Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1867-08-17

MS IL 1T hnd passed with his approval Its
constitutionality wns tested before tho Su-
prcme Court, and that tribunal declined to in
| terfcre with its execution. The President
made the appointments it required, and put it
into active force, giving to its provisions, un.
der the opinion Of tho Attorney General, f.
construction favorable to the existing State
governments. Congress re.asscmblcd, passed
an Act forbidding this Executive construo-
tion, and taking the administration of the law
away from the President, and he, while pro-
testing against the military despotism which
it creates, declares that for the present, that
law cannot be constitutoualy repealed, that
dcspotisn cannot he removed or controlled
10 day, therefore. the Reconstruction Act
stands unmpcachable upon the Statute Book,
and what is more, without power anywhere of
interference with its execution.
That Act declares the State of South Car
olina to be a part of Military District, its To-.
State officers to be the mere agents of the
Military Commander and it then directs that
officer:
|. To have made registry of all the male
Inhabitants, without distinction of color, who
are twcntyone years of age, and have resided
for twelve months within the State. 1t then
makes all these registered inhabitants voters
OF the State, excluding from the right of reg.
istry and suffrage, all those citizens who have
held certain specified offices, taken the requ-
site official oath, and afterwards participated
in the rebellion.
z. llaving completed this registry. he is
instructed to order an election for q Convcn-
tion of the people of the State, and to appoint
time and place for it's assembling. But at this
election the voters have the right to voto for
or against Convention, and of course, if the
majority vote against Convention, none will
be held
The point to which would first draw your
attention, is, that the Reconstruction Act is a
law, not an agreement, law made for you,
not an agreement made with you. And that
to talk about accepting TERMS" as if the
State was negotiating with the Federal Gov
ornament, is simply absurd You might az
well tals of accepting tho Military Comman-
-uct.T t's'o- i.', ~ II
You can obey or dsobcy this Inv as you can
any other, and if you prefer the penalty of
not voting rather than register, you can pay
the penalty, but the law stands whether you
obey it or not In plain words, the Govern
mcnt Of the United States, having taken mil.
tary possession of South Carolina, has passed
law creating the voters of the State, order
ing registry of those voters and appointing
nn election, at which they shall decide wheth
cr they wish or do not wish Convention, to
take such steps as will give them full rcprcscn-
tation in the Union. The practical question
then submitted to you by tho Act is Convcn-
ton or no Convention and that question, the
Act itself, gives you right and power to de-
eide. If you desire to vote against Con
vention you WILL of course, register. If you
c,, n,,1i oono1
ly register, and cndcavor to secure the elcc-
ton of proper and competent delegates.
Is it, then, the policy Of the State 20 vote
for Convention? You have been advised
hy very high authority that it is not. Gov.
Perry, whose position and character entitle
him to your respect, has, in series of letters
addressed to the voters of the State, advised
you to register, secure your right to vote, and
then to vote against Convention. Howcv
or honestly intended and sincerely given,
believe this advice not only injudicious, but
disastrous, and as tho most convenient way
of discussing the whole subject, will review
the argument he has submitted to you.
will cndcavor to state his positions fairly
| lie advises you TO vote against Convention
for three reasons !:
1. Because you have already done all thn
was required of you by the President, an,
have not been restored to the Unioli. aud yo,
have no reason to believe that further compli
ancc with tho acquisitions of Congress will b.
any more successful.
9. Because, if you refuse to call Conven
tion, the present military government will b
continued, and that government is better tha
any witch the Convention would frame.
8. That il YOU call Convention, you vii
have to recognize the principle of universd
suffrage that this principle will place tn
control of the State in the hands of the NJ
morical majority, which is colored, and tha
the legislation Of the State will, in cons'
qucnce, be used to tho injury aud dcgradatio
of the white citizens who are II helpless min
ority.
Lot us examine them, and first: That W
, have already done all that was required by til
President. and have not been restored to Il,
, Union. This is unqucstionably true. W
obeycd tho Presidents ProyisjHpnssll * q S1s G1s"'
, elected Convention rs - .'''''''''N"'''
+ slavery, reeiee:1o MANA story has been
. bX,f"an eccentric man Of wenlth having
amused himself by causing ap inscription to
be placed conspicuously, over, the gateway of |
. beautiful property belonging to him, to this
effect: This property shall he given with
out reserve, by the present owner to any ap.
plicant who can produce satisfactory evidence
hat he is a contentcd man" Soon there was
IN applicant. 81 think" said he, 81 may
ay claim to the, character of a contcntcd |