Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1868-03-27

regarding tho 'sccial status" was. moi 1,
coh'er' or retain the right of iutermnrriay
or the Interference Of the negro in our SO
c'ai life; but, tho idea was to prevent III
Legislature from protecting the white peo
pic against cncroacIments. That wa
undoubtedly tie sole Object. And thai
"'Ject is certain Of accomplishment, if tli
Constitution becomes law.
Now my lr'enls, I say, and God onl,
knows my feelings when say it, that the
adoption Of this Constitution, and its final
establishment, will bring ruin TO your coun.
try and blast the hopes of your people
II VIII condemn the poor negro to ex,ermi
nation. pen can describe, no lsnsuape
can express the horrors that shall ensue,
socially, morally, and politically, whenever
there Shall be forced collision Of Tho
races.
LUIS Constitution provides that there
shall 10 one Justice of the Peace to e,erv
militia district That Justice Of the Peace
Shall have Jurisdiction in all civil cases
where the amount does not cxcocd fiftv
dollars, there is no appeal. Now, then.
lake the county Of Dougherty, for illus.
'r"''or. l" this county there arc about
seven negross to one white man. DO you
not see That every Justice of the Peace
VIII be negro? Take the district with
which l happen to be most familiar-the
most productive, perhaps, in the State of
ueo's'a, west of the river, out in WIN. is
Is called the soak and hickory country ="
wy overseer told me the otter day, tia, in
Tie space embraced IN scms three miles,
'here Were one hundred and twenty ne
'sfoes and seven whito mon. Now, then,
II man has claim there for anv,hino
less than hundred dollars, it is to bs ad-
ud'ealed upon by negro Justice of the
Peace; and if that claim should not exceed
nifty dollars. he is subject to that ncgro's
decision without even the right Of an alp
peal. 1t does not apply to contracts, or to
wages, Tut it will apply, also, to villa. law
7ers call actious er delicto, as we'll AZ to
act'ons e1'eontractu, f,r :!rey are alike
civil cases. Hence, if the complainant
uos" "o. "llsse his damages at mn,e than q
hundred dollars it comes under The iuris-
dic'lon Of the Justice Of The Peace. and
when less than fifty dollars, /. shall be
wilkoa, appeal. a..
Why, my f'iends, you give up nearly, i.
not quite, half the, State Of Georga TO the
absolute control aud dominion of Tic ne
gro. VOW give the interest, of the poor
white people, 10y this stitutien, ALSO.
lnteiy into the hands of the negroes, ard
'ha'' too, without appeal. Now, 1 vial,
those men who are SO continually talking
about tho ''poor, man" to hear what l ray.
Those men who owe large debts can air ord
to go to the higher courts, while those
who are compal atively poor, have 10 alp
peal whatever, and must take the DECISION
OF the negro.
Another ingenious point attempted by
gentleman of tile Convention is this: This
Constitution says that upright and intel.
l'gent jurors shall be, provided" We'll
l1'ee law regards all men as upright and in.
tcli'gent. One thing, however, is. certain:
that under that law, no member Of ,hs,
Convention could serve ou jury-except
indeed, small number. [Laughter.1
WHO is, uprighta Who is intelligent, !
1t an Express agent can he Governor, who
cannot be the Justice Of tho Peace7
[ Laughter and appIause.] If u little May.
Or can bs Vice President of the United
s,alle', 81 lle', who cannot he jnror.. [Reuewed
laughter. and chesgs.] " Where are we 60
ing 10 9hi.,d.,s -, -..T .... J, .......
You give an appeal in cases over CITY
d6llars and under one hundred, from the
Justice oftLe l'eace.to tie Superior Cour,,
aatd when you get. there, ,y:ot;iT fdl;four-
isLsIto, sixssevenihs, Of ,bs juror. negroes,
and your Sheriff, and Clerk, and ali other
'ffiser' OF tbb Court negroes ALSO. Oh
'nt, say some, lhey will elect white people!
VEL, wbat"sort of. f.wif,e people wilr silcv
elect 2 will tell you: Bui,' "d6hrst let lie
'ay, that from this tin,e forth ihe clss.ifi.
'a,ion Of the negro must be enlarged. !
There is tile black negro, the yellow negro, |
ind the rhiie negro. hhd 10 tell yon the
ruth, have more respect for tie slack !
'igger than. for the. white; for God made |
''m n'ggen while the, ,other--tLe white
'ne--isa nigger from choiee.l, IAeIl you |
j would rather have "a Niger I
Justice Of The Peace Than one of ,Ltse
d sdysen'pprers ert rshsgasdes: Nov, Il you
'leet.a, Governor {Or: the State who, holds
hat the races ate equals tho. great ,proba-
'ili.ies Arethas lie will appoint friends Of |
.is own 10 the positions under his conlrc, /
.ha r|.a that h. r., wti, phdsr tEs'sss t'ntso
tt"!r'e, fpp9'hlnnt 'hnt, negroes 70 some good posi-.
iqns,i Bealaps,,hs. Will make s4eus. of !
hen, District JadBes s,on, indeed, Cifeui. |
Iudsse''" WhyuSs, tfi.hsya+s esu;la~
I'D s'i,i.%lt s,rast fasrts Ssouhtfy
hey q" GAP h!4Ss al iGss ssleelsl pfii3eh, from
nelnb6n OF stlSewE EtSeisl attn "a dnvuty,I t.Ii 4