Wilmington journal., 1867-04-05

as& se
bull the ticket agent told me that they would
not be allowed to ride in the same car with
nyself as the people there sdid not like
to ride with negroes. But said I,
i" You make me pay full price Tor them,
and one Of them is the nurse OF my chill
lren" ''That makes no difference" he
replied, you can't take them into the car. y
II told him that l had paid their fare; that |
thought them good enough to ride with
me, and therefore quite good enough to
ride with his fellow-citizens, and that they
should get into my car. So brought them
in and kept them there. But to return to
the subject from which this anecdote has
led me. If this bill goes into operation
you will first Of all have to vote for mem
bers of State convention. Now, your own
speaker to whose remarks Oh this point
L listened with pleasure and interest, has
given you sound and practical advice. Sc
lect the men whom you know to be honest
and trustworthy, and who are identified
with the State. All who are candidates for
! the convention can give their views, and
make pledges as to their course in case OF
their election. The action of the conven-
ton will not be final, nor will it bind the
people of the State, in the slightest degree,
for when tho convention has adopted d con
stitution, that instrument will have to be
submitted to the voters for ratification OF
rejection. Should the new constitution,
then, not give equal protection and rights
to all, it can be rejected. Another conyen-
ton can be called, and another constitution
submitted to the people. You have it, there
fore, III your power to test the goodwill
and honesty OF purpose Of the whites with
out any danger of injury to yourselves
Let those, then, who arc familiar with the
cause.-the pcople-and the interest ot
South Carolina, frame the new constitution,
and if you find that your rights have been
ignored; il you find there is one law for the
white man and another for the black, you
can Justly complain of having been deceiv-
ed, and you can reject the constitution
This convention, then, will be the means
of testing the sincerity of the professions
made to YOU by the white citizens of the
State, and Of yours to them. But suppose
the bill is pronounced unconstitutional:
how then? You will be left in precisely
the same position you held before its pas
sage. The present State government will
continue, and the present laws will prevail.
It will then be for lis to prove that our pro
/ fessions Of friendship were not idle. and
while I cannot speak for others. I tell you
what am willing to see done. ] am vii
! ling to give the right of suffrage to all who
can read and who pay a certain amount OF
taxes, and [ agree that all, white as well as
| black. who do not possess these qualitica-
| tions shall be excluded. | would not take
this right from any who have hereto
! fore exercised it, but [ wish to sec an edu-
| cational and property qualification for vot-
ers adopted for tho future. Let this quail
/ ification bear on white and black alike, and
while IT will cut off from voting some ol
both races. it will be strong lnducement
! to all to seek education and to obtain fO1
/ themselves Il real and tangible interest IN
/ the State. 1t will serve to elevate all class
es, and contribute not only to the material
prosperity of the State, but to the increase
of virtue and education among her people.
No one under twenty-One years of age Is
allowed to vote, nor can foreigners do sc
until they have been in this country some
years.
! An Englishman knowing all about oul
laws and onr system of government. and
having great wealth. might come here &c
live. vet. by the naturalization laws of the
United States, he could not vote until he
had been five years in the country and two
years in the State where he desired to vote.
Thus. yon see that there is no such thing
as universal suffrage, nor do think it de
sirablc that there should be. You would
have no right to complain Of a law which
ty with the whites, and which would put
within your reach and that of your children
the privilege enjoyed by any class of cit;
zens Your own speaker has dwelt forci,
bly, on this point, and ] commend his I'D
vice to you as wise, sound and practical.
You ask counsel of me. ] have given il
fully, frankly, sincerely. No personal mo-
tiyes can possibly sway me, for / am nc
longer a citizen of the United States or ol
South Carolina. The bill which gives the
right of suffrage to you DISTINGUISHES me
! I have not even a home here. for my home
and the home of all who love my name
have been laid in ashes. have no politi
cal rights. I have nothing to bind me tc
this ruined land but the memories of the
past the affection [ cherish for its people
and the graves of my kindred These ties
however, are strong enough to keep alive
in my heart q warm interest III my State
and they arc sufficient to make one strive
always to promote her welfare. This mo
tive alone brought me here to-day, for i
was not until the chairman Of your com
mitteo urged me to come, upon the groun(
that could thus edo good to my own peo
pie and to his, " that [ consented to addres
I you. I trust that these expectations ma,
not be disappointed, and that the spiri
which has animated this meeting will spreat
over the whole South. l trust hereafte
there may be mutual kindness, forbearanc'
and cooperation between all classes of on
people.
The movement you have commenced to
day is destined to exercise great influence
over the whole country. Apart from th
political Importance of your meeting, an,
looking at your action i'll an aspect purel
personal, | cannot but be greatly gratife'
at the confidence you have reposed in me
, 1t is but another evidence of that life-lon:
kindliness shown by your people to myself
Il kindliness which 1 gladly reciprocatc. -
From many of you I have met net onl,
, Kindness, but affection. I cannot forge
how faithfully some of your people clun'
tome through all the perils and privations 0
+ war. Icannot forget that it was one ofyo
who was always amongst the first at my sid
, when / was wounded and the last to leav
me. Such affection is not often met with
{ nor is it easily forgotten, and while I hav
, Il crust of bread it shall be shared with thi
we'll tried, this true, this trrsty friend.
] thank you again for this expression of you
, confidence i'll me. [ pray that God will di
rect you and that He will prosper you in a
= worthy aims I truSt that vOur DeODle wi