The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1868-06-17
Ths Late Democratic Convention It's
True Position Stated.

E1on. IL. p. Ahhich-DEAE SIR: 7
have noticed your communication to the
'Charleston Mercury, Of the 9th instant.
AS You appear TO misunderstood The
principles advanced by the Democratic
Convention that assembled in Columbia
i'm April last, I ask leavc with all prop
.cr respect, 70 expaiM the position taken
by that Convention, ana to vindicatc
the principles Hpon which that body
deemed it wise and just to rest the fu.
turc policy Of the State. And Through
you I hope to reach the minds OF the
people of South Carolina.
L have no right to object to any man
or any journals taking position against
the concession to the colorel man OF a
qualified suffrage. Gentlemen and
journals, worthy of all respect and con.
sideration, have assumed that groUnG
But I do object TO and protest against
tho misrepresentation Of the principles
and policy of the gentlemen who com.
posed the Democratic Convention of
April last. This misrepresentation -
we will not say it is intcnuonal-has
come again and again from that able,
out.spnken and once influential paper,
the Charleston 1iercuy--.to which you
have addressed your note. submit,
now, this statement. and tlUst that tko
candid men everywhere in the State will
understand the points made:
When the April Convention rccog
nized tho colored population Of the
State as an element Of the body polite,
it meant to say, that when the slaves in
this State were emancipa,cd by the Act
Of the State Convention--or rather,
when the Convention for the State ac.
knowledged their cmancpation--tLc
'colorcd people became, ipso jacto, in.
vested with civil rights, as part OF the
body polite. What now is tke body
polite 1t is defined, a nation or
community, us constituted under gov.
,ernmeut or polity," Now, ceasing to
be slaves, these persons became free
being detached from condition Of sla-
very they fell logically into condition
Of tree citizenship, and as such, entitled
to all civil rights. AS the Hon. B. II.
qIill says:
"JAall society or government are
r'32Ss'EtsSto be enjoyed, burdens to be
borne, and trusts to be discharged.
Among tie rights arc the right 0;
property; the right Of loconotion; the
rightto appropriate and dispose Of the
proceeds of our own labor; the right to
worship according TO conscience and
che right to protection from society III
she enjoyment of all these rights, and
ahe right to havo all the legal processes
and remedies provided to make this
protection cfectial. These arc called
civil rights; and when we speak of civil
equality, we mean .thatthcse rights be.
long alike and equally to all citizens. tc
all classes, to all colors, to all sexes, to
all ages, and to all grades Of intellect
society and worth. These rights neces.
sarly attach to and hecome conditions
of free citizenship. The negro is ent
tied to all these rights. And being nov
deprived of theproteetion which, as {
slave, lie received from his owner, al
good men ought to rejoice that no car
still be safe under the protection Of TIT
law; and being 'unaccustomed to asser
his rights--a work which was formerl,
performed by his master-all true mel
ought to be ready to aid him in that as
eertion."
inow ask you to observe That tn,
fssaolutQp o. the Con vept,on goes on t
= - 1900 .--"- -