The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1852-01-27

!" lnth course ofacighteen years.
from tile adoption of the Constitution
Of South Carolina, il 1T0O, to its
first amendment in 1908, there had
been a great change i'll the relative
wealth and population of the State.
The upper country had increased 50
much in population and taxation, that
the basis of representation settled by
the Constitution of 1890, was no Ion
ger fair aud just. Nor we're the
people of tho upper part Of South
Carolina disposed to submit any long
cr to such gross inequality in their
basis of representation. With that
siirit Of libcrality and magnanimity
which has always characterized the
lower Country, they consented to an
alteration of the Constitution which
fixed, as the basis of representation in
the House of Representatives, taxa
ton and population. The House
was to continue to consist of one
hundred and twcnty.iour mcmht rs.
sixty,two Of whom were to be elected
in proportion to taxation, and an
equal number in proportion to popn-
lation. The Senate was increased
to forty-six members, by giving to the
upper country seven additional Scna-
tors.
This, again, was fair adjustment
Of the basis OF, representation for tho
fourth time in South Carolina. AS
the country then was, iorty-thrcc
years ago. tho upper country had no
right to complain Of this adjustment.
BY it they gained twcoty members Of
the House, and the lower country
lost twenty members. At that time
the taxes Of the upper division were
only $4,000, whilst the lower divis-
icn paid $64.O00 Into the treasury.
But now, the upper division lays
eight or ten thousand dnllhrs more
taxes than the lower division, and
ttiIty thousand more on slaves
TTlfe~Flppcr division ~f the" State
has entirely cutstlipl cd the lower in
population, slave property and taxa
ton. There are 223,10S white III
hahitants i'll tic upper division, and
only 3S,IS1 III the lower division.
The upper country has actually 1GI,-
421 more white inhabitants than the
lower country This is mt all The
upper country has $4,000 more
slaves than the lower country, ami
seven millions Of acres of land more
than they have. And yet, notwi,h.
standing this great disparity between
the two sections. i'll everything that
constitutes a nation, the lower coun-
try have the asccndancy i'll the Sen
ate. In white population, we have
four to one. IL slaves, almost two TO
ono. In territory, three acres to
one. Anal i'll taxation, uotwithstand-
Ing the great commerce uf Charles
ton, we arc ahead Of them ! Charles.
tor, too, IN feeling and interest, is
with the upper country.
Is it right and just that this great
inequality. this anti-republicun and
aristocratlc feature Of our government
should Continue and be perpctrated :?
Our ancestors dill not think So
They changed the constitution Of
South Carolina whenever they found
the condition Of the country required
it. In thirty-two years they altered
ne basis Of representation four times,
in order to do justice to the upper
country. Shall it never be altered
again ? Have we Of the upper coun-
try lost the bold republican spirit of
our ancestors Have the gentle
men Of the lower country failed in
that libcrality and spirit ofjusticc and
maynanilnity which always, and at
all times, characterized their anccs-
tors.
WE are one people in South Caro-
lima, having but one interest, and
Sh0ulu all nave cqual rights under
the Constitution, as our fathers had
when it was first adopted. Dnt we
have not. y citizen of the State,
living in ST. Thomas and St. Dennis,
has as much political power in the
Senate as one hundred and twenty
four men living in Pcndleton District.
One slave in a little parish counts as
much, in political influence, as eight
or ten in some of the upper districts.
Several Of these parishes have not
population and taxation enough to
give them one r preventative in the
House, and yet they have an equal
influence in the Senate with Edge.
field, Pendlcton, or Spartanburg,
whose wealth and population entitlc
them to five, six, and seven Repre-.
sentatives. as..,
lssuch a government worthy of the
name Of republic Is there such a
feature in the constitution of any
other State of this Union :? Could q