The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-01-18
lay accomplish something in securing from
he convention liberal, just, and wise consti-

may accomplish something in securing from
the convention liberal, just, and wise constl
tuition.
If such constitution is adopted, harmony
good feeling and prosperity will prevail. Ii
however, extreme views and measures are en-
grated upon that instrument, it will increase
the interest, which now exists between the two
races and force the whites Of the State, who
have the means to do 80, to leave its borders
and seek homes in other communities. 1t vii
produce discomfort and disqulet everywhere
and confluence, trade and enterprise, will al
beparalyzed. AS responsible duties are, there
fore, devolved upon you as were ever de-
yolyed upon q similar body Of men il
any State, the interest and prosperity OF South
Carolina depend not only upon law and gooo
constitution, but upon the kind relations which
are to be established between the two races:
1t is idle to disguise the fact that the white
and colored races, where they have been
thrown together, with equal privileges, have
rarely, if ever, been able to harmonize.
The experiment OF giving to the coiored
people OF the South all OF the privileges OF the
franchise of citizens is novel one, and time
only can determine whether it is to be sue
cess or failure. On the one hand it is said
that the negro is utterly incapable Of exercis-
ing the rights and privileges OF q citizen. On
the other hand it is said that the ''rebel"-the
man who participated in the war-should not
be 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 Ger
olina abstained from some participation IN the
late war. You know further that the intelli-
gence, wealth and virtue of South Carolina en-
tered eagerly into that war, and that when it is
attempted to disfranchise or denounce these
persons as unworthy of public trust, it is to
exclude the real intelligence and experience OF
the Stat, from her councils. This is one Of the
reasons why 30 little experience ls to be found
in your body.
10 supply this deficiency it is the duty OF
the convention to give to every question that
may be submitted the gravest and most potent
consideration. When you appreciate the fact
that tue intelligence Of the white population
is antagonized to you; that all of your acts will
be looked upon with distrust; when you re-
member that whatever you do will be subjected
to the severest scrutiny at home and abroad;
when YOU know that whatever errors ore COM
mitted here will be reviewed by no friendly
eye the duty is doubly incumbent upon you OF
framing a constitution which will challenge
the criticism and condemnation OF The most
intelligent portion Of the State.
Believing as I have said toyou that you have
assembled here with proper motives; that the
constitution framed by you will be the law
under which the people of South Carolina will
live for wears to come, and, occupying the po-
sition of Chief Executive Of the State, am here
to give to the members Of your body the bene-
fit Of whatever suggestions may occur to my
mind, provided that can do 80 without seem
ing to lntrude. My earnest desire is that this
convention shall adopt constitution which
will meet with the cordial support and approval
of the white as we'll as the blackrace. II it be
lust, wise and liberal, when the question comes
up on it's adoption, I shall certainly recon-
mend my friends to vote for it. Ii unwise or
unjust, 1 shall be equally free to urge it's rejec-
tion.
It is proper to soy hore that in my Judgment
it was Unfortunate that the. election ofdelegates
to this convention should have been Influenced
by the politics Of tho day. Members should
have been chosen without reference to their
opinions upon national politics. 1t was imma-
terial whether thoy wcro Conservatives, Radi-
Gals or Democrats. The best men OF each dis
trict, without reference to antecedents or to
political opinions, ought to have been
selected for the great purpose OF framing
constitution. This was my advice to the
people of the State months ago. It was
matter of little consequence who was elected as
Of the State in tho Senate or
House Of Representatives OF the United States,
whether Radical, moderate Republican or
Democrat, as. compared with the important
duty of framing q constitution for people
Which was to last for years. The whites in the
State have abstained from going to the polls,
and the blacks mainly have been controlled by
the Radical party: Although thus elected,
let the members of the convention remember
that the constitution which they adopt for the
people of South Carolina may, in all proba-
bility, 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. ANY,
thing, therefore, which savors OF partisan
purpose, incorporated in the constitution,
may, in very few years, find that it has out
lived its purpose, its supporters, and its
proieges.
In framing o constitution, many improve
ments may be made upon the existing laws Of
the land. I beg very briefly to call your atten-
tion to some OF them. If they are adopted, in
my Judgment, when the question is presented
to the people Of the State to ratify or reject the
constitution, you will be able to command in
its favor much larger vote than was polled in
tho election OF delegates to the convention.
First. Upon the question of the elective fran
chise, I desire most earnestly 10 recommend
that you incorporate 10 disability whatever IN
it; that you allow every man in the State, even
those who have boon disfranchised under the
constitutional amendment, to exercise the
right Of suffrage, and Of holding Office, with
the restrictions that no one shall exercise that
franchise unless he may be able to read and
write, or has q property qualification such as
you may determine.
In voting upon the ratification of the con-
stitution you may adopt, all registered voters
will Of course be included, which will OF course
secure its adoption. With the view Of carry
ing out fully tho views Of the convention, the
first legislature to be elected under the con-
stitution may be elected by all male voters
over twenty-ono years OF age, but after that
time, If not before, I urgently recommend that
qualified suffrage extending to all classes and
races be provided for in the constitution. A
man who goes to tho polls after January /,
1870, whether he be white or black, who is not
able to road or writo, should be excluded from
the privileges of O voter.
Representing, as you do, almost exclusively
the colored element of South Carolina, you are
not invisible to the fact, and to its Legitimate
resulte, that very many Of the voters who have
sent you here have not that intelligence with
reference to men and measures which should
entitle them to cast vote. You know that thou
sands of them are utterly incompetent to ez-
ercise this high prerogatIvc.
You may think that to perpotuate your
power, and to preserve your organization, it Is
necessary to continue the franchise to this
class Of persons, but eventually you will find
that you have been sadly mistaken. Many OF
the colored men OF the State have an intelli-
gence which entities them, in their new rela-
lions, to the privileges Of citizens; but very
many are incompetent to exercise them with
discretion or judgment. These will become
the prey of evil, vicious and indisposed men.
When an election is to occur with such voters,
the bad will get their votes, and not the good.
In view of the fact that the colorcd popula-
tioa have largo majority in this State, and
tJ,o- tI,n hu1k of thnn, ora t0 ba controlled by