The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-09-26
Rhe Suffrage ausstion.

"a
ME5 lrlte Suffrage Question. tt
aThis subject is much discussed. in
the addresses made to the colored
people, during the present canvass,
though, in truth, it is not directly
but only remotely involved in the
issue. The position which we occu-
py is, that the present Government
is the creature of unconstitutional
enactments by Congress. and, there
fore, void and of no rightful authori-
ty,. except so fan Us it may be derived
from the necessities of the hour.
This objection, if it be well founded,
will remain true and inseparable,
whether the radical party or the De-
mocratic party succeedin the ensuing
elections. The radical party can
never make that lawful which is un-
constitutional, and the Democratic
party cannot mako that unconstitu-
tional which is lawful. So, however
this canvass may terminate, the pre-
sent government of South Carolina
only awaits the decision of q compe-
tent court to declare its unconstitu-
tionality to vanish into nothingness.
With it falls negro suffrage, and the
State reverts to its lawful and right
full proprietors, the white man, whose
it is by occupation, conquest, treaty
and law. - When the government
shall thus be restored to the lawful
citizens of the State, the question
will come up what shall be the status
of the colored people? Shall they be
admitted to any political privileges?
If to any, to what and upon what
terms? These questions are now
eagerly asked by the intelligent
colored man, and hence the suffrage
question is frequently brought under
discussion at this time. The answer
is to be found in the resolutions of the
Democracy adopted in the Conven-
tion organizing the party in April
last. They have said the colored
people shall be recognized as part
of the body polite, and that they
shall be admitted to suffrage, upon
proper qualifications of property and
intelligence. 1t is objected by some
of them that this will introduce dis
elimination against the colored peo-
pie, because we require qualifications
of them which are not required of
the white man. 1t is his by descent
of generations, acquired by his blood
and treasure, and God alone can
ever require him to. surrender
it, Being lis, the colored race
ask him, the white man, who alone
can possibly grant the great
boon desired, to admit the colored
man to share with him, in this God
gifted inheritance, by becoming
voter. We have the right, and we
alone, to bestow or to withhold it,
We, therefore, have the right to i'm
pose terms upon any and all seeking
admission to citizenship. We impose
terms upon the foreign-born white
man. Why should we not impose
them upon the colored man, who
asks for this great privilege? Self
protection demands that we grant
only q limited suffrage. We are now
enduring state of ruin and anarchy
brought upon us by universal negro
suffrage. The first use made Of this
power, unlawfully conferred, was to
lay it at the feet of foreign masters,
ut whose bidding it is blindly welded
to our injury and the utter ruin of
the colored people. With this expo
rience before them, the citizens of
Tho State would be madmen to grant
more to the present generation of
colored men than what the April
Convention offered-a qualified and
limited right of suffrage. AS this is
the only form in which they can law
fully receive this right, they can
choose between this and a total ex-
c'usion, when the .lawless dream of
carpet-bag ascendency shall have
been swept away by the breath of
constitutional law. Camden Journal.
Threa ,enrnas haua heen nrresto6