, 1865-12-02


Committee were reported. which met with
warm support, md were unanimously
a1opted:,
NnInKAs, Knowledge IL power." and m adu-
rated aud intelligent people can nelt1cr be held 1n
noE 1tsg III ns,sf nea
meut Of Good schools for the thorough education
ofour children throughout The state; and that to
md viii casneatiy aud p:rs,stentiy forward esesy
meoUE calculate to elevate 10 the rank and POSI-
lion Of an enlightened and Christian people.
h yoans ans Fae s:Fs ~ ap1 -
The rad recollection Of our forced ignorance and
depreciation In the past, apd by The bright and IN
anss FEC s 9. Il syy %
borhoCd; and. when SO established, TO nee to It
.hst every child proper age is kept In regular at
! aoniDg with E1atituee, The noble and eelEeacr,-
tcing Spirit manifested by the various phlantrhopie
and Christian associations Of tho No,th IN providing
that sc can only best testify such gratitude by
love and humanity.
Subsequently the following resolution was
reported from the Business Committee:
Rttoirsd, That as American eba,el slavery has
now passed aWey, ye would cherish IN our hearts
Gated 10 the crime Of slareholding; hut would e1-
tend The right hand Of fellowship 10 al and would
make IL 1nr special aim 10 establish unity, peace,
ard motherhood among al mep.
Which was; after m animated debate,
A resolution very Justly complimentary to
Gen. saxton vas also reported from the Bust
ness Committee, and adopted with will, to
wit:
R4sar<J, That Ibis Convention desIres to ex-
press, in behalf Of the colofed people OF this State
IT. Rtacerc gratitude 10 Brayet hfs. Gen S.1ton os
the impartial manner in which be has guarded and
pIctected ,he Freshmen Of this department., mani.
the soldier, the patriot and The Christian
It was also
Rtsoira9, Thai We earnestly solicit OF the Ge1ctal
reau unu1 such time as full protection shall be
guaranteed 10 u by the Constitution and laws Of
The following resolution, adopted on Satur-
day, sets the colored taxpayers of the State
{who, notwithstanding the grcat dlsadTan-
tnges under which they have ever labofed,
bear no mean share Of the taxes OF South
Carolina) all right upon the question OF taxes
due the General Government; mud 1t stands
IN marked contrast with the grrmbl{nS tone
which the white taxpayers hold upon the
same subject:
Rts1{rtL Tint We haYe full faith IN the stability
Of the National Government. and that We cheerfdly
nccept our ehare Of the burden OF taxation. trusting
that The day IL not tar distant when tha receive
Its natural equivalent, tbe right ct representation
But by far the most important acts of the
Convention are the adoption OF IN siAddress
10 the White Inhabltants of the State Of South
Carolina," the s'Petitton 10 the Legislature -
the Declaration Of Rlghtsand Wrongs,' and
last, but not least, the ''Aiemorial to Con-
gress,'' which it WIS the last care OF the Busi-
ress Committee to report to the Convention.
These documents will commend themselves
| to the heart and Intellect OF liberty lowing
men and women throughout the world. When
the fact is mentioned that they were ali framed
by and came warm from the blood and brain
OF despised black men, unaided by even q
word or line from the pen Of q white man.
We here present the documents IN tho order
| following:
DECLARATION OF RIGHTS AND WRONGS
! It ls said in The DeclsFation OF American Indc
Eendcnce. THAT al men nte created equal; thu
lhey are endowed By their Creator with certain lu
s1anr isa h,tM Il e.. these are ne liberty
no one Vii attempt 10 deny; ihelefore We, he 81:
ord citizens Of south Carolina, and Of these United
Stales Of America, tu-tiy claim snch rights arc
get forth IN the above mentioned Declaration ol
To secure the free enjoyment OF these rights, IL
| the proper object o. cis1l governments.
or iaWtul titet hieh person has TO anything. ia
bns right 10 his own body and mind, his money
or other property, which he has honestly earned,
provided iii i T. moi gone 70 Ss sis sy = Of osess
riEhtt OF men.
nnt IN ,io1ation ot The above principles, and Of
o.lr natural rights which are founded ID he aNs o1
OFT being. which consist or pessona1 liberty, lhs
Injuries to on bodies o. sood name 'sA&'@'
These are portion Of our tnaliennb1e rights, be-
esnse wc eanqo, be iustiy deprived Of them.
poi1isal snd dSi rshts of natural, elTil md poll.
The svcauce Of wealth and education hare been
rf1H Rft Inf, 1ft-1{ h.
pnrt Of the do1nant racc, has obstruc.ed our pur-
We have been satlected 70 esnel prescription,
with tmpun1ty. We havc been and sill are, de-
priyed OF the see choice Of those who should Eoy-
wilboai lerresenistion. and have ~ bied and to,1el
for he elevation Of those Nho have degTaded III,
and etil continue 10 oppsess uE.
Signed per oFdef aHa In eehalf M Of he Gonyen
!. JouE G. Drs vEaSEr. see'y;
Charleston, s. C.. Nov. n, 1865.
To the Honorable tho senate and 1rouse OF Repre-
GEsT1fsEs:' Esa' We. We. The colorcd people OF The
state Of South Carolina. do humbly appeal 10 you
The last four years Of war have u,ade great
chsnges In our condition aud relation to each other
as well ns In the laws and institutions OF 0nr Stale.
under the pressure at laws made in the interest and
Tor the retpetuation Of slavery. :,
I'M the csenta q she hst 1out years bare de-
called upon to remodel hcr constitution from Its
eis tounaas9n % @ ~ t,,1 1rSe p,ncars anu M ss Ms
esef l. 1n aes ~ ~ I
have 1exolyed, in the Convention which nc hare
called together to consdeT our interests to petition
s9Ir honorable ~ Dody los )ast1ee.
apply to ns On account Of our COLOR be RIPE aied
aud that IN fnfure none such be cnacted- We do
not pEsseme to Metste 70 Sou. gent!smet; but we
ap}tul 70 3oul own las ot Jusuce any Eene5-
os'y Mhy ef9n1a Ts suasr i On esopt 70 o. sae so!-
ba ~ thsi tfa univ ~ e;@ s,,iSe1 Ell
ounressfyc aIys itr I,s Is necsnse orr conf il n
datker hpef
We feel assured, gentlemen, that no valid reason
can exist ior ,he Enactment and perpetnatioa of
laws that have peculiar application to us. We are
now free. We nrc now ali Efce. Both maeter and
tismen, 10 s cer'ain eetent in your power. and we
need not nesura you With shat deep coucetn we arc
waiehn. all soar deliberations, but especially those
that have reference 10 Us
We would aak your honorable body for the right
or sutragc. and the right Of tesifyng courts Of
law. These two things we deem necessary to our
ifeeman, md are inhe1ant md essential to every *
publican form Of government.
Our appeal Is hased upon Justice. But We do not
ape aS ednt aa e "a VII
power TO d9 us tushee and gsant ns The oppe.tunt-
osd]enea ] IL piaeea il IN your % power ~ 70 decide
whether our future shall be gtlded with hope, or
.dnrkened BY despair. Whether you will become
The generous helpers Of thoee Just emerging nom
degrading se171tnde into tho blessed Light of lsb-
Ne do sincerely bope that you VII grant your
petitioners theh dea1ses. We are. natives of th!s
| State, sul are deeply attached to our homes. We
have lived together peacefully, heretofore, and ne
feel assuEed that nothing 1s needed to render our
fnture relations mutually eenetlct.i 6nt the be-
stoument Of the rights re ask. And your peu-
uoncrs, rs IN duty bound, VAL EYER pzay, SC.
Signed per order, and In D behalf ?, Y, o. Convention:
JouS C. DEs FERN9r. Secretary.
Charleston, >. c.' nav. - la'o. -.--
Address OF TIE STATE CONVENTION, 10 ynE WHITE
INA. - ..s.-
FE11ow~C171zESs:-Weh have here sszembetf az
delegates representing the colored people Of the
Convention, to confer together and 10 deiibefato
upon our intellectual, moFJ, industrial, civil md
nalttcs1 rn6tfnn ard rartfrr1artv m fIy,,