The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-07-14
April and Of June,)I win win tend to act

April and of June) viii tend to set
this matter in its proper light. The
April Convention declared itself in
favor of recognizing the negroias an
integral element of the body polite,
and Still further declared its willing
ness, as soon as the whites have the
power, to grant him the right OF suf-
iirage, under proper qualifications,
as to- property and intelligence.
This position found favor with that
Conventions; and, had it been sub
mitted to the vote of the whites of
the State at large, I am perfectly
satisfied that seven-eighths of them
wonld have sustainedit. The North
approved it, and hailed it as evil
dence that there was yet common
sense lingering in the South. The
Times took occasion to commend
the step, and, but week or two
ago, recurred to the matter as one
that 'tseemed sensible and timely
recognition of public necessity"
1 have no hesitation in declaring
that it was the sentiment of the
people of South Carolina, and is the
sentiment to-day. The issue taken
with this position was by faction of
Charleston malcontents, under the
lead of the Mercury newspaper,
which is not and never has been in
harmony with public opinion in
South Carolina, and is the mouth
piece of the extremists, fire-eaters
and malcontents in general. Under
this lead, and through these mo-
tives, the Charleston faction succeed
ed in drumming up the June Con-
vention (so-called)-a meeting of
delegates from eleven Districts (thir-
ty-one Districts make the State
from several of which only one dele
gate attended, and numbers of these
declared themselves as present, not
to sustain the faction, but to pre-
vent a rupture. The April Conven-
tion consisted of delegates from
twenty-four Districts. It will be
apparent that foLr Districts were
represented in both Conventions,
but these four were the harmonizers,
those who came to prevent split in
the party, so that the June Conven-
ton consisted of delegates from
seven Districts, while the April Con-
vention consisted of delegates from
twenty -four-more than three times
as many. The June Convention was
called manifestly for the purpose of
reversing, if possible, the liberal and
progressive position taken by the
April Convention. 1t failed to do 80.
This June Convention appointed q
committee to confer with the Execu-
tive Committee of the April Conven-
ton; and it is the result of that con-
ference that has been so Industrious
ly misrepresented. by the organs of
the Charleston faction. These organs
misrepresent the result of this con-
ference, claiming that the Executive
Committee of the April Convention
agreed to abandon the pledge given
to the negro, that he should have, as
soon as they had the power to give it
to him, qualified suffrage. This is
in toto untrue. In the first place, the
Executive Committee of the April
Convention had no power or authori-
ty, even if they were willing to do
so, to abandon that pledge of their
Convention. In the second place,
the two committees agreed for them
selves-and this is the point that has
so industrionsly distorted-that,
while their individual views upon the
question Of negro suffrage might Or
might not differ, the whole question
of suffrage was not properly before
them at all-was not yet mature for
discussion--was not an element in
the issues before the party at large.
The June Convention Of once re-
asserted this ground in resolution
offered by Gen. Gary: .'..
Resolced, That all questions relat-
ing to suffrage shall be considered as
in allegiance, to be at some future
time discussed and determined upon
in full Convention of the Democratic
party of this State.
1t was well known that the majori-
ty of Districts in this very Conven-
tion, were in favor of qualified suf-
frage. Some of the officers are de-
oiared to that view; and one of its
Secretaries has published card SO
announcing for himself. At that
time, in every District in the State,
Democratic Clubs had been formed
upon the pledge of the April Con
vention; and in most of these, ne
groes had been received in member
ship. There is no desire OH the part
of the masses of our whites to with
hold qualified suffrage from the ne
gro; and whenever the question