The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1865-09-16

In considering the qudon of population, it is
proper that the "froedni," who take tho places
of tho whito men in the For country, and also in
tho upper country, in u proportion, should, IN
is due tho lower countrSShcre there il such a
largo prcpondcrance of TIT class OF persons. Inc
ing thrce-hfths Of the neocs, would seem to be
just and right. 1t was tlrompfomiso agreed ON
by tho trainers of the Ncraf Constitution, and
no donbt founded in wisdn.
The question of suffragiand who shall exercise
tho right OF voting i'll Sith Carolina, is ono OF
grave Importance, and MT DC settled by You IN
your new Constitution. l1790 tho State Constl-
tuition declared that no % should DC allowed TO
vote unless he was q frcchlCr or taxpayer anu
free white man of the agpf twenty y-onc years In
1910 tho right of suflragoas extended to all irco
residents of the State two ears, and OF tho fIu W.
ton District six months, devious to voting. nv nv
qualification of frccholtlr tho payment ,,ronnr rcr
was no Longer required WAS honslESo had to
serve in the militia, do Htrol duty, y,;m'n of war
roads, and dofcnd his c,untry in .,'S nc a Tr Toa Ma
should be allowed to vote fr mowS,oo S,oto o w;tboSt
s!aturo and other officers of t'1 state, w,,i'nf of
the ownership of freehold r ING ray,iii im tbc
taxes. TO extend this univfsal suffrage 10 .nS
frcGdmcnin in their present6n s nrIo' on3 mad.
ness. It would bo giving to the man OF wealth
and large landed possese6ns i'll the state most
undue influence in a1 electors. nc moua ov u.oo
hundred "frr;tImen" as employees, voting as nc
directed NM, control all elections. The poor white
mon in the Election Districts would have no nfiu-
one man Of large landed estate. In Connecticut,
Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and several othor nom
slaychdding States ut the North, FREQ negroes and
colored persons arc entirely excluded from voting
In most 6 the Northern States there is property
qualification required Of all voters, which excludes
them. /. the New York qualifications Of free
hold for person OF color voting were adopted tt
State would ever be able to exercise the right Of
suffrage. In North Carolina, Tennessee, and per-
hlps other slavcholding States, FREQ negroes for
merlv were entitled to vote, but it is understood
that they seldom saw proper to exercise this fran
chisc
The radical Republican party North are looking
with great interest to the action of the Southern
States in reference to negro suffrage, and whilst
they admit that man should be able to read and
write and have property qualification IN ORDER to
vote, yet they contend that there should be no
distinction between voters account Of color.
They forget that this is a whito mans government,
and intended for white men only; and that the Su-
preme Court of the United States has decided that
the negro is not an American citizen under the
Federal Constitution. That each and every State
of the Union has the unquestioned right OF dc.
Gliding for herself who shall exercise tho right OF
suffrage, is beyond all dispute. You will settle
this grave question as tho interest and honor OF
the State demand.
South Carolina is the only State in the Union
where the Chief Magistrate is not elected by the
people. This should no longer be the case. 1t is
a fundamental principle OF the republican creed,
that ihe people. in whom MI sovereignty is inhe-
rent should select their own rulers and represen-
tatiyes. Those powers only arc delegated which
cannot he properly exercised by tho people. 1t
is emnently wise and proper that the Governor OF
a State should derive his authority and election
State. The people should elect their Chief Mag
istrates members OF Congress and members OF
the Legislature. Having dorn this the minor
offices might be filled by appointment, and tho
Dcoplc relieved OF the trouble, loss Of time, and
decentralization in making those petty elections.
When the Governor has been elected by the peo-
ple he might safely be entrusted with moro pow
er than he has ever exercised in South Carolina
He should he made rc-cligib!c, or elected for
longer term than two years. He should be re.
auircd to live Mt the seat of government, and
should receive salary sufficient to deiray al ms ~
South Carolina is an Electoral College for the
State, as well as Legislative body. They have
the election of Governor, Electors OF. president
and vice-Presdent. Lieutenant Governor, United
States Senators Judges and Chauccllors, all state
officers, Magistrates. Commissioners OF Roads
and Bridges Poor and Free Schools, Commission
crs and Masters in Equity, and various other otii-
GERS. This cmbarrasscs legislation, occupies q
great deal of the time of members, and IL produc-
tive of evil consequences. The most OF these cleo
tions and appointments should be taken from the
Legislature.
The election of Presidential Electors by tho Leg
slature is clearly usurpatlon on the part OF that
body, and which no other Stete in the Umon.tole-
rates at the present time The Federal Constitu.
ton declares that "each State shall appoint, il,
such manner as the Legislature thereof may di.
rect, Electors of President and Vicc-Prcsident.
The State and not the Legislature, is to .'appoint
Electors The Legislature is to "direct" the "man-
ncr" of appointing only. The people are the State
and should "appoint." No one will contend that
the which M the stase is the
corrected by the first Legislature which assemblies
under your new Constitution and it may be well
for you to express wish for its correction.
The appointment of the Stale officers might be
given to the Governor, with the advice and con.
sent of the Senate. He might also, with great
proprety, be empowered to make the appointment
of many of the District officers, and thereby re-
lieve tho people of fruitful source Of demoraliza
ton in making these petty elections. The question
is suggested for your consideration. =,
In all elections made by the Legislature, the
constituents should know how he voted. The bal
lot is secfet, and conceals the Representatives.
vote from his constituency. The people have q
right to know how their Representntives voted III
by the people, the ballot is certainly tho proper
mode, as it enables every man to vote independ
entity according to his own convictions. No one
votes as a sovereign But the Representative
votes for others, and they have right to kno"
his vote.
It would be we'll to consolidate the Treasury De
partment. The State Of South Carolina is nelthel
80 large or 80 wealthy as to require two Treas
urers. The Secretary of State and the Surveyor
General should be required to keep their offices
only at the seat of Government. The facihues
travelling between Charleston and Columbia arr
now such that there is no necessity for division
of these offices at the expense OF the State; I'M
Court of Appeals ought also to be required to 81
altogether in Columbia, where one law hbrnr.
and one set of officers would be sufficient for tn
Court.
In order to give additional Importance and con
sideration to tho Office Of ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS n
ought to be made e1-oftciO President of the Sen
ate or, which would be as we'll, let the Presden
of the Senate act as Governor in case Of vacancy