Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-06-25


them. Let US clip few paragraphs from
pamphlets emanating from the Conserva-
tive Committees Of South Carolina and
Louisiana--the two States where the doc
trine Of negro supremacy rubs hardest
against the traditions and pride Of the
white race. WE el
The South Carolina remonstrance is
prepared by committee Of FIVE well,
known old citizens Of the State, headed
by the fighting ex-Rebel cayalryman,
Wade Hampton. Hopens with a search
ing, dispassionate examination of tho
new Constitution and proves that the
instrument is intended to establish, not
the equal righIs, but the supremacy of
the negro race Passing over the aboli-
ton Of the right of trial by jury in GER
tain cases TART ], sec. 49,, and the pro-
vision (art ] sec. 24) enabling the
Legislature to authorize any police or
military officer to suspend the laws Of the
State or their execution, we come to the
direct question Of negro supremacy;
Art. 8, Sec ., enfranchises every male
negro over the age of tEenty-one, whether
convict, felcn, or pauper, and disfran-
chises every white man who has held office
in South Carolina. Intelligence, virtue
and patriotism are 10 give place, in all
elections, TO ignorance, stupidity and vice.
The superior race is to be made subservient
to the inferior. Taxation and representa-
ton are no loneerto be united. They who
own no property are TO levy taxes, and
make all appropriations. The property
holders have to pay these taxes without
having any voice in levying them The
consequence will be, in effect, Conti5cation.
The appropriations to support free schools
for the education Of negro children, for the
support Of old negroes in the pOor-houses,
and The vicious in iails and penitentiary,
together with a standing army Of negro
soldiers, will be crushing, and utterly
ruinous TO the State.
Art. 8, sec. s, expressly prohibits the
Legislature passing any law depriving a
convict Of larceny Of the right Of suffrage.
II was apprehended that in a few years
large proportion Of the negro voters might
be convicted of larceny, and the Radical
party thereby shorn of their strength in all
elections. But is it not most shameful, that
in forming Constitution, care should be
taken TO prevent rogues from being disfran-
chised, whilst the same caution is exercised
to exclude the most intelligent, virtuous
and patriotic from the right of suffrage? ?
II would seem that the purpose Of the
framers Of this Constitution was TO found
community of rogues and paupers in South
Carolina And 80 astute have they been in
carrying out their purpose, that they pro-
vide in section u, that all who have
already been convicted of felony shall be
allowed to vote.
The Legislature of South Carolina
elected under the new Constitution, is
composed as follows Senate--Whites,
20; colored, u House Of Representa-
tativos-Wh 81; colored, &C. Total
whites, 81 total colored 90. The white
majority in the Senate, or at least sufi-
cient portion of it for political purposes,
is in agreement with the negro element,
while in the House the blacks have pro-
portion 10 the whites Of almost two to
one, Il is a negro Legislature, as the
Constitution meantit should be--the COM
vention which formed the Constitution
having been composed of colored, "A,
whites AZ. Having the full power, and
acting undar the pernicious advice of
Northern Radicals, the negroes could not
resist the temptation to preserve it by a
series Of unconstitutional and tyrannical
measures, such as these to which the re-
mOnstrants refer. Another of the same
class is commented upon in the South
Carolina pamphlet as follows
Art. !, section %, clearly and distinctly
empowers aud authorizes the Legislature
10 keep up and maintain standing army
ia time Of peace! This alarming power is
given, too, most adroitly, under the pre-
tence that armies being dangerous to liber-
ty, ought not to be maintained in time Of
peace without the consent Of the General
Assembly r. The purpose of this section
is to enable the Legislature TO keep a regu-
lar force OF five or ten thousand negro sol
diers, TO suppress and keep in subsection
the white race, after the United States
troops are removed from South Carolina.
The Constitution of the United States es-
pecially prohibits any State keeping
troops or ships Of war in time OF peace"
But this Constitution declares il may be
done with the consent Of the Legislature.
The Louisiana protest covers nearly
the same ground as that from which we
have quoted The Louisiana Constitu>
ton has the same features Of negro su-
premacy and tyranny as the South Caro-
lima pattern. All the new Southern Con.
stitutions have family resemblance,
proving that they originate from one or
two busy brains at the Washington head
quarters. Every negro over twenty-one
years Of age is allowed to vote, while the
following sweeping disfranehisement is
leveled at the whites;
Those whc held Office, civil or military,
for one year or more, under the oYganiza-
tioa styled The Confederate States Of
America y those who registered themselves
as enemies Of the United States; those who
acted as leaders OF guerilla bands during
the late rebellion those who, in the sdvo-
oacy Of treason, wrote or published news
paper articles or preached sermons during
ihe late rebellion and these who voted for
and signed an ordinance OF secession 10 any
State. No person included in these exoep-
tons shall either vote or hold Office until
be shall have relieved himself by voluntary
writing and signing a certificate setting
forth that he Acknowledges the late rebel
lion 10 have been morally and politically
! wrong, and that he regrets any aid and