The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-05-29
Tho Late Democratic Conyentiou---
Its True Position Stztesis

Hon. a. p. ALdrich-DKAR SfR: I
have noticed your communication to
the Charleston Mercury, Of che 9th
instant. AS you appear to misunder-
stand the principles advanced by the
Democratic Convention that assem-.
bled in Columbia in April last, Task,
leave, with all proper respect, to
explain the position taken by that
Convention, and to vindicate the
principles upon which that body
deemed it wise and just to rest the
future policy OF the State. And
through you I hope to reach the
minds of the people of South Caro-
lima. IL
have no right to object to any
man or any journals taking position
against the concession to the colored
man of qualified suffrage. Gentle
men and journals, worthy of all re-
spect and consideration, have as
sumed that ground. But I do
object to and protest against the mis-
representation Of the principles and
policy of the gentlemen who COM
posed the Democratic Convention of
April last. This Misrepresentation
we will not say it is intentional-has
come again and again from that able,
out-spoken and once influential pa
per-the Charleston Mercurv-to
which you have addressed your note.
1 submit, now, this statement, and
trust that candid men everywhere in
the State will understand the points
made:
WhGn the April Convention recog-
nized the colored population OF the
State as an element of the body
polite, it meant to say. that when
the slaves in this State were emanci-
pated by the Act of the State Con-
vention-or rather, when the Conven-
ton for the State acknowledged their
emancipation-the colored people be-
came, ipso facto, invested with civil
rights, as part Of the body polite.
What, now, is the body polite? 1t
is defined, "a nation or community.
as constituted under government or
polity." Now, ceasing to be slaves,
these persons became free; being de-
tached from condition of slavery,
they fell logically into condition of
free citizenship, and, as such, enti-
tied to all civil rights. AS the Hon.
B. Fl. Hill says:
s1n all society or government are
rights to be enjoyed, burdens to be
borne, and trusts to be discharged.
Among the rights are the right of
property; the right of locomotion;
the right to appropriate and dispose
OF the proceeds of our own labor;
the right to worship according to
conscience; and the right to protec-
tion from society in the enjoyment Of
all these rights, and tho right to have
all the legal processes and remedies
provided to make this protection
effectual. These are called civil
rights; and when we speak of civil
equality, wo mean that these rights
belong alike and equally to all citi-
zens. to all classes, to all colors, to
all sexes, to all ages, and to nil grades
of intellect, society and worth. These
rights necessarily attach to and be-
come conditions of free citizenship.
The negro is entitled to all these
rights. And being now deprived of
the protection which, rs slave, he
received from his owner, all good
men ought to rejoice that he can still
be safe under the protection of the
law; and being unaccustomed to
assert his rights-a work which was
formerly performed by his master
all true men ought to be ready to aid
him in that assertion"
now ask you to observe that the
resolution of the Convention goes on
to say. for itself, what it means by
stating that the colored people are
members of the "body polite" for,
after admitting the connection of the
colored people with the body polite,
it adds-"And as such, in person and
property, entitled TO a fuH and equal
protection under the State Constitution
and la,os." Can anything be palmer?
But this is not all: the very decla.
ration, of which complaint has been
made, is still more guarded. Ac-
knowledging the distinction that ex-
lists between rights and h'usts-be-
tween civil rights proper, and suffrage
and office-h holding, which latter are
not included in the summary of civil
rights, tho resolution intimates the
qualified nature Of thjs hodvDol;t;o