The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-09-12

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80
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1--WE affirm that the loyalists OF the
South look to Congress with affection
ate gratitude and confidence as the
only means to save us from peEyecu-
also declare thst there con be no Sc
can be no safety for the country
against the fell spirit Of slavery. now
organized in the form of serfdom-
unless, the Government, by naEional
and appfopriate legislation, enforced
by national authority, shall confer on
every citizen in the States we repre-
sent the American birth-right of i'm
partial suffrage and equality before
the law. This is the one aii-suffici.nt
remedy. This is our great need and
pressing necessity. This is the only
policy which win destroy sectionalism,
preponderating force on the side of
pacihcation, because based on the
eternal principles of Justice. 1t is a
policy which viii finally regenerate the
South itself, because it will introduce
and establish there Divine principle
of moral politics, which, under Gods
blessing, will, In elevating humanity,
absorb and purify the unchristian
hate and selfish passions of men. It
will bless those who give as well as
| those who receive. It will be the
crowning act of glory to our free re-
public, and when done, will be re-
ceived, as was the Act of emancipa-
ton, with Joy and praise throughout
the world, as the final realization of
the promises of the Declaration of
American Independence"
! Here commenced perfect storm
of confusion. Speed and the Read
ing Clerk, Clayton, had skunk away,
leaving Mr.. Bolts to face the storm
and shoulder the responsibility of
presiding over the Convention during
the adoption of the negro suffrage
plank of its platform! The Northern
delegates had deserted their bantling;
Fred. Douglass alone remained The
border State men. after cheating their
Southern associntes, had also deserted
them, and, shrunk away from any
share OF the responsibility of the fur
ther proceedings; but the organiza-
tion remained intact in the possession
of the Southern delegates. 1t was
still the same Convention that the
Congressional directory had planned; :;
that the Union League of Philadel-
phia, and Geary and Forney, had
endorsed; that the Northern dele
gates had aided and abetted, approved
and participated in, and that the
cowardly border State men had first
controlled, then shamelessly abandon
ed. ALI and each of these stand be-
fore the country committed without
doubt or dispute to the final action of
the Convention.
AS soon AS Bolts discovered that
the suffrage plank would un-
questionably be adopted, he too grew
weak in the knees and prepared to
desert. In the midst OF tho debate
on the adoption of the report, while
still occupying the chair, he craved
the attention of the Convention for a
fow minutes, pleading rs an evcuse
j the necessity for his leaving the ~
in m n0dffE:-- He copss1i1edfh s,ssl1..i1ed that he
had allowed himself to be unsuspect-
lngly placed in false position by
Speeds running away, after having
cast upon his (Botts) shoulders the
responsibility of presiding over the
Convention at this most critical pc
Rod He announced his unwilling
ness to vote for the suffrage
platform, saying that he did not be-
ileve 1t would command thirty votes
III Virginia. Here he was interrupt
ed by dozen Virginia delegates,
at the same moment, denying his au-
thority to speak for that State. Bolts
qualified his remark by drawing Il
distinction between old residents of
Virginia and newcomers there. He
asked leave to read an immensely
long list of resolutions, and asked
that they be made part of the pro
ceedings OF the Convention, as his
own individual platform.
The scene at this time defies de-
scription. The confusion was fear
full. Mr.. Bolts conId rot read his
resolutions himself, and no one else
could be prevailed upon to do SO.
Mr.. Bolts was endeavoring to play
double pert in the farce, performing
the duties of the chair at the same
time that he claimed the privileges
OF a member on the floor. Cries were
heard from all parts of the Conven
ton, of ''Call some one to the chair.
or take it yourself -.'For Gods