The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-07-11

frrinR qualified suffrage upon the colorsd
race. It WAS manifest that TO thsS extent,
at least, suffrage would be enforced. But
higher motive moved me to make make the
The colored population in South Carolina
outnumbered the whites by 120, ,0oO. Many
OF the colored men enjoyed some edu-
cational advantages, and others had accu-
mulated property. In making laws which
were 70 operate upon this entire class as
life, liberty, property, and pursuit OF hap
piness Of so Considerable majority Of the
populationNwas It just or right that this
class should be excluded from any voice in
choosing the representatives to, enact those
lawsp Would they have patiently and
tamely submitted to system Of laws
which they had no agency in making; or
there had been no open combinations to
resist and defeat such legielation, could
secret societies, conspiracies, perjuries and
assassinations have been prevented?
Would single individual OF that class-be
his intelligence and virtue what it may
have had any inducement to cooperate in
the enforcement Of laws thus passed?
These views which were regarded with
SO much odium only brief year ago, when
Lwas frank enough to make them public,
are now accepted by large and respectable
organizations Of the white people in every
section of the State, and on that basis
earnest efforts are being. made to obtain
the support Of the colored race.
Looking even to the interest of that race,
Congress-, in my Judgment, committed q
grievous mistake in bestowing upon it
universal suffrage. 1t may secure a tenn
porary party triumph, but it will inevitably
lay the foundation of q corrupt govern
ment-of corruption among voters and
corruption among legislators and ministe-
rial officers.
Can it be expected that wholesome laws
will emanate from legislators whose con-
stituents may be ignorant and vicious?
Again, where the large majority OF voters
are ignorant, do they not thus become the
instruments Of corrupt men, in elevating
to power those who are utterly unworthy
of their suffrage? How can o voter, whose
mind is unenlightened by experience or
intelligence, protect himself from fraud or
mposition-unable, as he will be, to dis
criminate between that which is false and
that which is true-that which is upright
and that which is depraved2
Universal suffcage is an evil which has
been appreciated for many years; and the
evil results from the fact that the ignorant
voter enables the corrupt aspirant for office
by bribery, persuasion or Importantly to
foist, himself into position, and then pro-
tect himself in his tenure by means at once
illegitimate and dishonorable. 1t is for
been repudiated in several of the Northern
States.'
To confer the right, therefore, upon the
colored people of the South-the large
majority of whom have just emerged from
condition of slavery, and who have not
intelligence to exercise the privilege, is q
wrong done to society and to the colored
man himself, which must retard tho civili-
zation Of this section for many years to
come. It has, however, been imposed upon
the South, and in my judgment the evil
will not be ameiiorated except through our
own exertions, aided by the efforts and in
fluences Of the more intelligent of the CO.
lored race.
It is very apparent that the Republican
party, 30 long as they may retain power,
will adhere to universal suffrage. With
their plan of restoration carried into effect
as it has been, the Republican party are
now willing to leave the question Of suf-
frage to the States themselves, their policy
having placed the party in power; and it is
remain in power. 1t is equally idle to an
ticipate relief from the Democratic party.
The Republicans will have the undisputed
control Of the Government until the 4th Of
March, 1869. Even though the Democrats
succeed in the Fall elections, and secure
their President, and the House of Repre-
sentatives, there will still be Republican
majority of more than two-thirds in the
Senate, and that majority must continue if
the present party divisions are maintained,
until the 4th Of March, 1871. Assuming.
therefore, that all the intermediate cleo.
tions shall be favorable to the Democratic
party, not until the 4th of March, 1871, can
they obtain control of the Legislative and
executive departments of the Government;
and not until then, whatever may be their
disposition, will they possess the strength
necessary to limit this right of suffrage.
When in power, however. how are they to
proceed in removing the evil-what remedy
can they apply2 Will they repeal the Re-
construction Acts Of 1867?
The Convention in New York has avowed
the doctrine that the right of regulating
suffrage belongs exclusively to the States.
Upon that issue, mainly within the last six
months, the party have achieved their
successes over the Republicans in the
North and West.
In 1871, the Southern State governments
will have been in operation under these
Acts for three years, and, to certain ex-
tent, society will have adapted itself to
their laws and requirements. Should the
repeal the Reconstruction Acts, or should
the Supreme Court pronounce them uncon-
,stituiionai and declare the State organiza-
tlons then existing void, we shall be left in
condition Of anarchy. If, on the other
hand, they declare them to be simply pro-
visional, what authority will then deter
mine the question Of suffrage? The theo-
ry of the Democratic party will be that the
States themselves must do so. Will the
party in direct opposition to that theory,
when they pass new Reconstruction Acts,
ignore the Southern Constitutions of 1868.
and by their act declare against the suf-
fron of I,a oil I