The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-05-13
Remonstrahee 10 ,Cohgress frorn the
White People or South Caroiina
Ag01nee thu Couslitutfoh,N - Nf

| and Col. u. d. Childs, REPRESENTING
the State Central Executive Commit.
tee Of the Democratic party Of South
Carolina, came hither to present to
Congress remonstrance on the part
of the white people OF South Caro-
lima against the constitution recently
adopted by the Reconstruction Con
vention. To-day the committee ap-
l'peared before the Reconstruction
Committee Of the House OF Repre-
sentatives. Mr.. Stevens received
them with courtesy, Col. Thomas,
chairman OF the committee and rep.
resentipg the State Central Executive
Committee, remarked that in analyz-
ing the proposition Of the constitu.
tion for South Carolina, there were
two objections which stood ont in
bold relief-undualifed nenro anf-
frage and the taxation power BE,
argued to show their disastrous effects
upon both races. The constitution
established taxation without repre-.
sentation. Those who have no pro-.
perty are to tax those who have all
the property. Under the constitu-
ton 50, 600, 600 might be Lraised in
the way of taxes, 81 900, 900 of which
is for educational purposes, and vet
these advantages were to be enjoyed
by the blacks alone, as white chill
dren would not attend black schools.
The State heretofore, in its most pros
porous days, had not been able to bear
tax OF more than from three to four
hundred thousand dollars annually.
Col. Thomas, in conclusion, said he
felt it to be his duty to state to the
committee, THAT while the whites are
willing to concede to the negro all of
civil rights and qualified suffrage,
yet the white race would never
acquiesce in negro rule. "You NAV
make US pass" he said, under the
yoke and we shall have to do so, but
by every means which God and Con-
gress have left us under the constitu-
tion and laws, we will resist this do
mination of an inferior race. By
peaceful means, by political efforts,
by industrial agencies, we will carry
on this political contest, until we
regain the control which of right be-
longs to the power of mind and the
influence of virtue. Nor can YOU
have prosperity in the South under
your reconstruction scheme; but give
the South fair showing, restore the
States to the Union on q just basis, and
again will our people return with
willing hearts to the Union, and the
same energy, the same self sacrifice,
the same valor which they gave to
the lost cause, will they give now to
the Union, provided you meet them
In spirit of just magnanimity, and
concede to them the rights to which
they deem themselves entitled"
The remonstrance. which is quite
lengthy. is signed by Wade Hamp-
ton, John z. Thomas, Joseph Daniel
Pope, F. W. McMaster, Samuel
MCGOWAN and w. NJ. Shannon, State
Central Executive Committee. and
relterates the position taken by the
conservatives Mt the late State Con-
vention, recognizing the "colored
population in the State as an integral
element of the body polite" and
concludes as follows:
"In hehalf at least of the Democra-
tic party of South Carolina, which
embraces nearly every white inbabi-
tant. and many of the colored people,
the committee declare that this
policy represents the political senti-
ment OF the State. We offer this in
good faith, as the basis of n true, gen
uine and lasting reconstruction. This.
we earnestly believe, is the peaceful
solution of the great question of white
man and black man in the South.
This solution We offer to the con-
servatism of the country, as one alike
advantageous to both races. Let
this be accepted; let the vexed aues-
tlon OF the black man be removed
from the high court of the land, and
let all our people, North, South, East
and West, be permitted harmoniously
and earnestly to address themselves
to the great work of individual i'm.
provement and national aggrandize-
ment-then again may we expect q
return of the better days of the re-
public and restoration of the Union
IN fact as well as in name.
The Reconstruction Committee
this morning agreed to report the
Constitution of South Carolina, with
an agreement inserting o proviso
about suffrage, similar to the one
inserted In the Arkansas Constitution.
lNew York Herald, oh.