The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-04-07

ticcee .o ao Totse 10 10 iDe taken for or
against the Constitution, and upon
the same ticket certain officers are to
be voted for, viz: Governor, Lieute-
nant- Governor, Adjutant and Inspec-
tor-General, Secretary of State,
Comptroller General, Treasurer, At
torney- General, Superintendent of
Education, members of the House of
Representatives and Senator in the
State, and members Of Congress.
Many of the people are opposed to
the ratification Of the Constitution,
and we think the opposition should
be organized. We do not, under the
operation of the Acts Of Congress
and the military orders, expect to
obtain fair expression of the wishes
and judgment of the State. That
we know is impossible. Many good
citizens are DISTINGUISHED, and large
class enfranchised not only without
authority, but in direct opposition to
the laws of the State. But we re-
gard the danger of the country so
imminent, and the matter SO vitality
important to our very existence, that
we have resolved to do our duty, and
urge others to do it, without regard
to consequences or the adverse cir
cunstances surrounding us. We are
In no way responsible for the condi-
tion in which we have been placed,
and we will do what we believe to be
our duty, leaving the result in the
hands of the Almighty.
l. We object to the Constitution
proposed, because, in the name of
liberty, it is forced upon us by the
sword-under pretence of our self-go-
vernment, it is prepared and imposed
by mere adventurcrs and strangers,
Ignorant and in many cases not only
indifferent to our welfare, butactually
inimical to it.
.. We object to it, because the
whole machinery which produced it
is illegal and revolutionary. The
Acts of Congress which initiated,
and the Convention which produced
it, are not only "outside Of the Con-
stitution," but oppressive, anti-Re-
publican and vengeful. The whole
proceeding, it is admitted, was adopt
ed as punishment, because the State
refused to pass the Constitutional
amendment, DISTINGUISHING many of
her best citizens The Constitution
is not the act of the State, but the
decree of her oppressors.
B. We object to it, because the
purpose is not to reconstruct the
State-for that has already been done
at the time and in the manner indi-
Gated by Andrew Johnson, President
of the United States-but to make
South Carolina an ally and supporter
of the radical party-with which the
interest OF party seems moro impor-
tant than tho interest of country
which is struggling to overtime " the
Judicial and Executive departments
of the Government, and whose motto
seems to be "to rule or ruin" The
so-called delegates were mostly emis-
saries and tools of this party.
4. We object to the instrument it.
self. AS we repudiate the parent, we
denounce the progeny. 1t is a patch
work OF contradictions-not made by
the delegates who endorsed it, but
abstracted from the Constitutions of
other States, having different condi-
tions and habits of thought from our
selves.
5. We object to it, because pro-
Tossing to be Constitution, it is full
of mere legislation, Ito say nothing of
the ordinances which were passed., J
indicating that the delegates were Of
opinion that wisdom would die with
themselves, and that it was necessary
to settle beyond possibility of change
every question under the sun. The
Legislature is forbidden to touch
franchise; but it is ordered to pass
the constitutional amendment which
the State has already refused to rati-
fly, and as to which even Ohio, New
Jersey and California withheld their
ratification Aooor,lipr fo fJ,o Gon