. Mr. Appleton not only
furnishes all the news that's fit to read, but he represents this
county in the Legislature, along with Mr. Fetters, and he will no
doubt be the next candidate for Congress from this district. He can
tell you all that's worth knowin' about Clarendon."
The colonel shook hands with the editor, who had come with a twofold
intent--to make the visitor's acquaintance and to interview him upon
his impressions of the South. Incidentally he gave the colonel a great
deal of information about local conditions. These were not, he
admitted, ideal. The town was backward. It needed capital to develop
its resources, and it needed to be rid of the fear of Negro
domination. The suffrage in the hands of the Negroes had proved a
ghastly and expensive joke for all concerned, and the public welfare
absolutely demanded that it be taken away. Even the white Republicans
were coming around to the same point of view. The new franchise
amendment to the State constitution was receiving their unqualified
support.
"That was a fine, chivalrous deed of yours this morning, sir," he
said, "at Squire Reddick's office. It was just what might have been
expected from a Southern gentleman; for we claim you, colonel, in
spite of your long absence."
"Yes," returned the colonel, "I don't know what I rescued old Peter
from. It looked pretty dark for him there for a little while. I
shouldn't have envied his fate had he been bought in by the tall
fellow who represented your colleague in the Legislature. The law
seems harsh."
"Well," admitted the editor, "I suppose it might seem harsh, in
comparison with your milder penal systems up North. But you must
consider the circumstances, and make allowances for us. We have so
many idle, ignorant Negroes that something must be done to make them
work, or else they'll steal, and to keep them in their place, or they
would run over us. The law has been in operation only a year or two,
and is already having its effect. I'll be glad to introduce a bill for
its repeal, as soon as it is no longer needed.
"You must bear in mind, too, colonel, that niggers don't look at
imprisonment and enforced labour in the same way white people do--they
are not conscious of any disgrace attending stripes or the ball and
chain. The State is poor; our white children are suffering for lack of
education, and yet we have to spend a large amount of money on the
Negro schools. These convict labour contracts are a source
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