The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1865-09-20
MESSAGE OF GOV, PERRY
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT SOUTH CAROLINA.

obedience to the proclamation Of his Excetleney
Andrew Johnson, President of the Uuitcd Sta'c cs,
for the purpose of organizing a State Govern
ment "'whercby justice may be established, do
mestic tranquility insured, and loyal citizens pro
tected in all their rights Of life, liberty ard pro
perty." AS Provisional Governor OF the State OF
South Carolina, under whose orders you were
elected and have assembled, it is proper that
should address you on the prcs"nA occasion, and
assist you, if can in restoring our beloved State
t'to her constitutional relations 10 the Federal
Government" and aid you by my suggestions in
presenting "snch republican form Of Stale
Government rs will entisle South Carolina to the
guarantee Of tho United. States therefor, and her
people to protection, by the United States,
against invasion, insurrection and domestic vio-
lence."
/ The great political eonvulsioas which have re-
Gently taken place in the Southern States, aud
the terrific war which has swept over South
Carolina, devastating her territory and dePriFng
her citizens Of all civil government, are too we'll
known to you and too painful in their detail, FOR
me to bling them unnecessarily in review before
YOU. Instead of dwelling On the past, and grier-
ing over its errors and misforluneS, let MS, with
manly fortituGe, look to the future, and accom-
modatc ourselves 10 the circumstances which
surror~d rs, and which cannot be changed or
avoided. e.. ,.'- a..
|. The President Of the United States has mani
tested generous and patriotic solieitude for tue
restoration of the Southern States TO all their
civil and political rights u der the Constitution
and laws of The United Safes lie desires to see
the Federal Union reconstructed as it was before
the secession Of those States; andh he will oppose
the centraliaation OF power In Congress, and the
infringement of the constitutional rights of the
States, with the same zeal, energy and power
with which he resisted the assumed right OF
secession on the part If the States. In order to
accomplish this reunion Of the States, the Presi-
dent desires that South Carolina, as we'll as all
the other States in rebellion, should accept as n-
evitable aud unavoidable the great Gnal results OF
the war. - -, X
African slavery, whir!, was a cherished insttW.
ton of South Caro- ina from her carliess colonial
history, patrarchal iPits character, under which
the negro has multiplied and increased with a
rapiditY proving that he has been kindly cared
Cor and projected, is gone, dead Forever never to
he revived or hoped for in the future ofsthis
State. Under tl.a war-making power, the Mill.
tary authorities of -fhc Upited States have alb
o!ishcd slavery in Ill fthe seeding States. The
cath you have soicnln'y taken to '!abile by aud
faithfully support all laws ahdsGpgoolanations
which have been made during the existing
.
slaves" requires you, in good faith, to abolish
SLAVERY In Tour new or amended Constitution.
The express trFfns IN = !IIg Your
issueds stipalatc that you sliull never again own
s. employ slave labor. 1t is likewise altogether
probable that the proposed amendment to the
Federal Fo3siitp:ion, aboiiShing slavery, viii be
adopted by three lourths of the States and be-
come a part of the Constitution. Moreover it
is impossible for South Carolina ever to regain
her civil rsh:s and be restored to the Unot till
she Voluntarily abo!ishcs Slavery, and declares,
by an organic law that neither slavery nor in
voluntary seryitule, except rs punishment for
crime, whereof the party shall have bcri duly
eonYicted,"- shall ever again exist within the
limits of the State. Uqtil this is done, VIC shall
be kept under military rule, and the negroes will
he pI otected as "freedmcRn by the whole military
force of the United States. But / know that yen
are all hoporablc men, as well as patriotic men,
and will do your duty faiuDully 10 yourselves
and your country, however painful it>may be.
In making this unavoidable change in your
Constitution, abGlishing slavery, and which will
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 antici-
patcd. By wise, just and humane treatment of
Your freedmen" and women, you may attach
them to you as strongly in their new condition IS
tDey were WIIlSL Oar slaves. -1I!El hlH SOOH
learn to see and feel their dependence on you,
and know that their nteres.s require them to be
true and faithful to you. 1t is to be expected
that so great and sudden a chanseaS this i'll the
condition Of the negro will prod dicc at first, con-
fusion. idleness and dissatisfaction. This, low
ever, will only be temporary. Time and expert
ence must bring order and system. The ''freed.
man" will soon find out that he mus: work Oh
perish. Legislaton' will necessarily1te required
10 regulate the relative duties Of The employer
and employee. & -.
1t is very desirable that you should. avail yonr-
selves cf the present opportunity Of reforming
and popularzing the State Constitution In several
particulars It is the rcproach Of South Carolina
abroad that her Constitution is less popular and
republican in its provisions than that Of any other
State in the Union And, it is thought by many
that to this cause alonelnay be traced the origin
of that discomfort and dissatisfaction with the
Federal Government which; after being nursed
for tirsy-hree or four years elfded in the seces-
son and rebellion of thirtcen or fourteen States
Tie basis of representation in the Senate OF
this State, asyou know, is entirely arbitrary aod
founded on no Just principles of property or
population, AZ the time issBas. adopted-aore
than seYe9sy five ago-it Eas, no doet1t
fair, and eanai Bur, since That time, the entire
relative coadis;oa of tie Election Districts has
changed The upper ceentFYf at the adoption Of
our State Eonsfit in "a 90, was comparative
.ly but newly settled, had sparse population,
and very little weaIt But, since that tine, this
pSrtion Of the State has in:feased insge;2th and
numbers in 81 much greater ratio than tiie lower
coantry. Hence it's that tie Parish representa-
sion IN the Senate Is unequal and unjust. Twenty
or thirty voters in one Of the Parishes, whose
population and taxation combined, entitle It to
oniy one member Of the House Of Representa-
lives, have the same representation in the Senate
that three thousand rioters have in Edgeaetd
District, whose population and taxation entitie
it to SIX members in the House. Thisis coGtrasg
to all republican principles Of political justice and
equality. =.
In the early history of South Carolina, the re-
presentation in the Parishes, was repeatedly
changed to equalize it amongst the sespectiFe
Election Districts. But allSsueh changes have
been obstnately refused during the laS sesefftY-
FIVE wears. Now that slavery is abolished, Ssre-
formation in this respect isimper eratire and must
be adopted. In efectinge this change, it would
..be.well to adopt the basis of Representation IN
the House of Representatives, which is founded
on population and taxation. Each Judicial sis-
trict in the State should, however, have one SEN
ator, and the city CT Charleston two, in addition
to one from the District of Charleston. The
otbar Scoatorc IF {hn -nraSent number be retain