The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-04-12

vote, and at the same time had to pay
taxes to school that white man e
children, and help to support that
white man, if he was reduced to
poverty, was sickandIhad to go to the
hospital, or the poor house? Now,
you oil have sense enough to 6nder-
stand such talk, and sense enough to
answer this plain question. Would
Jc: Jc: Tc.o soz. ttiiis Constitution. if it
worked upon you, and your family,
and your property, as it will on the
white man, his property. and his
|. family? Now. would you in common
honesty do it? You can answer this
question for yourselves, and be sure,
you answer it right. There is much
more in this Constitution, which is
as bad for you as it is for the white
man; all which you will find out soon
enough. v "
But now, let us have word with
you about Office. AS we said at first,
Abraham Lincoln's proclamation
made4you freemen; but, had he lived,
we don't think you would have had
this privilege yet a while; and we
think, also, you would not have had
this free voting 80 early, if at, all.
Ibis, however, is our opinion, and
may be not of much weight. Let
that pass also. But many Of you
want office over the heads of your
former masters and friends. Are you
prepared to fill every office in the
State, without knowing the duties to
be performed in these offices2 If
you answer, we are prepared to be
Governors: Senators, Judges, Repre-
sentatives, Sheriffs. &C., whom do
you suppose will believe you? These
very white men who pretend to
associate with you as equals, would
not believe you, and one of them
especially, once large STAKEHOLDER,
knows far better than all that Then
what is your object but to WELD this
Constitution against the white man,
while, at the same time, many of you
seek employment from him? You
want Office. Suppose the white peo-
pie of Columbia, all of them, land
so of the State at large should re-
fuse to give employment to the bar.
oS', uIthSiS, IuiloIo, WhSOucIS,
butchers and laborers generally; and
the merchants, railroads, hotels and
public or private offices also, were to
refuse employment to those now en-
ployed by them, who intend, and
probably aciN, vote for this Constitu-
tion; how now, you that want offices,
could yon prevent this? And more
than that. too, could you, with all
the power of Office, support all these
hundreds, who would be dismissed
from employment in twenty-four
hours, if the white man would carry
out his right under this Constitution,
bad as it is-we mean the right to
dismiss from employment the black
man who would, under our very
knowledge, vote against our interest,
and defy us by such vote? Very
well, says one, all this can't be; the
white man can't do without us. Very
we'll. we reply; this thing can be, if
the white man chooses to have it so.
And this Constitution is matter of
life and death to the white man
therefore, he will endeavor to protect
himself, by simply saying, ''No."
But some of you, we repeat, desire
to be in Office; and you all have high
opinions of your Northern friends,
and especially of those who have
come to your aid in your time Of
need--to form q Constitution. Well,
now, ask these particular. new
friends, if yon were to go to any part
of New England, Boston excepted, J
could you be elected to Office? They
must tell you no. The States won't
allow it. They might say, true, in
Massachusetts and Vermont, such
things are permitted, but they are
scarce enough. So, then, you would
not go East for Office. Well, then,
try Ohio and Pennsylvania. They
would not permit you to hold Office.
Try any Black Republican State you
please, and you can't hold Office.
YOn can't ayap vota in ,,,opv of fbor, Z.