The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1868-05-20
mo. 48
komonstranco to Congress from the White
People of South Caroliua Against tho
Constitution.

/
| People Of South Carolina Against tho
Constitution.
Col. }. i. Thomas, j. c.. Gibbcs and
Col. l.. d. Childs, representing the
Stat" Central Executive Committee Of
IN" Democratic party OF South Carolina,
came hithcr to present to Congress {,
rrmonstrancc on The part of the white
people OF South Carolina against the
constitution recently adopted by the
Reconstruction Convention. To-day
the committrc appeared before the Re.
construction Commit Of the House of
representatives. NJ. Stevens received
'hrm with courtesy. Col Thomas,
chairman oi tie committee and reprcscn
ing the State Central Executive Com
m'ttre, remarked that in anaiyzing tho
| proposition OF the constitution Tor South
Carolina, there were two objections
winch stood ont in bold rehrf-nnuuah.
''"d negro suffrage and the taxation
power Tie argued to show their dis
aS'r"ns effects upon both races. Tho
constitution established taxation with.
ont representation. Those who have
no property are to lax those who have
all the property. Under the constitu
lion, $1,000, 900 might be raised in tho
way OFT taxes, $1,000, 900 or which IL
! Tor educational purposes, and vet these
advantages were to be enjoyed bv the
blacks alone, as white c!.ldrcn would
not attend black schools. The State
heretofore, IN its most prosperous days,
had not been able to bear Il tax Of more
''lan from three to four hundred thou
sand dollars annually. Col. Thomas,
IN conclusion, SAID he felt It to be his
"uly TO state to the committee, that
WIN lc The whites are willing to cnnccdc
To the negro all Of civil rights ana y
qualified suffrage, yet tho white race
would ,H5 never "crquiescc in negro rule
fou may make us pass" he said,
under the yoke and we shall have to
40 SO. but by every means which God
anu Con@rcss have LETT us under tho
constitution and laws, we will resist this
domination Of an inferior race. BY
peaceful means by political efforts, by
industrial agencies, we viii carry on this
political contest. until wo regain The
control which Of right belongs to The
power OF mind and Tie influence of yir-
tne' Nor can you have prosperity in
INC oo'th under your reconstruction
scheme; but give tho South fair show.
ing, restore the States to the Union on
n Just basis, and again Will our people
return with willing hearts to tho Union.
ana the same energy, the same sclfsacrlr
nee the same valor which they gavc to
'hc lost cause will they give now to
the Union provided you meet them in
spirit OF just magpanlmity, and conccdo
TO them the rights to which they deem
themselves entitled"
The rcmopstrancc, which is quite
lengthy, is signed by Wade Hampton,
John L. Thomas, Joseph Daniel Pope,
F. w. McMastcr, Samuel MCGOWAN
and W. M Shannon, State Central Ex:
ccutive Committee, and reiterated tho
position taken by the conservatives at
the late Stale ConycntjoD, recognizing
the 'colorcd population in the State as
all integral element of the body polite"
and concludes rs follows:
"ln behaafat least of the Democratic
party OF South Carolina, which embra.
ces nearly every white inhabitant, md
many of the colored people, the commit
tee declare that this policy represents
the political sentiments Of the State
We offer this in good faith, as the basis
Of true, q genuine and lasting recon-
s,r'clion. This, we earnestly believe,
is the peaceful solution Of the great ouea,
ton OF white man and black man 10 tho
South. This solution we offer to the
conservatism Of tho country, as one alike
advantageous to both races. Let tb,s
be accepted let the vcxcd question of
the bl.ck man be removed from the high
court OF tle land, and let all our people,
North, South, East and West, be per-
miLted harmoniously and earnestly to
address ,hemselvos to tho great work of
individual Improvement and Iational
aggrandzemcnt-rr.thea agam may we
expect return Of the better days Of the
republic and restoration of Tie Union
in fact rs well as IN name.
The Reconsruct,on Ccmnalttee this
morning agreed TO report the CanstiLu-
ton Of South Carolina, with an agree.
meat Inserting provision about suffrage
similar to the ono inserted in The Ar.
kansas Constitution.
New York IIeraiI, Oh.
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