The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-05-30

| W PuOiioh ouy ysuiuS OH tuc OtueI sue.
If the white race were united as they
ought to ,be, by every principle of
honor. patriotism and interest, they
could very easily vote it down. In
the country, remote from the influ-
enoe of vile, radical emissaries, the
freedmen know very little, ut present,
about the right of suffrage, and care
less. They will not go out to register
and vote, and many of them will vote
with tLeir employers. But this will
not be the case long. In all proba-
bility, the white vote of the State will
be larger at the ensuing election than
the black vote. Tt will not be so in
I another election.
In the last State Convention, which
assembled in Columbia, in 1865, there
were gathered together all the illus
trious men of the State. It was n
body of men unsurpassed for their
wisdom, virtue and talents. Not one
of them can be q member of the pro-
posed convention. They are all ex-
cludcd by the military bill, and de-
prlved even of voting for members
of the convention. The proposed
asscmblage will be composed of ne
groes, Northern men, traitors to the
State, and few gallant and honora-
bic young men, who may possibly
consent to become candidates and be
elected, in some of the upper Dis
tricts. 1t will be n motley, heteroge-
nous collection of white, grey and
black spirits around the political
cauldron, into which is to be thrown
the honor, constitutional rights, re-
publican principles and departing
glory of South Carolina.
10 the few young men in that con-
vention, there will be something inef-
fably mean in knowing that they have
obtained their seats there by disfran-
chising and dishonoring those whom
they have loved and honored through
life. But this disgraceful sacrifice
does not stop with the convention. 1t
must be continued in the Government
of the State, and in filling nll the Of
fees in the State. Every Judge on
the Bench, from the venerable Chief
Justice down to the youngest men,
Der of the judiciary, must throw
aside his gown, and will no longer be
permitted to administer Justice in
South Carolina. All who have served
i'll the Legislature, or filled the Office
OF Justice of the Peace, are excluded
from any participation in the ndmi-
nistration of the Government. In
the place OF those Judges, Governors,
Legislators and distinguished men,
who are disfranchised and declared
unworthy of holding office, the ne-
grOes are substituted!
1t is not surprising that the radical
members OF Congress should wish to
exclude from the councils of the ma
ton all representatives who are wor-
thy of being regarded as Southern
men. They have so long INDUCED
in vulgar and malignant abuse of the
South, that they would naturally feel
unpleasant in havinga a true Southern
man listening to their billingsgate.
1t is very likely, too, that Mr. Sum
ner and others might not, from old
associations and rcmembrances, feel
exactly safe in uttering their cnlum-
nies. But that any honorable and
spirited Southern man should con-
sent to vote for such exclusion, is to
me most passing strange
South Carolina, and the whole
South, with one voice, rejected in
dignantly, last fall, the constitutional
amendment, which only excludes
from office the leading men of the
Southern States, and reduced our
representation in Congress. 1t did
not disfranchise any one or establish
negro suffrage. But now, both these
dishonoring and fatally rninous prin-
ciples are established by the military
bill, and the people are ready to adopt
them! What has produced this seem
ing craven and covering spirit?
1t is urged that unless we vote for
a convention, establish negro suf-
frage, and disfranchise our prominent
men, confiscation will be adopted by
Congress. A friend said, the other
day, that this ought not to scare us,
for we were all broke and ruined pc
cuniarily,. and had nothing left to
confiscate. He thought it was too
late in the day to dishonor ourselves
in order to save the remnant of our
property. think if any one will
read the speech of Horace Greeley,
IN Richmond, on confscation, he will
soc, as L have always contended, that
there IS no danger on this subject
from Congress. Mr.. Greeley says
that Yhaddeus Stevens is the only
prominent member of Congress who
has ever suggested such q scheme,