The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-10-19

wages for labor. The Judge then went on to
in the Democratic platform providing for uni
versal suffrage. There was none in the Radi-
cal platform. The so-called suffrage plank in
that platform allowed the Northern States to
regulate suffrage Tor themselves, but not the
Southern States. This discrimination was
unconstitutional, and it was just such uncon-
stitutionaI acts OF the Republican party that
would overthrow this government, and give us
into the hands of tyranny. Judge Richard
sons time here expired, each speaker being
by agreement allowed only one hour.
r. c. DeLarse, the well-kGown colored legis-
lator, and chairman Of the committee of ways
anu means in the present South Carolina House
Of representatives, nexy took the stand. He
expressed the highest respect FOR Judge Rich
| ardson and other Son:hern gentlemen, and
the greatest confidence in their character, but
he said he did not think it would be difficult to
explain why the colored people were unwilling
to vote for The Democrats. The Democrats op-
posed universal sufftage, and the black men
were obliged to have universal suffrage to pro-
tect them in their rights. If they were igno-
rant, it was not their fault, but the fault OF the
white men, North and South, and they ought
to be the last to give the ignorance of the blacks
as a reason for depriving them of the right of
suffrage As to the large number Of colcred
men who had been sacrificed in putting down
the rebellion, that was the very reason they
had n right to O share ir the government As
for tho discrimination between the States, the
Republicans were not able to interfere with
suffrage IN the Northern States, because they
mad never rcbollcd, and thus forfeited their
rights to manage thoir cwn affairs. In regard
10 the whito carpet-baggers taking oil the
Offices, it was because the colored people were
incompetent. The difference between the De-
mocrats and Republicans on this point he illus
tratcd by Judge Aldrich's possum story. Judge
Aldrich said tie negroes and the carpet-baS-
gers were like two fellows who had
caught L possum and put it over the
fire to cook, and thea went to sleep.
One fellow woke up, cat the possum, then
creased the other fellows mouth and hands
and went to sleep again. When they both woke
in the morning he made the fellow who had got
no possum look at his hands and mouth aud
believe he lad eaten the possum in his sleep.
The only difference, DeLargo said, in this mat
ter between the Republicans and Democrats
was, that while the former might only grease
the colored maa's hands and mouth, the Demo-
c1ats made him catch, skin, clean and cook the
possum, and then did not have sufficient re-
gard for him to think it worth while 10 even
grease his hands and mouth. AS far as the re-
spectability of tho present officcholders were
concerned, the gentlemen ought not to COM
plain about that because they world not have
the Offices when they were otferoI to them. AS
soon as tho Southern white people concluded
to accept universal suffrage, the colored men,
he said it openly and above board, would join
in with them heart and hand and make the
government not oaly good and successful, but
as respectable as any man would wish. Even
Colonel Seymour, the Democratic nominee for
Congress, would, he thought, come round af-
ter Grants election, and then the colnred peo-
pie would take great pleasure in supporting
him for office. He regretted his time did not
permit him to answer all Judge Richardson's
arguments, but then he believed the Judge
made his living By talking and he did not.
DcLorges speech was in Gool temper, and
well delivered, ard whcn he sat down the nc
groes gave him three cheers, and the white
men all said it was q - good speech.
Colonel Rutledge followed next. He said he
was no politician; that he ha lived in Charles
ton sixteen years, and had only voted thr-~
times. He wished to promote the material in
terests of the country, and he thought that two
good crops would be of more importance now
than the carrying out of any abstract political
principle. The only point Of difference between
the two races now was the question of univer-
sal suffrage, and if Grant was elected, which at
proscut seemed very probable, that would be
fixed upon us whether We wanted it or not and
he, Tor one, believed all sensible mon were pre-
pared to submit TO the laws, and then there
would be no difference at all between the races,
and they could join together to restore the
good old State Of South Carolina to something
like her former prosperity and greatness. After
running over, briefly, the various reasons why
he was Democrat, and exploding some OF the
sophistries of Bowen and DeLarge, he wound
up with advising the negroes to disregard the
oaths Of tho League, which made slaves OF
them politically, as formerly they were person
ally, and which were in no legal or moral sense
binding upon them. He was listened to atten-
lively by the negroes, and at the close they
gavo him some slight applause. The chairman
had tried to raise cheer for Judge Richard
son, but 1t proved complete failure. He
managed little better for Colonel r., but still
it was not very enthusiastic.
The next speaker Was Astorney-Gcncral
Chamberlain. He commenced by expressing
his pleasure at the opportunity afforded him
OF meeting some OF the white mon Of the State
face to face. He was tho friend Of the black
race, but he also took all interest in the welfare
and prosperity OF his own race, and lie lad no
other purpose than tho prosperity and welfare OF
every man in South Carcli a. He knew that
he was called by names that lie would gladly
sllun-that it was not pleasant to be looked at
MS q traitor to the white race, ncr to be called
bv q name which hc would not repeat-sill he
was not to be tcrrcd from doing his duty,
and do it lie would. He was a proud man,
proud of his race, and Ec said that he consid-
ercd it an irsultto the white race to call this q
white mans government, as if we were afraid
to enter on the race Of lfe with the c0lored