The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-08-06
South-Carolina.


The Convention of the Republicans of
South Carolina, recently held at Columbia,
adopted the following excellent resolutions:
1. That in order to make the labor of all
our loyal fellow-citizens more effectual for
carrying out the provisions of Congress for
the restoration of law and order in our
State, as we'll as for the peace and prospect
ty of our entire country, we, the people of
South Carolina, do form ourselves into a po-
litical organization, to be known as the
Union Republican party of South Carolina.
g. That as republican institutions cannot
be preserved nn,rss intelligence be generally
diffused among all classes, We will favor a
uniform system of free schools and colleges,
| which shall be open to all.
| g. That we will favor liberal system of
public improvements, such railroads, ca
nails, and other works, and also such sys-
tenn of awarding contracts for the same as
will give all our fellow citizens an equal and
| fair chance to share in them.
4. That as large land monopolies tend
only to make the rich richer and the poor
poorer, and are ruinous to the agricultural,
commercial, and social interests of the State,
the Legislature should offer every practical
inducement for the division and sale of I'M
occupied lands among the poorer classes,
and as an encouragement to immigrants to
settle in our State.
s. That the interests of the State demand
revision of the entire code of laws and the
re- organization of the Courts.
6. That it is just and proper that the taxes
should be ad 0alorem, and proportioned to
the property of the citizens.
7. That the ballot being the surest safe
guard of the rights of the citizen, all exec
IL ~
should be elected by the people; therefore,
ResOloed, That in our opinion purely Re-
publican government is maintained only by
making our rulers responsible directly to the
people by frequent elections by the
Legislature, but by the people themselves;
therefore,
Resolced, That the delegates we shall send
to the Constitutional Convention about to
be called by the Commanding General be in
structed to so frame our new Constitution
that the Governor and Council, Senators,
and Representatives of the State Legisla-
ture, and all subordinate officers, except
those of the Judiciary Department, be cho-
sen by the people, to hold their respective
offices not for two years, but one year. And
that. in the election of President and Vice
President of the United States chosen every
four years, the electors as they are now in
every other State in the Union, shall be
chosen bv the people directly, and not by
the members of the Legislature.
8. That the poor and destitute. those aged
and intirm people, houseless and homeless
and past labor, who have no one to care for
them, should be provided for at the expense
of the State; and that, in the reconstruc-
ton of our Government, we will see to it
that they are not neglected and forgotten.
g. That the unhappy policy pursued by
A,,flr In1 10 cffa f1,n
loyal people of the South, unjust, oppressive
and intolerable; and accordingly, however
ardently we desire to see our State once
more restored to its proper position in the
Union, we would deplore restoration on any
other conditions than those prescribed by
the XLth Congress, to which we give our
cordial and entire sanction, believing the
principles enumerated by the Republican
party, through that Congress, to be just aud
wise.
10. That the adverse discrimination to-
ward the agricultural labors of the Southern
States, as manifested by the enormous tax
on cotton, is unjust and oppressive, and
should be abrogated at the earliest practical
bic moment.
II. That we sincerely exult in the fact
that, as nation, we are now absolutely
nation of freemen, and that, from the St.
Lawrence to the Rio Grande, and from the
Atlantlc TO the racine, the sun no longer
shines upon the brow of slave.
12. That wise care for the public safety
sometimes renders it necessary that those
who have sought resolutely to overthrow
government should not hastily be restored to
the privileges of which they have deprived
themselves by their crimes of treason-cer-
tainly not until they have shown evidence of
sincere repentance, and disposition as en-
ergetically to support as they have in times
past sought to destroy the Union and that
we consider willingness on the part of these
men to elevate to power the men who pre-
served answering adherence to the govern
ment, during the war, as the best test of sin
cerity in professions for the future.
IS. That we will not support any candi-
date for Office who will not openly endorse
the principles adopted by the Union Repub-
lican party; and that we pledge ourselves to
stand by the regular nomination of the par
ty, without any reservation whatever.
Among the resolutions defeated by an
overwhelming vote was the following one
Resol0ed, That it is the sense of this Con-
vention that the interest of the country, of
the Republican party, and especially of the
South, requires that the colored man, who
has contributed so much to the success of
the war on a hundred battle felds, shall be
represented by one of his own race on the
next Presidential ticket of the Republican
party.