The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-01-21
VOLUME III-NO. 259

State IS not represented by syour
body. Hence, the very high duty is
devolved upon you of discharcino
the Important trusts confded to your
care, in such manner as to commend
your action to the confidence and
support, not only Of those by whom
you were elected, but of those who
refused to go to the polls and vote in
the election.
say to you, very frankly, that I
regard this body as invested with the
sovereign power Of the State, and
that the Constitution which you NAV
adopt for the people of South Caro-
lima, is one which will not only be
ratified and accepted by Congress.
but one under which all classes in
South Carolina will live for years to
come.
The party which has passed the
Reconstruction laws, has undisputed
control of the Government in both
Houses of Congress, and will retain
it until the 4th of March, 1869.
Prior to that time Presidential
election will occur. The probability
is that an individual representing the
Conservative and Democratic ele-
ment in the North and West, will be
elected President. 1t may be that
q Conservative element will largely
preponderate in the next election for
members of the House of Repre-
sentatives, on the 4th day of March,
1869, are Conservative or Demo-
cratic, and opposed to the legislation
that may have been adopted; it will
be impossible to effect o repeal of
these Acts, obnoxious as they are to
the new party, prior to the 4th of
March, 1871. Confirmed as I am,
therefore, in the opinion that the
legislation Of the present and pre-
ceding Congress will remain in force
until the 4th of March, III, and til at
any Constitution adopted by this
Convention will continue to be of
force until that time at least, I have
felt it to be my duty as the Execu-
tive of the State, and as an indi-
vidual, to be present in Charleston
during the session of your Conven-
ton, in the hope that, through official
if not personal influence, I may ac-
complish something in securing from
the Convention, a liberal, just and
Wise Constitution.
If such Constitution is adopted,
harmony. good feeling and prosper
ity will prevail. If, however, ex-
treme views and measures are en-
grated upon that instrument, it will
increase the interest which now exists
between the two races, and force the
whites of the State, who have the
means to do so, to leave its borders
and seek homes in other communi-
ties. 1t will produce discomfort and
dlsquict everywhere, and confidence,
trade and enterprise will all be para
lyzed. AS responsible duties are,
therefore, devolved upon you as We're
ever devolved upon n similar body of
men in any State, the interest and
prosperity of South Carolina depend
not only upon law and good Con-
stitution, but upon the kind relations
which are to be established between
the two races.
1t is idle to disguise the fact that
the white and colored races, where
they have been thrown together, with
equal privileges, have rarely, if ever,
been able to harmonize.
The experiment of giving to the
colored people of the South all of the
privileges of the franchise is a novel
one, and time only can determine
whether it is to be success or q
failure. On the one hand, it is said
that the negro is utterly incapable of
exercising the rights and privileges
of a citizen. On the other hand, it
is said that the ''rebel"-the man
who participated in the war-should
not be allowed to participate in tn
Government. Those of you who are
to the manor born, knowIthe fact that
very few white men in South Caro-
lima abstained from some participa-
tion in the late war. You know, fur
ther, that the intelligence, wealth and
virtue of South Carolina entered
into that war, and that when
it is attempted to disfranchise or
denounce these persons as unworthy
of public trust, it is to exclude the
real intelligence and experience of
the State from her councils. This is
one Of the reasons why so little ex-
perience is to be found in your body.
To supply this deficiency, it is the
duty of the Convention to give to
every question that may be submitted
the gravest and most potent consi-
deration. When you appreciate the
foot thot tho inteJliOanna of tho ,vb; 40