Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1865-09-28

properly or popuiation. az bue tiue IL Ha
adopted-more than seventy.fve years ag
- was, no doubt, fair and equal. But
sinee that time, the entire relative condi
ftisn of the Election Districts has changed
Fbe upper country, at the adoption of on
State Constitution, in 1890, was compare
lively but newly settled, had sparse pop
ulation, and very little wealth. But, sine
that time, this portion Of the State has in
creased in wealth and numbers in muol
greater ratio than the lower country. Henc
it is that the Parish representation in th
Senate is unequal and unjust. Twenty o
thirty voters IN one Of the Parishes, who's
population and taxation combined entitle j
to only one member Of the House of Rep
resentatives, have the same representation
in the Senate that three thousand voters
have in Edgefeld District, whose popula
ton and taxation entitle it to six member.
in the House. This is. contrary to all re
publican principles Of political justice ant
equality.
In the early history Of South Carolina
the representation in the Parishes was re-
peatedly changed, to equalize it amongst
the respective Election Districts. But oil
such changes have been obstinately refused
during the last seventy.fye years. Nov
that slavery is abolished, reformation il
this respects imperative and must be adopt
ed. In effeoting 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 District in,the State should, how.
ever, have one Senator, and the city Of
Cbsrleston two, in addition to one from the
District of Charleston. The other Sena.
tors, If the present number be retained,
may be given to the largest Districts in
population and taxation, as fractions are now
represented in the House of Representa-.
tives. The two great elements of Repre-.
sentative Governments are wealth and pop.
ulation, and they should be both equally
represented, so that the one cannot legisIate
to the injury of the other.
In considering the question of population,
it is proper that the "freedmen," who
take the places of white men in the lower
country, and also in the upper country, in
a less proportion, should, in some way and
to some extent, be counted. This is due
the low country, where there is such a
large preponderanee of that class of per.
sons. The Federal basis of representation
in Congress, counting three.ffths of the ne-
groes, would seem to be just and right. II
was the compromise agreed.on by the. fra.
mers of the Federal Constitution, and no
doubt founded in wisdom.
The question of suffrage, and whoshall
exercise the right Of voting in South Caro-
lima, is one CT grave importance, and must
be settled by you in your new Constitution.
In 1870, the State Constitution, declared
that no one should be allowed to vote unless
he was freeholder or taxpayer and free
white man of the age of twenty-oue years.
In 1910, the right of suffrage was extended
to all free white men of the age of twenty.
one, who we're residents of the State two
years, and of the Election District six
months, previous to voting. The qualif.
cation of freehold or the payment of tax
was no longer required. 1t was thought
proper at that period that free white man
who had to serve in the militia, do patrol
duty, woSk on the roads, and defend his
country in time of war, should be allowed
to vote for members of the Legislature and
other officers of the State, without the own
ership of freehold or the payment of tax.
es. To extend this universal suffrage te
the "freedmen" in their present ignorant
and degraded condition, would be little less
than folly and madness. 1t would be Civ.
ing to the man Of wealth and large landed
possessions in the State most undue infu.
ence in all elections. He would be enabled
to march to the polls, with his two or three
hundred "frcedmen" as employees, voting
as be directed, controlling all elections
The poor white men in the Election Dis
tricts would have no influence, or their in
Huence would be overpoWered by one mar
of large landed estate. In Connecticut
Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and several other
non.slaveholding States, at the North, free
negroes and eolored persons are entirely ex
eladed from voting. In most of the North
ern States there is property qualification
required of all voters, which excludes
them. If the New York qualification Of q
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
Carolina, Tennessee, and perhaps othel
slayeholding States, free negroes formerly
we're entitled to vote, but it is understood
that they seldom saw proper to exercise
this franchise.
The radical Republican party North art
looking with great interest to the action o
the Southern States in reference to negr'
suffrage, and whilst they admit that mai
should be able to read and write and hav'
a property qualification in order to vote
yet they contend that there should be N
distinction between voters on account
color. They forget that this is whit
mans government, and intended for whit
men only; and that the Supreme Court o
the United States has decided that the ne
gro is not an American citizen under tn
Federal Constitution. That each and ever.
State of the Union has the unquestione'
e. o.aalf uha ohall or