The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-01-31
CHI RLE S ON.
FRIDAY MORNING, JANUARY 81, 1858.
The Colored Delegates.

Beyond all question the best men in the
convention, now holding it's sessions at the
Club House, are the colored members
Considering the influences under whioh
thew were called together, and their imper-
feot acquaintance with parliam sntary usage,
they have displayed for the most part
remarkable moderation and dignity; and
have produced some of the best speeches IN
the convention. They have indeed some
advantages which aliens and renegades
have not enjoyed-such as al association,
in the past, with gentlemen, and zeal for
the welfare of South Carolina. They re-
member with lively indignation how often,
on one pretext or other, the hand of the
demagogue, ,litical or ecclesiastical, has
been thrust into their pockets-a pGltry
,pilfering Of which "the rebels" were never
Nilty. They have assembled neither to
pnNl Nlwires like some, nor to make money
like eAothers; but 70 legislate for the welfare
of $s race to which they belong, and the
State where they were born. So far as
the labor in this direction, they deserve
the encouragement of all coed men.
1t is important that this Tedeeming ele-
ment of the convention should not be neu-
tralized. The colored members would be
untrue to the cause committed to them, if
they should permit themselves to be made
the cat's-paws of any man or clique, or
league, or party. They are not called to-
gether to disfranchise any one; or 10 rob
any one of his property, whether by confs-
cation or e1orbitant taxation; or to assert
social equality which cam OF be regulated
By law and does not exist among the white
race itself; or to provide for an amalgama-
ton of races that would eventually destroy
both; or to stuff ROBERTSON purse; or en-
large WEBsTER's church; or to give WHIr-
rrMoRE with his bellows, or PILIsDURI
with his dark lantern, CT Fort Sumter
MOSES, their coveted place in Congress.
They are not called together to establish
anarchy, or proclaim African supremacy at
the South, or make shameless bargains for
political plunder, which in The end the dem
agogue will manage to pocket and they
must manage to pay.
There are just three questions that the
colored members of the convention have to
considsr=ihe aueatinn of tha- Lanai Lrinbts
the question of suffrage, the question of
education. The rights of the negro were
formerly represented in tae courts by the
master; there was certain political rep
resentstion in the three-6fths apportion-
ment in Congress; education was casual and
sporadic. What Safeguards and benefits in
these three particulars may the freedmen
now claim? What may he fairly and justly
expect to secure! These embrace NIL that
he needs to consider; and the oounsellors
are not to be trusted who would either, on
the one hand, betray him to sectional
party which will soon perish; or who, on
the ether, would encourage him to make
e1travagant demands which the people of
South Carolina and of tho United States at
large will certainly repudiate.
What part Of the convention work WILL
stand, is doubtful-certainly not that which
is unjust, ine1pedient, or even unnecessary.
In these stormy times when brick and stone
may be cast to the ground, there in no hope
for stucco and plaster.