The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-10-19
POLITICAL DISCUSSION IN CHRIST
CHURCH PARISH.
THE DEMOCRACY REPRESENTED 3!
RICHARDSON, RUTLEDGE
AND SEYMOUR.
RADIcALIsM DEFENDED BY BOWEN, DELARGE
AND CHAMBERLAIN.


friends in handsome carriages drawn by tinc
horses, the boast of Charleston livery stables,
and the Democratic champions accompanied
bv the citizens of Mt. Pleasant and few
Charleston guests in such carriages, bu5Gies
and wagons as the unfortunate people saved
from the wreck of tho war, they found about
one thousand people already collected, ofwhom
more than nine-tenths were negroes. The
scene of the meeting was the graveyard OF the
parish church, an old brick building which
was erected many years ago on the site OF tho
wooden structure built by the first English set
tiers long prior to the American Revolution.
The church itself is in o dilapidated condition,
having been used as a horse stable by the Uni
ted States cavalry in the late war, and
the parishioners being now 80 poverty7stricken
as to be unable to repair it. Tho churchyard
is entirely open, even the few enclosures which
surrounded some Of the family burial grounds
before the war being torn down and many OF
tho tombstones broken and otherwise dcfaccd.
In this holy but often desecrated spot, beneath
the spreading shade Of two lordly oaks, Wa
gon was placed to serve as stage for the
speakers while addressing the assemblage, and
another just by it, with a few planks thrown
across from side to side of the body, furnished
seats for the orators while not actually ensag-
ed iu the discussion, The great mass OF the
negroes crowded as close around the stage as
they could jam, while on the outskirts OF the
crowd they were running hither and thithcr,
some of the men with old rusty muskcis on
their shoulders, ard one or two OF tho women
with their infants tied Indian-fashion, in blan-
kets or shawls, upon their backs. Nope OF
these wandering outsiders seemed to take any
interest in the proceedings, but the large body
of negroes around the wagons and tho few
whites, sitting or standing in their vehicles as
best they could, seemed to be deeply interest
ed, and were engaged in such eager discussion
that it appeared to be question: OF doubt how
the din and clamor were to be sufficiently sub
dued to admit the speakers being heard. 1t
was, however, soon decided. A mulatto man
from Charleston, by the name OF Holmes, rose
up in the wagon, and at one waive Of his hand,
as if by magic, profound sierce settled upon
the dense crowd Of freedmen. The sudden
cessation of the chatter of so many negroes was
80 marked that the attention Of tho white
people was at once attracted to the cLuse.
Holmes stated the object Of the meeting in
few words, and said that Le hoped that such
order would be maintained as would reflect
credit upon the colored people, and that ho
hoped this free discussion would promote
friendly feelings, and aid in bringing about
that peace, happiness and prosperity in the
State which he as native CharIestonian 80
sincerely wished. He then introduced to the
meeting c. 0. Bowen, NJ. c., who in clear
and collected manner proceeded to give
brief review OF the situation from Radical
standpoint. He commenced by stating that
in order to tell which side was right, it was
necessary to review the history of both par
ties since 1865, and that although he did not
intend to 60 back into the Tim, OF slavery, it
would be necessary to state few facts occur
ring between 1856 and 1865. He claimed that
universal liberty had always been the avowed
object of the Republican party, and that
although in the first two or three Prcsiden-
tial elections in which the party had candi-
date they were unsuccessful, yet in 1850 they
doctrine of universal liberty, Notwithstanding
the threats of the Democracy that il they
did elect him they would not submit. He said
that this was the second battle fought and won
by the Republicans against the Democrats in
the cause Of universal liberty-the first having
been on the question Of slavery in the terrific
ries, Of which contest and the result he gave
brief sketch. Aftsr having reviewed the histo-
~ Of the two parties from 1856 to tho COM
mencement of the war, be said that the ultra
or Southern Democrats carried out their threats
of revolt and seeded from the Union without
p-oyocation, and quoted, in support OF his as
sertion, the language OF Hon. a. H. Stephens,
that State out of the Union, declared that there
was no cause for such action. Bowen then
went on to say that the only question in the
campaign was whether the colored people
should vote for the Democrats OF the Rcpubli-
caos, and as both parties claimed the honor of
having given them freedom, it was important
to examine these claims, and sec which was
the best. He claimed that they were set free
by Lincoln's proclamation Of 1862, and that
even if the clause in the South Carolina Con-
stitution of 1865, on which the Democrats OF
this State rested their claim of having freed the
slaves, was necessary to effect that purpose,
still they were indebted to Lincoln even for
this, because it was done by the South Carolina
Convention at the suggestion of Andrew john
son, who suggested it to them as sine qua non
to their recognition by the people Of the
North, and %r. johnson expressly referred
to the proclamation Of Mr.. Lincoln as
causing the necessity for tho abolition of
slavery. In discussing this question, Bowen
took occasion to abuse Andrew Johnson after
tho usual Radical fashion, calling him traitor
and comparing him to Judas Iscariot and
Benedict Arnold and iudulgipg in any amount
of the same stale and commonplace denun-
citation. He next reviewed Governor Perrys
administration, aud called upon the colored
people to notice with what injustice they were
treated when these same Democrats were in
power, who wanted their votes now. He said
that they had as many rights in 1865 now,
and yet Governor Perry did not consult them
about the convention, CT ask them to send del
egates to help form The constitution under
which they were to live. He then took up the
negro code, and dwelt upon it at great length.
TTnwise as that measure undoubtedly was, he