The Fairfield Herald

The Union-Herald of Tuesday contains the following editorial:

The Springfield Republican is known everywhere as able, outspoken, independent newspaper. Of late years it has shown the most intense opposition to the republican State governments of the South, going so far as to be justly open to the charge of injustice towards those governments elsewhere. We give a most significant article on the disturbances at the South. Will our democratic contemporaries please copy? No, they will not. The News and Courier and Phoenix will give it "wide berth." The Republican declares the conduct of the Southern democracy "the politics of delirium tremens." It declares that the "prospect is simply appalling," and calls loudly for the disbandment of "white leagues" and the renunciation of the scheme of a white man's party.

We said, some time ago, that we could safely count on the stupidity of our opponents; but we did not expect such swift and signal evidence of it. We do not know that we are called upon to respond to the question of the Union-Herald, "will our democratic contemporaries please copy."

We are by no means sure that we are democratic. But we feel absolutely certain we are not radical and as the Chamberlain organ dubs as democrats all who oppose radical stealing we presume we are included in the general invitation. We therefore answer the question by not only publishing the article referred to, but by making it prominent. We insert this article, and commend it to the careful consideration of our readers.

At present they are only sporadic. But in at least two States they visibly tend to become epidemic.

It is hard to write about with any sort of composure. These prostrate communities were just beginning to struggle to their feet. Heart and hope were coming back to them. From brooding over the past, they were beginning to live in the present and believe in the future.

Meanwhile the first bitterness of public feeling at the North had all but passed away, and a new kindliness and sympathy had taken its place. The misgovernment and spoliation under which these communities are groaning had come to excite almost universal disgust and indignation. Their efforts to shake off the thieves commanded an almost universal sympathy. The passions kindled by the war were fast smoldering into ashes. The old ties were beginning to re-assert themselves. The people of the North, however the case might stand with some of its politicians, were ripe for new politics—the politics of peace and good will. It is at this moment of all others that a few ignorant cut-throats must need rake down their old ku klux masks and resume their uninterrupted pastime of killing "niggers." Worse yet, it is at this moment that people of whom we had the right to expect better things fall to organizing "white leagues," and resolving themselves in State convention, into a "white man's party." Anything more ill-timed more short-sighted, more criminally stupid could not well be conceived. Language fails to do it justice. Setting morals entirely aside, it is the politics of delirium tremens. The people of these Northern States are too intelligent not to make proper allowance for the innocent exaggerations of excited news agents, and the not so innocent exaggerations of interested politicians and party organs. They know that the fall elections are near at hand, and that political capital is in demand. But, after allowances made there remains a pretty large residuum of fact; and the Northern public, putting the murder of negroes and the organization of "white leagues" together, is forced, very naturally enough, to certain conclusions.

It is almost impossible to overstate the gravity of the situation, the magnitude of the peril, the necessity for prompt and energetic action. We are not thinking now of the fall elections, nor even of the probability of armed federal interference with its train of consequences. We are thinking of the inevitable reaction in public sentiment at the North: we are thinking of the inevitable halt to all progress, moral, political, material, at the South. The prospects simply appalling. We are glad to see that the intelligence, the political sagacity, the right feeling of the imperiled section have taken the alarm. By the mouths of their representatives men and by their most influential journals the Southern people are calling upon the local authorities to execute swift and exemplary justice upon the authors of these outrages. That they are honest and earnest in the demand we don't doubt. But the punishment of a few imbruted wretches will not repair the mischief that has been done. For that something more will be needed—the disbandment of the "white leagues," the definite renunciation of the scheme for a "white man's party," the frank acceptance of the fact of colored citizenship, with all its logical consequences, temper of resolute forbearance and patience and helpfulness and justice. It is in this way, and this way alone, that the South can now work out its salvation. The other road leads to death.

By examining the files of the Winnsboro News, it will be seen that its editorials have urged the same policy as is suggested by the Springfield Republican. It has never denounced a radical because he is a radical, nor a colored man because of his color. Wherever it has seen the faintest glimmer of good on the record of a radical official it has commended him. It has fought Chamberlain, Parker, Neagle, Moses and Patterson, because they represent no party on God's green earth, and have stolen from democrat and radical, while all blush alike. It hopes to have strength to fight against these same villains as long as a speck of honesty remains in the land, and as long, as the putrescence of an honest law abiding people keeps it alive.

The Winnsboro News has declared, and for the benefit of the radical ring and its hirelings now declares, that the two races now in South Carolina must live in harmony and not in strife. Strife would be ruinous to both races, entailing endless horrors on the State. Harmony is an imperative necessity. This can only be obtained by ignoring the question of race in politics. The division of race in South Carolina is detrimental to the whites, unless violence enters into politics. This violence the general government and the North declare unmistakably will not be permitted. Such being the case reform is to be found only in a compromise. The white man who swears never to vote for a colored man on account of his color, and the colored man who refuses to support a white man because of his color, are both impediments in the way of effecting reform.

Want of space prevent any further repetition of argument already advanced.

In conclusion we will say that we have voluntarily inserted articles from the Northern press, clipped from the Union Herald, to exhibit public sentiment on the race question. We insert this. Will the Union-Herald please notify its readers that the Winnsboro News has inserted this article. Will it also dare to insert in its columns the platform upon which the News as a conservative organ stands? We shall see.