Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1868-02-01

On the other hand tits said that tho q robel
--the man who participated in the war
should not bo allowed to participate in the
government. Those Of you who are to the
manor born know the fact that very few white
men in South Carolina abstained from some
participation in tho late war You know fur.
thcr that the intelligence wealth and virtue
OF South Carolina outcred cagorly into that
war, and that when iris attempted to disfran.
ohlse or denounco these persons as unworthy
OF puOltc trUst,>t1 Is TO cXcluue tue real lnteI.
ligenoo aud experience Of the State FROM her
councils. This is one Of the reasons why so
little experience is to bo found in your body
10 supply this deficiency it is the duty of
tho convention to give to cvery question that
may be submitted the gravost and most potent
consideration. When you appreciate tho fact
that tho Intelligence of the white population
is antasonzcd to you that all Of your acts
will 90 looked upon With distrust; when you
romember4that whatever you do will be sub
jccted to tho severest scrutiny at home and
abroad when you know that whatever errors
are committed here will be reviewed by no
friendly cye; tho duty is doubly incumbent
upon you ofsfFamihg i constitution which will
chullenge the criticism and condemnation Of
the most tclisentSpottion Of the State
believing as | have said to you that You
have assembled hero with proper motives
that the constitution framed by you will be
the law under which the people of Soutl, Car.
olina will live for years to come, and occupy
ing the position of Chief Executive of the
State, am here to give to tho members Of
your body the bonctt Of whatever sug-
Scstons may occur to my mind provided that
! can do SO without seeming to intrudc. My
earnest dns is that this convention shall
adopt ii constitution which will meet with tho
cordial support and approval Of the white as
we'll as the black race Ii it be just, wise and
liberal, when the question comes up on its
adoption, shall certainly recommend my
friends to vote for it, If unwisc or unjust, /
shall be equally free to urge its rejection. S 8
It is proper to say here that in my sjudg-
mcnt it was unfortunate that the election of
delegates to this convention should lave been
influenced by the politics Of tho day Mem
bcrs should have bccn chosen without refer
ence to their opinions upon national politics.
II was immatcrial whether they were Con-
servativcs, Radicals or Democrats. The best
men OF each district, without reference to au-
tccedcnts or to present political opinions,
ought to have boon selected for the great pur-
pose of framing constitution This was my
advice to the people of the State months ago.
IL was matter of little consequence whowas
Senate or House of Representatives of the
United States, whether Radical, moderate Re.
publican or Democrat, as compared with tho
important duty Of framing constitution for
people which was to last for years. The
.gl..6cs in the State have abstained from going
to the polls, and the blacks mainly have beon
controlled by tho Radical party Although
thus elected, lot the members of tho conven.
ton remember that tho constitution which
they adopt for tho people of South Carolina,
may, in all probability, be the Constitution Of
the State for the next twenty years when
Radical, Republican and Democratic parties
may have passed away and others have taken
their place. Anything, therefore, which sa-
vors of partisan purpose, incorporated in tho
constitution, may, in very few years, find
that it has outlivcd its purpose, its supporters,
and its proteycs.
lu framing a consultation, many improve.
mcnts may bc mado upon the existing laws Of
tho land | beg worry briefly to call your at
tention to somo of them. If they are adopt
cd, in my judgment, whom tho question is
presented to the people Of tho State to ratify
or reject tho constitution, you will bo able to
command in its favor much larger vote than
was polled in the election Of delegates to the
convention. ssys.sa
First Upon tho question, Of tho oleotiyo
franchises desire most earnestly to recon-
mend that you incorporato no disability what
over init; that you allow evory man in tho
State, those who have been disfranchsed
undcr tho constitutional amendment to oxer-
else the right Of suffrage, and Of holding Of
fec, with the restrictions that no ono slull
exercise that franchise unless ho may DO ,ablo
ato road and write, or has aproporty qualifca-
tion such as you may determine. &1
!, In voting upon Identification of tho con-