The Portland daily press., 1865-09-23
Saturday Morning, Sept 23. 1865.
MESSAGE OF aovnnNoa PERRY.

MESSAGE OF GOVERNOR PERRY.
The message just transmitted by Provisional
Governor Perry of South Carolina, to the con-
stitutional convention of that state is a docu,
men. likely to be much discussed. We sub
join its most noticeable points and recommen
dations, that our readers may judge for them
selves Of the Governors ideas of reconstruct
ing Southern Society. He declines to dwell on
the past or grieYe over its errors, but recon.
{ mends rather to look forward to the future
with manly fortitude and endeavar to make
the best Of circumstances which cannot be al
tered. He then enlarges as follows: -.1l ,5.e
The President of the United States has mani
tested a generous and patriotic solicitude for
the restoration of the Southern States to all
their civil and political rights, under the Con-
stitution and laws of the United States. He
desired to see the federal Union reconstructed
as 1t was before the secession of those States
and he will oppose the Capitalization of DOW
erin Congress, and the Infringement of the con.
stitutional rights of the states, with the same
zeal, energy and power with whicl he resisted
the assumed rights of secession on the part of
the states. In order to accomplish this reu-
nicn Of the states, the President desires that
South Carolina, as well as the other states
in rebellion, should accept as inevitable and
unavoidable the great final results Of the war.
OF African slavery he says:
ut was cherished institution of South Car
olina fom her earliest colonial history, patri-
archial in its character, under which the ne
gro has multiplied and increased with a rapid
ity proving that he had been kindly cared for
ND fn1 Ir,f e \ =
never to be revived or hoped for in the future
this state. Under the war-maESing power
the military authorities of the United States,
have abolished slavery in all the seeding states
The oath you have solemnly taken to Esabide
by and faithfully support all laws and procla-
nations which have been made during the ex-
isting rebenion, with reference to the emanci-
patton Of slaves" requires you in good faith,
to abolish slavery in your new or amended
con titution.
The express terms on which your pardons
have been issued, stipulate that you shah new
er again own or employ slave power. 1t is
likewise altogether probable that the proposed
amendment to the Federal Constitution, aboI-
ishing slavery, viii be adopted by three-fourths
of the states, and become part of the Con-
stitution. Moreover, it is impossible for South
Carolina ever to regain her rights and be re
stored to the Union till she voluntarily aboI-
lsucS 5ldFcTy, dltu uSCl1ICS ny an organic law,
that neither slavery nor servitude, except as
a punishment for crime, whereof the party
shall have been duly convicted" shall ever
again exist within the limits Of the state. I'm
til this is done, we shall be kept under mili-
itary rule, and the negroes will be protected
as Freedmen" by the whole military power of
the United States. But l know you are all
honorable men as well as patriotic men, and
will do your duty faithfully to yourselves and
IL. L.
In making this unavoidable change in your
Constitution, abolishing slavery, and which
win require the substitution of hired labor for
that of slave labor, it is to be hoped that none
of those evils will be experienced which some
have anticipated. by wise, just and humane
treatment of your freedmen and women, you
may attach them to you as strongly in their
new condition as they were whilst they were
your slaves. They viii soon learn TO see and
feei their dependence on you, and know that
their interests require them 20 be true and faith
ful to you. 1t ID tobe expected that SO great
and sudden a change as this In the condition
Of the negro will produce, at frst confusion,
idleness and dissatisfaction. This, however,
viii only be temporary. Time and experiences
must bring order and system. The freedman
viii soon find out that he must work or per-
ish. Legislation viii necessarily be required
to regulate the relative duties Of the employer
or the employee.
If the whites were equally prompt with the
blacks to make the discovery that they "must
work or perish, they would certainly be bet
ter off, and the United States would save large
IL in rations Further:
1t is very desirable that you should avail
yourselves of the present opportunity OF re-
forming and popularizing the State Constitu-
ton in several particulars 1t Is the reproach
of South Carolina abroad that her constittl-
ton Is less popular and republican in its pro-
visions than that of any other state in the
Union. And it is thought by many that to
this cause alone may be traced the origin of
that discomfort and dissatisfaction with the
Federal Government, which, after being nurs-
ed for thirty-three or four years, ended In the
secession or rebellion of thirteen or fourteen
states. The basis of representation in the
senate of this state, as you know, is entirely
arbitrary, and founded ON no just principles Of
property or population. At the time it was
adopted--more than seventy-fVe years ago,
1t was, no doubt, fair and equal. But since
that time the entire relative condition of cleo
tion districts has changed. The upper eoun-
try, at the adoption of our State Constitution
In 1890, was comparatively but newly settled,
had a sparse population, and but very little
wealth. But since that time, this portion OF
the state has increased in wealth and numbers
ia much greater ratio than the lower coun-
fry. Hence it is that the parish representa-
hoH in the senate Is unequal and unjust
Twenty or thirty votes in one of the parish
es, whose population and taxation combined
entitle it to only one member of the House of
Representatives, have the same representa-
ton IN the senate that three thousand voters
have IN Edgeneld district, whose population
and taxation entitle it to six members in the
House. IhlS Is contrary to ali republican
principles OF politiai justice and equality.
In the early history OF South Carolina the
representation In the parishes was rc,aatad djy
changed to equalize 1t among the resnective
election districts But all such changes have
baan ob5tinatey refused during the last savar.
tv-tive years. Now that slavery is aholisheJ
4 raformation in this respectis Is Imperative and
must be adopted. In e6ecting this change. n
would be well to adopt the basis Of represent.
alton In the House OF Representatives which
Is founded on population and taxation. Each
judicial district Ia the state should, however,
have one senator, and the city OF Cnarleston
two IN addition to one from the district OF
Charleston. The other senators, If the present
number be retained, may be given to the larg-
est districts in population and taxation, as
fractions are now represented in the house Of
Representatives. The two great elements OF
representative governments are wealth. ana
population, and they should be both equally
represented, SO that one cannot legislate to the
injury O. the other
IN considering the question of population,
It IS proper that the freedmen, who take the
places OF the white men in the lower country,
ana also IN the upper country, in a less pro-
portion, should, in some way and to some ex-
tent, be counted. This Is due the lower eoun-
try, where there is such large preponderance
OF tnat class of persons The federal basis of
representation in Congress, counting three
fitths of the negroes, would seem "a he inst
and right 1t was the compromise agreed on
by the trainers of the Federal Constitution.
and no doubt founded in wisdom,