The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1865-11-16
The Anti-Rndical Meeting at ST.
Louis

The st. Louis papers have elaborate
reports of the great public demonstra-
ton to protest against the sstest
OATH" and to take counsel with re-
ference to upsetting, by lawful means,
she radical faction, who gave birth to
it. The speakers included many of
the most eminent men of the State.
and the enthusiasm is said to have
been very great
MajorGeneral Blair made the first
speech.
Another speaker, Judge Hicks, in
illustration of the way in which the
bogus Constitution works, said:
Gentlemen, the history of all the
tyrannies OF the world-you may talk
OF oppression in Poland by Russia
you may talk of oppression in Hun
gary by Austria-you may talk of
oppression in any other country, bit
nothing like it has been seen in the
world, as the attempt Of these men
who made the new Constitution.
Every hne-cvery word-the whole
theory of the Constitution is based on
fraud and oppression. All the rights
that are dear to man, especially to q
man who has once been free, are taken
away from him. His right Of pro-
perty-there are many things he
cannot do unless he conformed to the
requirements of that Constitution
his right to labor, his right to that
greatest of all things-the right to
worship God IN q manner and mode
that he processes, is denied to him.
All tue rights are taken away from
hlm-and what was the object OF that?
me object: gentlemen: was simply
this: 1t was during war between
extreme sections Of the Union, and
these men believed that by making
such Constitution as they did thcy
could obtain power for an indefl. -te
length of time; that these men, these
Methodist preachers, lawyers, teach
ers and others, they wanted to get rid
of, would leave the State; that all who
had not gone plum into the Loyal
League ASSOCIATION would leave the
State, and these fellows would have
happy time in enjoying the Offices
and the honors and the glory all by
themselves. They knew it would not
last forever, but each one thought it
would last long enough for him. 1t
was nice thing. 1 say the history
OF the world presents nothing like it.
NOW, what IS our remedy-what shall
we do? Gentlemen, the remedy is
easy. Now the new Constitution is in
force; thousands of men cannot vote
any more. II the next Legislature
carries out one of the requirements of
the new Constitution, there is no tell
ing who will be able to vote. Here
after 1T IS one Of the requirements of
the new Constitution that the Lecis
atllre shall appoint Register in
each County of the State to register,
l believe, SIX months before an cleo
ton, the name of each voter, and if
the mans name is not there he can't
vote. But, mind you, the Repister
SO appointed has the power to say.
when you go there to have your name
registered suppose it is Mr. Sebas-
tan, Of st. Francois, goes there and
says:
Il want to have my name regis
tered"
"Wherc do you livc:'
''St. Francois County,
Chow long?'
''About sixty years"
"Well, you can't vote; because per-
haps, you had an uncle who was in
the rebel army?'
mo, sir"
''You had Il son therc?'
''No, sir.
You were q rebel yourself?''
''No, sir
',Well, then: You had some nisgers,
Yes. Sir
"Well, ther you cant vote; be-
cause, for time here, q man who had
negroes was IL rebel
No doubt many Of our citizens have