Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1868-02-01

possible to, frame Il constitution in conformit,
with tho provisions.of the acts Of Congress
My advice upon the subject ought, | think
!, to have been received ms disintcrcstcd simon
the execution of these laws excluded me from
all the privileges of a citizen, because bc.
longed to the disfranchscd class.
At the extra session in July tho legislature
made tho restrictions cyen more stringent
than they were before, and this harshness on
tbe'partof. Congress has had much to do with
tho action OF the white people of South Caro-
llna, In refusing to 50 to the polls and partic-
'pate IN li.'y any respect whatever in tho election
Eot delegates to the convention. In this, 1
ti'nksa M great mistake has bcon committed by
que sgeat minority OF whites OF South Carroll
| ma ff'hly Judgment was,Sand is, that every
waite man who registered should have goneto
the polls and voted. oyen 20 further |
thlnk that tho whites, who have the iuteli.
genco to very large extent, should, in con.
ventlon or otherwise, have submitted to the
colored people OF the State propositions as to
the privileges and franchises which they are
entirely willing to extend to them, now that
the whole of the race have been declared free,
not only by the constitutional amendment
but bythcc action of the convention of the
State, E
The fact cannot be disguised however, that
the white population has almost unanimously
abst"ncd frou, exercising the privilege, and
your convention is Therefore, strictly speaking,
the representative only Of the colurcd popdlu-
ton of South Carolina. This being the case,
it cannot be denied, that the intelligence, re.
lincment and wealth of Che State is not repre-
scntcd by your body. Hence the very high
duty is devolved upon You Of discharsing the
important trusts conhdcd to your care in such
manner as to commend your action to tho
confidence and support, not only of those by
whom you were elected, but of those who re-
fused to 50 to the polls and vote in tho cleo
lion.
say to you, very frankly, that regard
this body as invested with tho sovereign pow
or OF tho State and that the constitution
witch you may adopt torthe people OF South
O'rollha' IS one whlon "'ll not only DC ratl-
nco ana acs0p'ou " congress- nu' one unaef
wils' VIM - o'"ss'' ~ oou'A oatoilna VIII I'VE
'I'o' !: yo''s ~ coo,c.
ne party "hloh has passed the iteconstrnc
''o'' mWs, mas ""a'Sputea contro' OF the gov
etli9pons i ~ ootn houses OF Gong Sress, and Will
to''ih u u''l' thc 4eh OF March, looo. FRI
or 70 tlna6 time a1presidcns'al election will oc-
cur Ihe probability that an lndlvidual
representing shc Conservative and Democrat
'c e'c.hoht in theSsort'l 1l ana West will SYbo
c'ccteu tfesiuent' l6 may DC that conscr-
vasVe element VIII largely preponderate In
INC next election for members OF the llouso
OF representatives on thc Eth day Of Nlarch,
looo' VINO arc conservative or Democratic
ana opposed to the legislation that may have
occn adoptssu' IL VIII ne I'M possiolle1to effect
repcaa OF thoso acts, o'otnoxloussas 't they are to
tne nov. party prior to tho 9Th OF March,
loIi. conhrmed lgll.n1e' as am therefore, in the
op'"lon thaI tue Legislation otlthc present and
sprecealng congress VIII re'haln IN force un-
tll OF Mlfoh' ! ana that any con
'st'tutloniadoptea lS py TINS convention Will con
unuci.o poor lorcc unt'l that Tune at 'oast
nave fcle IL 20 Dc my du'y as tho Exec ut've
o' .'nc oea'c' anu as an 'nalVldual, 70 DC pres
W ,,.",,." - ~ , ~ Ia'"s s'io , 1oo' u YOU