Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1867-06-08
Letter from Hon. B. F, Perry,
10 the Editors ofMe ColunLia JHouj,

There is one important and vital fact whiol,
| should be remembered by those who arc ponp
to vote for convention. The militnrv bili
makes it obligatory on tho convention to pro.
vide for unqualified negro suffrage in the State
Constitutions No discretion is left with the
convention, to adopt or reject this odious fen.
ture. They nrc not allowed to establish I'M.
3m'fim smV'og', and require property or in.
telllgcncc in the voter, whether white or black.
All nrust vote who arc twenty one years old.
whether or not they have property, or can
read and write, or are white or black. This
fundamental error, this Lack "rroian horse"
full of strife and woe, must be introduced into
the State Constitution. There is no hcp for
1t, If we go into convention.
IT the military bill left it discretionary with
the convention to form such Constitution a.
they, in their wisdom, might sec proncr 10
adopt, then there would be some excuse in
voting for a convention. But when or7eret1
dnd '"q"'~0, in violation of all right of self.
government. to incorporate so mischicyous and
degrading feature in their Constitution. it
does seem that the people of South Carolina.
prompted ny the spirit of liberty, Should cry,,
out touch not, handle not, tho nncle,n
th'ng They must know that it will be i'm
possible to mainteina Just, wise and pcrma
n'nt republican form of government where n
,M;Dn'rt1 t@ to., F"ta,ss :nwc.e.!tsss.,.t stund
too, that the peace and quiet of the State can. .
not be preserved where there arc two antoco.
n'>tic races clothed with equal political now
cis, and the inferior race superior to il in
numbers. They must come in collision in
their contests for power. In two thirds of tho
DISTRICTS ot South Carolina. the negroes have
the majority of voters. They may and will
elect their shcrifls, clerks, ordnaries and tax
collectors They will send their own mem.
h"rs to the Legislatures and elect their own
Governor and members Of Congress-.
IT we lived in monarchy, or were to bo
continued under military rule, then both races
might he properly governed and made to do
justice towards each other In republic, the
people arc the so"creigns. and they must hc
wise and virtnous or their government will
practice the most revolving tyranny and on.
preston. l.onk at Mexico, where thcv have
had republic founded on stupid, ignorant.
monercI population Their Government has
been nothing but succession of bloody rovo.
'nt'"ns and crnrl military usurpatinns With.
out he highest virtue and great intelligence
on thc part nt the masses of population, it is
impossible for republic to stand. England
attempted one in 1910, but it was mclan-
rl'"'v failure, owing to the ignorance and vi
c'"nsnrss OF the masses. France has tried the
experiment twice, and after wading through
rivers of blood, had to seek rcpose in dcsno.
t,sm. In both England and France. Mt Tho
time those efforts were n,ldc, there we're thous-
'nds distinguished for their virtues and tal.,
onts; but the great masses were irnoront and
nn'nformcd, and were swaycd by their mas.
SONS and vices. But how infinitely superior
were those masses to the freedmen of South
Carolina
We lave forctastc Of negro legislation.
assisted by radical cunning, in the platform
adopted ut their Charleston conventions BE.
'orc they have hcrn allowed tn cast vote. or
, exercise the first political privilege, they bold
proclaim that p'~prHY alone, and not per-
sons IS TO be taxed Remember, this ayowal
Is pn"'ic'y made hy those who have no prop.
crty to be taxed In other words, the uc.rrons
arc c !" P'y no taxes towards the support of tho
Government; but all taxes arc to be na;d hv
the white race Next, they declare thnt
their children must be clncatcd' ot onr ox.
prns'. and their aged and inrm parents must
% supported 10y us We must sunport too.
tt,mc'r tmc'r idlo and vicious who become naupcrs
! ne hearty hale negro man. who makes his
hundred or tw" hundred dollars per annum.
an" spends 1t fooishly, must not be taxed ono
cent I" odunatc his own children or to srnnort
ms own father and mother! They declare
also that the lands must be divided into small
tracts ard that it is not good policy for one
man to own large landed estate In other
words, every negro must have home. The
ways ard means of getting that home will be
explained hereafter in the convention or J,cg.
islaturc
1t won'd really seem, from this programme.
that the black race arc to be sort of nrstoc.
rary J." South Carolina. They arc, by their
superior numbers, to have the rnins of Gov
crnmcnt in their hands, and elect all tic State
and District officers, to make all of our laws.
nnd he exempted from tnxnton like the feu-
na' n"bt"SM OF France, prior to their rcvolu-
ZION III | 100. The white man must cultivate
his lands, pay tho taxes Of the Government,
ana an obey the laws made by the freedmen -
This is what the friends of convention arc in
n"centlv preparing for themselves and poster.
'ty What worse can II Black Rcpublcan
Knmp Congress" do for us?
But it is said that it is in vain to tbnl of
defeating the call Of convention. This is
very true, whilst so many white persons aro
determined to vote for it, aud portion of tho
nsy;Sn@per press sf tbs State Ffe te' llias
were united as they ought to be, by every
pr'nc'plc of honor, patriotism and interest,
they could very easily vote it down. In tho
country, remote from the influence of vile,
radical cmissarics, the freedmen know yery
I'ttlc at present, about the right of suffrage.