The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-05-10
REGISTRATION,

tlates the necessary proceedings for the ac-
complishment ofthe registration in this State.
| The time selected is, VIC think, judicious.
By the third Monday in July the wheat crop
will have been harvested, and the corn and
the gathering Of these latter crops will not be
fairly commenced before tho close of the regis
tration. The appointment Of numerous regis
tration boards viii enablethe voters of the Dis
| tricks to register in their Immediate neighbor-
| hoods, and thus .haro -~;u. ue. no unnecessary
interference with the agricultural labor Of the
country. - r ..er -'ss57@r'r-T Il :
| This is o. great point gained, and we sincere
ly hope that both employers and employed will
recognize the advantage of the arrangem ent,'
and while the one affords every facility and en-
couragement to their laborers to register, the
other will not be misled by designing men to
waste their time in gatherings which can, in no
way, facilitate the exercise Of their nndisput-
ed rights, y. "A. -r-.s. ", .+. = .r-,
! We, of course, regretthat the registers should
| be required to take the test oath-an oath,
which simply prevents the very class of. men,
who would best discharge this duty To the
whole country, from accepting these Offices.
But this is the explicit requirement Of the Act
and the military authority here has no option
but to administer it. All citizens who desire
to fill these Offices, and can, take the prescribed
oath, can apply for appointment. but they must
be recommended by: those officers Of; the State
and the United States whose, positions give
them the opportunity of knowing their fitness,
| and whose characters VIII give weight to their
recommendations, for as the order snys:,$.s- ,;:
ssIt is essential that every Board Of Regis
| tration should be composed Of persons Of re-
cognizcd consideration and worth, fairly repre-
senting the population, and in whose impair
| tiality and capacity the body of voters in, the
| county may have just reliance .;
| With this brief reference to the Order, we
/ might leave it to the consideration of our
readers; but we feel it duty to call their at
tention to a fact which is implied in the SEN
tence which we have quoted above: And that
fact is that in this Order we are brought face
to face with the practical application Of the Re-
construction Act Up to this time, while
we have accepted, more or less willingly, the
truth that the colored population Of this State
are free citizens thereof, we have not yet, had
the experience of the joint exercise of political
| rights. .
But when appointments to the discharge Of
political duties are to be made from citizens
fairly representing the population, and in
whose impartiality and capacity the body of
voters in the county may have just reliance
and when, in many sections, tthe body Of
voters" consist of the colored voters, what is
the necessary consequence s'
We may give, by what we are about to say,
offence to many. We may be forcing upon the
practical consideration of sensible men q sub
ject they would gladly avoid But to us there
Is neither manhood nor wisdom in refusing to
see what lies before our eyes. 9
The object of this registration is to secure a
faithful record Of the voting population Of this
State. Our object clearly ought to be that
these voters, when once ascertained, shall act
together, with confidence IN each other, for
the good Of the whole State. :s +, .;..
Now, circumstances beyond our control have
divided these voters into two: classes, Of which
we are the minority in numbers, but the supe-
riors in intelligence, in experience, in wealth,
in al that makes political power. f- ass z
Those who mistrnst US out Of the State, and
those worse enemies whom we have in the State,
have diligently taught the colored voters Of
this State that from US, the white voters Of the
State, they cannot expect justice that we will
never yield to them their rights, except under.
the pressure Of the military government which |
controls us. s.-s.a '&3 =" - ss' I: ::s@s ;-1
Here is the first practical opportunity to give
the lie direct to these charges, to prove to the
freedmen that their rights will be respected BY
us, that to common law there shall be q COM
mon obedience. S
Now, neither the Republican party, which |
has passed the Reconstruction Act nor Til, |
freedmen, who are anxiously watching its exc
cution, will believe in the impartiality OF q re-
gstration which is conducted solely and entire:
Their conduct be 5SSiSan tS Sns sass
picion, but it will be, both reproached and
suspected.
We do not refer to the probability Of the ac-
ton Of the military authority, which has the |
power of appointment, because we do not know
what it will be, and because we do not wish to |
consider it as an element in this argument.
We do not refer to the fact that, as q yery.
great proportion Of the registered votes viii be |
colored, it would be necessary to have upon
the Boards men familiar with the voters, whose
better knowledge would act as a check UPON
frauds. .,s. \. .I#
We take higher grounds than either. We
say that now upon this first occasion which has
offered, we, the white men Of. this State who
expect to govern this country, and :5who with,
justice and common sense will govern tive
ought to say to the coIored voters Of the State
it is Of infinite moment to Us and to you that
this registration should be fair and fun, with
out fraud .or suspicion Of fraud. Our
intelligence, our long political experience, our
superior knowledge entities US to the greater;
proportion Of these appointments. We mean
to administer: this Law honestly and impartially,
but if: there are among You men who y con. fulfil I
the requirements Of the authorities men ssof re-
cosnized &! consideration and WORTH; s.fairly
representing You, x and in whose s.impartiality|
and capacity" you have .just reliance" we
will recognize their right to share this. duty
with us, and we will act with them in good faith.
4. This has been said specinl .tcases Already
II others of the Southern States and I'VE ;trust
that We have tie courage and the wisdom: 10 I