Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1868-05-15
- /congress from the
e Of South Carolina
Mlst the Constitution.

FOL. j.. ID. thi'tls, representing the
State Central Executive Comm.,tcc
h the Democratic party of South
Carolina, cano hithcr to present to
Congress u rcmOnstrance on the part
.M tho whitc people Of South Carolina
against the. cot stitut;on recently aIop.y
ted ly the Reconstruction Convention.
Today the scon'pi',ee appeared before
the Reconstruction -.Cnmm;ttee W the .
House Of Representatives. Mr.. Stevens
received ,hcui witt, courtesy. Col. rhom-
ps, chairman Of tho cpwrnittee and ,eple-
s.nting the State Central Executive Com
n,ittae, remarked that in nnalvzing 1he
proposition Of tho constitution for Gouth !
Carolina. there wcro two objections which !
stood out in bold relief unqualified negro
suffrage nmL tho taxation power. lie ar
rucd to show their DISASTROUS effects upon
10th ,aces. Tho constitution establishes,
taxation without representation. Those
who have no property ate to tax those
wh' have all the property. Under the
constitution, Sc.ooo.00o might be raised
in the way Of taxes, $l,oOo,oOo Of which
IS for educational purposes, aud :hesc ad-
van.ases were to 10 enjoyed by the blacks
alone, as white children would no, attend
black ,clnuls. The State heretofore, in lis
most prosperous days, haJ not been aUie
to hv:r Il tax .! molc than FROM three to
four hundred thoI,and dollars annually.
Col. I'homas, in conclusion, said hc felt i!
ia he his duty to state to the comtuitlec,
that While tho whites arg willing to coll
uete to tie negro all oil civil rights ana r
qualified <ut'lnse, yet tho white race
would never acl,iesce i'll negro rue. ''l on
may make Us pass" lie said, "undcr the
yoke and we slal have to do so, but b.
every means wkicl God and Congress
have left us uu.lcr the constitution aud
laws, We vii resist this domination Of an
i"ferior race. l'y peaceful means, by po.
l',ical .ss,rla, ly industrial agencies, w
will carry on ibis political contest, unit!
we regain tue control which OF right he
longs to The power Of mird anl tho initu
encc Of virtue. Nor can YOU lays pros
peiitv uutil iu tho South uEdc. your re-
construction scheme; but give the South a
fair showing, festoSc the States TO the Union
.n a Just basis, and again will our reopit.
r-iurn vita willing hearts to The Union,
nni The ~.uie energy, the same sci! sacri-
flee, the same valor which they gave to
the >iost cause, will they give now to the
t'uion, provided yon meet them in a spi.
rit Of j,st magnanini,y, aud concedo TO
them the rights 10 which .hcy deem thssu
h+lves entitled"
fac .remons,rancc, which is quite
lenSahy.t.ia sisrel by Wade Hampton,
john L. Thomas. J,o,cph Daniel Pope, I.
w. AcMas:er, Samuel MrGowau and W.
Al. Shannon, Stale Central Executive Com.
"it:rc, aud rc,erates the 'sition taken
l.y thA conservatives at tho late State
Convention, recognising, tic "colorel pop
nL,'pu ~ ths St:tc as All integral c!c,ncn,
"i tie lsoly rolilc,' amt concludes as fol.
fvlluws:
.Iu l.balf at least Of the Democratic
party OF South Carolina, whirh embraces
14'arly every white iuhaL;1ant, and many
Of tie colorel people, the committee d..
clare that tits policy represents tue ro'
ftical sentiment Of the Stale, We o4el
ibis 10 good faith, nS~ the basis os a truo (,
genuine reconstruction. This, we earnest
ky bukcvs, Is the peaceful solution OF the
great question Of wbile man and bIacl
I.A.n iu the South This solution we olIel
:" the conservatism Of the country. rs one
nhke advantageous to hul! races. lie! this
l.s accepted; let the vcxed question OF ,h,
LACK mah be removed from the higl
rn,rl OF the land, and let all our people
North. South, East and Wc:r, be permitlc.
i.aru,oHiously and earnestly to aI,Irps
themselves to tie great work Of in,.ivid.
,r,l Improvement and national ag:randiz,,
n,ent-lhea again m"y We expect h return
ri the better days vi lhu republic aad
lestorati.,n Of TIC Union ia fact rs well IA
w. cause.
The Reconstruction Committee thi
Iuornipg agreed to report the Constitution
"f South Carolina, viii. an agreement IN.
rvrtfng prcviso about suffrage, sin, iur Il
the oas heerted III the Arkansas Cvnsti
taiioa.-few Tor6 Uera&l, or.