Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1867-04-03

1
same car With myself, as the people there
".did not like to- ride with :negreos.N but,
said /, "you make ME pay full price for them,
aud one Of them is fhe nurse Of my Children
That makes nodiferenee,n. he replied, you
can't take them into the carr ! tuld him
that had paid theft fare !; that thought
them good enough to ride with me, and there.
| fore quite good enough to ride. with his fcl.
low,citizens, and that they should get into
fmy car. Sopbroaght them in and kept them
there. $50
But to return to the subject from eyhich
this anecdote las led. me. df this Bill goes
! iato operation, you Will first of all have 10
vote for mcmpers Of q, State Convention.
! Now your own speaker to whose remarks on
this point-I listened with-pleasurcaInd inter
est, has given you sound and practical advice.
fSelect the men whom you know to be honest
and nd.trtstworthy, and who. meideni6ed with
the State. All who are candidates ferthe
Convention can give their views, and make
pledges as to their course, in case of>tleir'
I election The aclionG the Convention will
no..be Gaal, nor viii 1t hind the people of the
State, in the slightest degree, Tor when the
! Convention has adopted a constitution, that
| instrument Will have TO be submitted to.all
the voters for ratlGeationor rejection. Should
the new constitution then, not.give equal pro-
lection and rights to all it can be rejected.
| Another convention can be called, aud another
constitution submitted to the people. You
have it,.thchefore, in your power t. test the
good will and honesty of purpose Of the
whites, without any danger of injury to
yourselves. Let those, then, who ar, familiar
with the cause, the people, and the interest
of South Carolina, frame the new constitu-
ton, and if you find that your rights have
been ignored; if you find that. there is one
law for the white man, aud another for the
black, you can. justly complain of having
been deceived, and you can reject tie coHsti-
tuition. This convention, them. viii be the
means Of testing the sincerity of the profes.
sions made to you By the white citizens of
the State and of yours. to them. Batsup-
pose the Bill rs pronounced unconstitutional,
how then? You will be left in precisely tue
same position you held before its passage.
The present State governments will continue,
and tic present laws will prevail. T. viii
then be for us to prove that our professions
of friendship were not idle, and while can;
not speak for others, tell you what am
willing to see done. | am willing to give the
right of suffrage TO all Who can rea@ and who
pay certain amount Of taxes. and agree
tha: all, white as well as black, who do NOT
possess these qualifications shall be excluded.
/ would not take this right trom3any who
have heretofore exercised it, but wish 70 sec
all educational and property qualifi :ation for
vetcrs adopted for the future. Let this quail
licatlon bear on white aud black alike, and
while it viii cut off from voting some Of both
races, it will be o strong inductmen: to'a!i to
seek education and, to obtain fors ,Eesnselyes
a real aud tangible interest indIe State. Tt
will serye to elevate all classes ard contribute
not only to the material prosperity of the
State, bat TO tie increase Of yift.c and ein-
cation among her pcop.e. No cue under
twenty onc gears OF age is allowed to vote,
nor cln foreigners do So un.il they have been
in this country some years
An Englishnan knowing all about our LAYS
and our system Of Government, and having
great wealth, might come here % lve set, by
the naturalization laws Of the Uaited States,
he coul4 not vote, until he had been iiyc years
in tue country, and. two years in the State
where lie desired 10 vote Thus, ynr SEQ that
there is no such thing as universal: suffrage.
nor 10 think it desirable. that there should
be. You wou!d have 10 right 10 coinplain OF
law which wculd put You on a a'p5riecs po-
ltical equality with the wiites. and which
wnuld pu. within your reach aud chat of your
children, any privilege, enjoyed by any class
of citizens. Your own speaker his 'dwelt
iorcibly on this point, 81 commend his ad
vice to yqG, az wise. s3u..i audp:actical.
Ycu isl, c1ttnsel from me. L have given it.,
fully, frankly, sincerely. NJ personal moiiyes
can possib!y: sway me, for / a;n 10 fongec o
citizen Of the United States o. Of he Con-
ledtr9tc States The Bill Which gives the
righ; Of s;frage'to you, disfranehises me. ]
have no: even q home here, for my ii n, and
tie homes Of ap who lotc MY rsolc, have
i;sen laid j, ashes. have no poii!ill r;shis.
I have ho,aihS 10 bad ne 10 this rnihcd
land, bat' the memories Of the past; the APP
prccis::or I cherish for its pe, Pc. and the
graves IF my kindrcd. These +ic:, ow.ever.
are strong enough to keep alive in nly. heart /,
a war!i, intcfcst In my State and tsey are
sufficient to mako one strive nlway; 70 pro-
mote her welfare. This motive. alone brought
me here - day, for it was not u1til'tae Chair
man Of Your eptnthitt, urged me 10 Come,
.upoa the ground that cou'd thus do good
t. My own people, and to his" thit ! con-
Scnted to adirc>s you. tras, that these
expectations NAV not be disappaintcd, and
that the split which has animated th,s meet
lns nlay spread over The whole Sout9 thrust
that hereafter there may be mni!ml kirI'ness,
f,rbesraace aud co-tperatioh 'bsEreen al!
Classes Gf our peo lie.
The movement Jou have coinfnercod to day
is drstined.to exercise great inflderre over
the whole country. Apart from The political
Importance of your meetng, and looking at
your action ir an aspect purely personal; l
cannot but be greatly 'sra,ied at the conf
ience you ka3e rcposed in me. 1t is but
another evidence of'that lfc-loig k:ndliness
shown b. your people to myself: {. kiUdli
ness WHICH gladly rcciprocate: From many
Of you have me! not only Kindness, but
affection. cannot forget how faithfully some
OF your people clung to me through all the
pe.ils and privations of the waF. cannot
forget thatit was one of You, wfo was al
ways amongst the FIRST at my side wh1n was
wounded, and the last to leave me: Such
affection is not often met with, nor is it easily
forgotten, and while l have crust Of bread
It shall be shared with this welltried, this
true, this trusty friend. II thahk.yo again
for this expression of your confidence in me.
/ pray that Col will direct You worthy, a d
that lie will prosper you in all worthy aims.
/ trust that your people will become identi,
fed in feelirg, purposes and hopes, asthey
are iu.interest, with the South, and that act
ing harmoniulsly with Us, we may together
be able to bring once more to our distracted
land, peace, happiness and prosperity
--->-e-
BENNETT ON REcoNsTEucrioN-MR DA-
vrs.-Tbe Herald, of Saturday, has ,he fol
lou;no oh, racteristlc artir1e