The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1867-04-11

| Otner course Tor US 10 aOOpt as matter OF
interest than to yield. / happen to be
one Of that class Of persons that are dis
francbised now, hencesor,h, and for.
ever. have neither the privilege OF
enrolling myself as a voter, of casting
my vote at the ballot box, nor of be.
coming candidate for the humblest
Office under this organization, and,
therefore, the counsel which l may offer
upon the present occasion may be re
garded as accepted by even those who
are in. the habit of distrusting me as
the expressions Of an individual entirely
disinterested, and anxious only for the
welfare Of his people: Applause1
With reference to the DISTINGUISHING
clause, | think j. was an unfortunate
one. According to an estimate made
in the region of country in which | re,
side, it appears that w ithin the limits of
Anderson District alone, about eighteen
hundred persons would be excluded from
the privilege of voting. presume that
Etbis rule will apply 10 the entire State
ofSou,h Carolina. Very many Of these
persons excluded, enjoy the esteem, re.
spect and confidence of their fellow cit
liens. Many Of them, indeed. are, ia
my humble judgment, required in the
formation of our State Government.
And the absence of these gentlemen in
your Convention, when il assemblies for
the purpose of preparing a. Constitu,
tion, will be a source not only of regret
TO the people, but a misfortune TO The
State, because their wisdom would. en-.
able them to give such q directions to
public affairs as would make them mo.e
acceptable TO the community at large
than those which we are likely 10
hope for with the present prospect. 1t
is better, however, that we should be
excluded than that we should refuse TO
accept the terms proposed, hen there
IS q reasonable certainty that il we do
not accept those terms, other and harsh
er. terms will be proposed than those
which are contained in tie bill. Look
ing,' therefore, to the Interests Of the
great mass Of the people of South Car
olina, and believing that the threat Of
confiscation will not be carried into eff
feet If we accept the terms of this bill
and believing that coniscalion win fol-
low if we do not; knowing, also, that
we shall be benefited by its acceptance,
say that, as my humble Judgment, in
terest, and wisdom dictate, that we shall
concur in the measure proposed by Con.
gress. [Applause. -
l would, therefore, say to every man
in South Carolina, who has not been
disfranchised, that as soon as the prop.
er order has been issued, he should pro.
ceed TO register his name, and prepare
to go to the polls TO vote for the best
man that can be selected TO form cons
stilulion under which we and our pos
terily can live. 81. o..
l believe that Congress made mis-.
take, and they will realize il, when they
extended suffrage to the colored man.
was in favor Of giving TO the colored
race, before that law passed, whenever
its individuals could read and write, or
possessed property TO the amount Of
$3.50, the elective franchise.
In the first place, if you open the
door for all 10 vote, YOU give an oppor-
tunity for bad men TO exercise their in
fluence; but 81 you had restricted the
privilege in the manner in which | had
suggested, you would have had guar
antee that when their arguments are ad.
dress, to colored men, they would have
had the good sense to reject hem. In
the next place, IL Congress had created
this Limitation TO the right Of suffrage,
irrespective Of color, undertake TO say
that every man in the limits Of South
| Carolina would. in FIVE years, have
qualified himself 10 exercise the priyi-
legs. ~ ...
Under the present circumstances,
however, you hold out no such induce
ment. You have an opportunity to ed
uca,e this race. If you educate them
you will make them citizens who will
understand the relations Of society much
better than if they remain in a state of
ignorance. 1t is, therefore, to our in
terest to give them an intellectual char
scter; and il Is your interest further,
that the black man shall vote with you
in the common election. / have heard
9 good deal said Of con,rolling the vote
Of the black man. 1t has been sup
posed that his vote will be controlled By
personal influences, and Notwithstanding
his convictions of interest; but you are
mistaken. That vote is destined to be
controlled not by personal considera.
tions, but by going TO the black man
and talking 10 him in private CONVERSE.
tion, and proving to him that his in.
tefest in South Carolina is your interest
that the white mans interest is the
| black man n inferest. Iihink IL can be