The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1868-04-08

the widows.and orphans of the brave mon
who lay down their lives fighting for
Aristocratic Democracy. And now they
would still paralyze. the results OF your
I,labors by rejecting the restoration OF :1l .ne
State to the Union under the Cons'l.u,
ton to be submitted to you. II you arc
not sufficiently distressed and lnPovel-
ished by following their counsels hltherto'
then YOU can secure still deeper poverty
and humiliation by adopting their advice
now. But I trust your experience has
tonobt Won better Judgment. The issue
;s . simnIe one. Will you have State
Government of your own once again, and
be b restored to peaceful relations with the
limited States by adopting this Constitu-
tion {? or will you choose further discord,
and. perhaps, disfranchisement by.reject-
inc it? Your answer to this question in
beg you not to let passion OF prejudice in
fuencc your decision. Bring the Consti-
tuition to the test of your sober reason
and Judgment, and see if it is not humane,
liberal and enlightened in it's provisions.
1t is not claimed that it is perfect or
, faultless What work Of man is !? But
consider it as whole-take it altogether,
and is it not immeasurably superior to
anv Constitution hitherto framed by any
Convention in South Carolina? Do you
ask wherein this superiority conists? L
will tell you:
1st. In making every citizen in the
State equal in POLITICAL legal and educa-
tional privileges.
End. In referring the election of all of,
ficers, except judges, to- direct vote OF
the people, the source of allpolitical pow
er. \.
srd. In providing a general system Of
education, with provision that the Gen
eral Assembly shall regulate the samc as
they may deem proper.
! 4th. 1t abolishes the District courts,
which were so expensive to the State
5th In abolishing an expensive system
of Equity courts-separating the Court OF
Sessions from the Court Of Common Pleas
and making provision Tor more simple
and ineligible system Of practice and
pleading, and in charging the civil
and criminal jurisdiction of magistrates
. In providing for penal code, and ar
rangements under proper heads, OF the
BODY of our laws, civil and criminal; the
same to be revised, digested and publish
ed every ten years-thus enabling every
man to become familiar with the laws.
9th. In making the stockholders OF
banking and other corporations, tndiudu-
cNy RESPONSIBLE for the debts of the Cor
poration, to the amount of the stock OWN
ed by them-thus securing the people
,roinst fiaud and loss.
7th. In securing the property of mar
ried women to them, freed from liability
for the debts of their husbands.
Sth. In abolishing imprisonment for
debt.
9th. In securing to each family a home
stead and personal property, amounting
to fifteen hundred dollars, (Sl50O) ex-
). enlpt from levy and sale, together with
the annual crops. 4 observe that the
, Democratic leaders and papers, are en-
deavoring to produce the impression, that
this exemption will not apply to debts
heretofore contracted. You need not be de-
ccivcd by this artful dodge. Tie Conven-
ton intended it to hold against debts con-
tracted hitherto, as well as those that may
be contracted hereafter and the United
States courts have expressly decided that
Convention has the constitutional right
to mako such exemptions, and thatit does
not impair the obligation of contracts.)-
Two other measures were not adopted,
simply for the want of timc-aid to the
Blue Ridge Railroad, and q petition to
Congress to remove from our disfranchised
fellow citizens, political disabilities The
Republican party ispledged to their sup
port in the legislature. Now, fellow citi
zens, the above are some of the features
of the Constitution, framed by q Conven-
ton controlled by the Republican party
q majority of whom were colored-which
command my approval and trust will
command yours Now, this Constitution
will be adopted, and ask you to cooper
ate in It's adoption The Democratic
party is organizing to defeat it, or failing
in that, as it will fail, to endeayor to get
control OF the Dcgislature-n this they
will also fail But if they could get con-
troll of the Legislature what would it
avail them, since they would be sworn to
support this Constitution and to legislate
under it? Why should you join the Dem
ocratic party in their fruitless crusade
against the proposed Constitution and
reconstruction and Restoration to the
Union under it? That party has well
nigh ruled the State ever since it has been
II State, and when has it done as much for
you as the Republican party propose in
the new Constitution Where did they
give you protection for your rights p
What were the laws enacted to secure the
interests of the people Where were the
statutes that protected their natural
rights on the soil Of their farthers? They
are no whcrc'to be found, and you are under
no obligation. to aid them. But they are
also calling upon YOU to join them to CO.
! o,o,,t Ia with tho Unn,ocrotio IN nort,- of tl,n