The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-05-19

vice. Ine proud race 20 which we
all belong, and of whose civilization
we are proud, is trainpled in the duet
by the debased African. Taxation
without representation for the white
man, and representation without tax.
alton for the negro, is the rule now in
South Carolina. ef,' -
| ''Shade Of the mighty, can it be
| That this Is all remainr Of thee?"
Under that Constitution, the negro
magistrate may, for any offences a
negro Legislature may create, fine
white men any sum not exceeding
500, and imprison him not exceed
ing thirty days, and repeat it as often
as he pleases. Speaking disrespect-
fully of the race, color, or integrity
OF the magistrate, refusing to send
his children to school with negroes,
refusing to sleep in the same bed with
hlm-anything may be made the pre-
text for arbitrary fine and imprison-
ment. A moro convenient mode of
depopulating the State of South On
rolina of her white race, could not
we'll be devised.
The Legislature has power to main
tain a standing army in time of peace
This and the militia provision will
enable sufficient number of profit
gate negroes to be maintained as SOL
diers at the expense of the white tax
payers, to keep the white race in
perfect subsection, and to eat out
their substance.
The whole spirit of the proposed
Constitution is shown in section eight
Of article eight, which reads thus:
"SEc. 8. The General Assembly
shall never pass any law that will de-
prive any of the citizens of this State
of the right of suffrage, except for
treason, murder, robbery, or dueling,
whereof the person shall have been
duly tried and convicted"
These are crimes of which white
men may be guilty. hence disfran-
chisement may be part Of the penalty.
Perjury, burglary, clandestine theft,
arson, rape, the specialities of the
negro race, shall never deprive the
perpetrator of the right of suffrage,
no matter how fragrant or oft repeat
ed. The gentleman who prefers to
settle his difficulties in private single
combat, rather than bring them in
noisy brawl before crowd, is forever
disfranchised, while the convicted
perjurer, the thief, and the negro.
who destroys the home or the child
of the white man, may, and perhaps
would, in honor of the crime, be
elected Governor of the State, or
sent to these halls, as soon as he
leaves the penitentiary.
On behalf of tho Democratic State
Central Committee of South Carroll:
ma. l laid before this House q remon.
STRANGE against this Constitution,
which was referred to the Reconstruct
ton Committee, and by permission
of our Chairman, (Mr. Stevens,) Col.
Thomas, of South Carolina, advo-
Gated the views and principles therein
set forth, with u modesty and ability
that seemed to impress even our dis
tinguished Chairman. I have that
paper here. I wish I had time to
read it to the House. I have not. I
can only make few extracts from it.
and urge the members on both sides,
If they want to understand the true
state of feeling in South Carolina,
and the evils this Constitution would
bring upon that people, to read and
ponder we'll on the hcts therein con-
tanned. After stating many other
grave questions, the Committee add:
1--WE have thus suggested to your
honorable body some of the promi-
nent objections to your adoption of
this Constitution. We waiva oil
argument upon the subject of its
validity. It is n Constitution lie
facto, and that is the ground upon
which we approach your honorable
body in the spirit of earnest remon-
STRANGE. That Constitution was the
work of Northern adventurous, South
ern renegades, and ignorant negroes.
Not one per cent. of the white popu-
lation of the State approves it, and
not two per cent. OF the negroes who
voted for its adoption understand
what his act Of voting implied. That
Constitution enfranchises every male
negro over the age of twenty -onc,
and DISTINGUISHES many Of the purest
and best white men of the State. The
negro being in a large numerical ma
gorlty as compared with the whites,
the effect is that the new Constitu-
ton establishes in this State negro
supremacy, with all its train of count
less evils. A superior race-a por-
-