The Portland daily press., 1865-09-23

/ SobAOA AO1AlAC0 VI du fObGIS. WHICH GACluuGs
them. If the New York qualifications OF {
freehold for a person of color voting were
adopted in South Carolina, very few of the
freedmen in this state would ever be able to
exercise the right OF suffrage. In North Caro-
lima, Tennessee, and perhaps other slavehold
ing states, free negroes formerly were entitled
to vote, but it is understood that they seldom
saw proper to exercise this franchise.
The radical Republican party North are
looking with great interest to the action OF the
Southern States in reference to negro suffrage
and whilst they admit that a man should bt
able to read and write and have property
qualification IN order to vote, yet they con.
tend that there should be no distinction be
tween voters on account of color They for.
| get that this is a white mans government. and
/ intended for white men only; and that the su
| preme court of the United States has decided
that the negro is not an American citizen un.
| der the federal constitution. That each and
| every state OF the Union has the unquestion-
ed right OF deciding for herself who shall exer.
clse the right OF suffrage is beyond all dispute
| You viii settle this grave question as the in.
terest and honor of the state demand.
South Carolina is the only state in the I'm
ion where the chiefmagistrate is not elected
| by the people. This should no longer be the
case. 1t is a fundamental principle OF the re-
| publican creed that the people, in whom all
sovereignty is inherent, should. select their
own rulers and representatives. Those DOW
ers only are delegated which cannot be proper
~ exercised by the people. 1t is eminentIv
wise and proper that the governor of a state
should derive his authority and election irnrne-
diateiy from the SOVEREIGN power Of the state.
The people should elect their chiefmagistrate
members OF congress, and members Of the leg-
isature. Having done this, the minor Offices
might be filled by appointment and the people
relieved OF the trouble, loss of time, and de-
moralization, IN making these petty elections.
In all elections made by the Legislature, the
| voting should be csUd voce, SO that each MEM
ber's constituents might know how he voted.
The ballot is secres, and conceals the rem
resenta6iVe's vote fIom his constituency The
people have right to know how their rep
resentatives voted in elections as well as in
legislation. In all elections by the people tbe
ballot is certainly the proper mode, as it en-
ables every man TO vote independently. ac-
cordlngto his own convictions. No one has
any right TO know or question his vote. He
votes as sovereign But the representative
votes ior Others, and they have Alright to know
You should provide for the election Of MEM
Ders OF the Legislature at an early day-the
second Monday in Oct0ber-So that the Gem
erai Assembly may be convened in time to
order the election of members of CONGRESS and
United States senator's, before the first Mon
day in December next. 1t is important that
all OF the Southern States should be fully rep
resented when Congress assemblies. ID
In your new constitution, YOU should nro-
vide for and declare valid all legislative, exc.
cutive, and judicial acts of the state since her
secession. ON the twentieth of December, eight
teen hundred and sixty, which are not in con-
1llct with the Constitution of the United Sta
tes Likewise all civil officers elected since
that period should be authorized to continue
to discharge the duties OF their respective Off
ces until the expiration of the term for which
they were elected or appointed
In organizing a provisional government.
thought it wisest and best to reappoint ali c;vil
otilcers who were in Office at the suspension of
civil government In South Carolina. / told
the PRESIDENT that we had no parties or politi-
cal divisions in the state, All had ac1miesce,l Il,
her secession from the Federal Union. and
now all would be equally loyal in their efp,rts
to restore her to that Union. had no friends
TO reward, no enemies to,punish, at the sacrifi
&c OF the interests Of the state. Those who
were N once had been elected by. the people,
calculated to discharge them than new men
Moreover, the plan adopted put in mosion at
once the machinery of the state Time was
important The acts Of the Provisional gov
.1lax-
eminent should like Use be sanctioned by you.
Some recommendation ons with regard to f.
nancial affairs follow, after which no says:
Gloomy as the present may seem, the future
will be bright and glorious. Nothing is ever
likely to occur again to mar the harmony of
the Union. The great cause OF dissension be-
tween the two sections has been removed.-
There are no rival interests. The North and
South are mutually necessary to each other
and all the pursuits Of the one are dependent
on those of the other. The United States. a,
a whole, combine all the elements of national
prosperity and greatness to higher deoree
than any other people on the face of the earth
No empire in the world ever united in SO emil
nent degree the three great sources Of indie
pendence, power, and wealth -- agriculture
commerce, and manufactures. AS long as
civilization continues, this great republic will
nourlsl and increase in numbers, wealth and
grandeur. 1t can only crumhle and break in
to fragments when ignorance and darkness
shall have peryaded the land.
South Carolina, as an integral part of this
great power, must partake of its richness and
prosperity, The abolition of slavery will give
new energy and self-reliance to her peoDle.
stimulate industry and promote economy in
all tne yocations of life, In less than ten years
we shall realize in the loss of slavery bless
ing IN disguise to ourselves and our children.
o. IN reSumnS her allegiance to the United
states know that South Carolina does so In
good faith, and with perfect sincerity to her
pllghted honor. As she was the first to lead
on In this great and most unfortunate seces-
sion movement, It now becomes her duty to
set bright example of loyalty to the okber
Southern States, In returning Ia tbe ITnion
and cheerfully performing ali the OBLIGATIONS
to the federal government. She will receive.
IN return, from that government, restoration
Of all her OWL and political rights as a Sow
ereign state, with general amnesty for the
past. Ae 8
You should be careful to do all that ;s
necessary to aid the President in carving ont
his wise and generous pcicy of reconstruction.
and do nothing which may tend to embarrass
him in that policy or impede the restoration of
the State to the federal Union. 1t is re-
mafkable fact that the brave men who have
imperiled their lives and made every sacrifice
In war, for the last four years, are promptly
and cheerfully acqulescing in its results, whilst
some OF those who have kept out of danger
a.de anu made less sacrifices are less inclined to
ssxYalesce .s in the inevitable results of that
.ha, nave .a the qualification of informing you
.,nas .ne poilcy have pursued in my admins
tration OF the Provisional government az the
oIate mas met the approval of the President
ana ne mas directed the military authorities
not to interfere with that policy. bnt to aid
and assist me in carrying il ont have ~ ,;so lu
wise the pleasure of COMMUNICATE nest - ino, lac,
that very recently | had an interview " With ytb
Ma}Gsenesa 1an}ie ssntas ans Meade the At
commanding the Department of SoutS "aS,ore' Sa1e'
| lima, in reference to the seeming eonfliet ~
tween the civil and military authorities Of tba
State; and that all difficulties were satisacao,es
rily arranged. The civil law, the courts, and
civil officers Of the State are restored. and their
functions will not be interiered with by the
military authorities, except In cases where