
Legislature, for a learned and intelligent body of men, fallino-
under 85,000 jjer annum before the Avar, arc increased hoav to
$331,945, leaving yet unpaid, I nnderstand, All 8,055 more for
this item for a Legislature, many of AA'hom cannot read the print
ing Avhich they tax our labor so heavily to pay — so that the tAvo
printing bills alone of the present State Government .actually
exceed the average yearly taxation of the State before the Avar
in any period of ten years. I do not propose, on this festive oc
casion to trouble you further witb details of this sickening char-

12
acter. Vou have only to read the clear and indignant protests
of the lionest portion of even the Radical party itself on this
subject. The speeches of a distinguished member of the Senate
of this State, during the last Presidential canvass, denunciatory
of these glaring frauds, and the promise of reform on the part
of the prominent State candidates, Avith full acknoAA'ledgment of
the rottenness of our State finances and the corruptions of most
of our Stale officials and agents, are confessions more conA'incing
than any details Avhich I can at present furnish. I knoAV that the
Avhole North, including the extremest element of the Republican
party, are shocked and disgusted Avith the unblushing frauds of
the ruling jiarty of this Stale. I knoAV that every decent col
ored man of intelligence, in or out of the State, feels the degra
dation of being coupled Avith miscreants of so disgraceful a char
acter, and I knoAv that Avhatever may be feared to the contrary,
that an active nnd zealous nioA'ement on the part of the honest
people of the State Avill rapidly find itself .supported by large
majorities in CAcry County, and of cA'cry shade of political creed,
coloi', or section. Let us form " Granges " for the overthroAV of
fraud; Western Granges have been formed to resist extravagant
railroad ch.arges on their ijroduce; let the Lodges in every Coun
ty in the State be organized, disregarding partj' lines, color, or
place of birth; let each member pledge himself to abstain Irom
accepting any office for two years, so that the dangerous leaven
of office-seeking may not affect their usefulness or seduce their
honesty; let funds be raised by contributions derived from a
small percentage on each person's last general tax, and procure
the co-opei'ation of the leg.al talent of the State in vigorous and
searching prosecutions against every ofiicial, past or present,
against Avliom evidence can be procured, and test the honesty of
every Judge by arraying the thieves before him. I have but
little misgivings of the most doubtful of them AA'hen confronted
bj' the Avhole power of the intelligent and honest bar of the
State, and the publicity which Ave should be able to giA'e every
trial, in the face of the sympathizing press of the country. We
have the full sympathy of tho Avhole press of all parties in CA'ery
Northern State in the Union, and I believe that the sympathy of
the Administration of the Federal Government Avould be Avith us
in an honest movement for reiorm of this kind, conducted, as it

13
should be free of party bi.as. The example of the City of Ncav
York should encourage us. The Penitentiary can be as surely
the end of the public robbers of this State as that of the AA'ealthy
and popular TAveed. We hayc as patriotic .and astute laAvyers to
volunteer tlieir services as they had in Xew York, and no Judge
here can be more corrupt than Barnard, who fixed tlie bail of tlie
first culprit brought before him at §1,000,000.
The arrest and indictment of even one of the leaders of this
ring, and the seizure of the property Avhich he has stolen from
the State, foUoAved by a zealous and searching examination of
witnesses, including documentary evidence, so accessible in the
official records and in the public speeches of many of the more
honest members of the Legislature, exposing these frauds, will
lead to developments criminating others, as was the ease in tlie
ring inA'estigations in Ncav York, Avhicli Avill drive the culprits
from the State, many of Avhom Avill be de.sirous to turn State's
evidence, as the thieves did there, hoping to purge their oavu
frauds by aiding the public in the conviction of othei-s. It is the
Avant of practical measures against fraud Avhich has so fearfully
developed it. A want of co-operation and that stern pereist-
ence Avhicli evidences public duty, even at the expense of some
¦ personal inconvenience. Surely the bravery which carried thou
sands to the field to defend an honest but hopeless 6*utiment or
theory of gOA'ernnient is not to be found wanting in measures of
far more importance, practically coming home to eA'ery raan'ss
fireside and his sense of manhood. Shall a set of thieves deprive
honest citizens of their rights and property for Avant of co-opera
tion in the simple remedies which all civilized people liave
through their Criminal Courts ? You have found political reme
dies unsuccessful, because suffrage is not the cure for fraud. Let
us try the remedy Avhich counteracts the disease. Thieves are
uot to be punished by merely excluding them from office, but by
efforts to send them to the Penitentiary, and by wresting from
them their ill-gotten gains. They liave protected their friends
and themseh'es by party supremacy. Let us try to overthroAV
them by an appeal to the justice of the State and the underlying
honesty Avhich, I believe, will respond, Avben that issue is made
pure and simple, and supported Avith zeal by every honest man
who loves the privileges which an honest acImiuistratioH would
insure them in the Palmetto State.

14
A league of this kind Avould furnish a basis to support the Con
servative and honest element in tlie Legislature, and Avould also
become the nucleus around Avliich the honest co-operation of all
jiarties in the State could assemble, and Avould form a b.arrier
against legislative or even judicial corruption, while it Avould
also become a firm defence to sustain an honest discharge of judi
cial duties against legislative or official interference. I believe
our Judges have needed at times moral support of this kind, and
Avhile I cannot coincide Avith some of them in the policy of procur
ing certificates of the justice and honesty of their official course,
yet I belicA-e that much of this questionable reputation grows
out of the Aveakness of their position, and their Avant of that in
dependence, without Avhicli the efficiency of the liencli is greatly
impaired. A Judge Avho can regard himself safe against legis
lative interference, and finds himself confronted by an honest
and poAverful bar, sujiported by a legion of honest and prominent
citizens, demanding justice against public robbers, Avould hardly
have the temerity to refuse it, and that, too, in the face of the
poAverful press of this nation, and the just indignation and dis
gust of the honest men of his OAvn party in all sections of the
Union. A single meeting of Taxpayers in Columbia, in 1871,
saved the State from an issue of $6,000,000, virtually compelling
the Legislature to burn the " Sterling Bonds," saving the State
from a fraudulent issue of that amount. Now let us try Avhat a
vigorous co-operation can do in the AA'ay of prosecuting the fraud
ulent individuals, and an attempt to compel them to restore the
money of the people. If Ave do not succeed in getting back the
stolen property, Ave may send them to the Penitentiary, as the
New York Taxpayers have succeeded in doing Avith Tweed, and
Ave shall certainly make it dangerous for the future practice of
frauds by the officials aa'Iio have hitherto regarded the people of
the State asleep, or too much engaged in abstract political theo
ries to descend to the practical grievances Avhich is fast destroy
ing the best interests of the State, and seriously impairing our suc
cess as a people. When TAveed Avas taunted with his glaring
frauds by some modest citizens, on the eye of his arrest, he re
plied, in all the plenitude of his financial and political poAver,
and the disdain which he felt for an unorganized people, " Well,
tohat will you do about it ?" But an organized body of citizens

15
ansAvered the question Avhon he found himself, Avith his head
shaved and a felon's striped garment upon him, a convict for
more than the probable period of his natmal life. In that case,
the alleged corniption of the Judiciary, unlimited political and
financial poAvcr, succumbed to stern justice at the demand of an
earnest body of honest men, Avhoso ideas of public duty over
came political prejudices, and that indifference Avhich too often
characterizes the suffering citizen when he desjiairs of co-opera
tive reform. We have i-eached that point in the history of this
State Avhicli devolves on us all the rights and the duties of Caro
linians and American citizens. The colored man just enfran
chised from slaA'ery— the Yankee just fresh from Ncav England —
the hardy emigrant just from Europe, are here all endowed and
recognized by all with equal rights, and, therefore, have equal
responsibilities with those to the manor born. We are all uii-
AA'oilhy of the glorious old State, which is to protect ourselves
and our families in future, and avc are unAvorthy of the great
nation Avhich guarantees to us the rights of freemen, if we fail to
protect ourseh'cs against these frauds and corruptions Avhich
practically enslaA'c us, and, in eftect, proclaim to the Avoi-ld our
imbecility. If every effort fails Avithin tho laAv, and fraud aiul
misrule is to mark the public counsels and the administration of
the State, then the unalienable rights of freemen, so avcU ex
pressed in the Declaration of our Independence, forces upon us
the right of ReA'olution. And Avhat freeman dare controA'ert this
last remedy of an o})pressed peojile? California, many yeai-s
ago, Avas infested Avith a band of robbers, and the law failed to-
tallj' to vindicate public justice; a Committee of Safety Avas at
last organized, and public justice Avas vindicated by hanging a
few of the leaders. It is said the balance of them took the hint,
and either reformed or emigrated to places Avhero men Avere less
earnest. Many deplored the violation of law, but the respect and
esteem folloAvs the leaders of that Committee to this day. If the
Ku-Klux had discriminated properly by hanging the thieves
Avhich surrounded tho Capital, and treated the poor colored men
Avith the proper consideration due to their unprotected and in
offensive condition, they Avould have cleared the State of fraud,
and hoAvever irregular the remedy, the fact Avould have been satis
factory, as an evidence hoAv great good may spring from a small

16
evil. 1 hope, and believe,' that an earnest co-operation among
our people will lead to a restoration of honesty in the adminis
tration of public affairs through the iustrumentality of the Crimi
nal Courts; but should this fail, I would advise the thieves to
emigrate before the spirit of honest men arc compelled to resort
to natural remedies for the protection of their rights and prop
erty.

YALE UNIVERSITY

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