The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-03-09
CHI A r ES TON {.
MONDAY MORNING, MARCH 9, 1868.
A Speech for the Times.

The most eloquent and powerful speech
vet delivered in the Virginia Convention
was pronounced by Mr.. SoUTHAII OF Ohar-
lottesville, on Monday, February "a, during
the debate upon the suffrage question. This
gentleman, conservative Virginian, has
won reputation in the conduct of the Char
lottesville Chronicle, as good journalist,
devoted patriot, ripe scholar, and an able
iurist. His paper, during the last summer
was the first to urge the harmonious co-ope-
ration of whites and blacks for the good Of
| the State.
Mr.. sourHALL maintained that there was
no Republican party in Virginia, but only
negro party; and'denOunced the treaohery
of those native Virginians and the hypoc-
risy of those Northern Radicals who are
misleading the negro to secure office. he
called attention to the resistless majoritles
who. in every Northern State, are hostile 10
negro suffrage, aud stigmatized the mean
ness of the people who recoil with such
violent and sensitive rebound from this
thing among themselves, and yet force it, In
the name Of human rights, on these un-
happy communities at the point of the bay
opet-as q measure of justice which'no rea-
sonable white man ought to object TO-
Without any knowledge of our wants their
emissaries come from the North to make
Virginia constitution-an e1pertmentam W
corpore vil, as if they were the philosophers
and we the dogs on which to test some newly
discovered gas. Never was more well-timed
the prescription: "Physician heal thyself."
To the colored people he predicted that
the dream of Africo-Americanism would
perish as precipitately as JoNAH's gourd.
He read some passages not only from Mr.
JErFERsoN's writings, but also from MIR.
L1NcoLN's speeches, to the effect that the
two races could not coeXist upon the plat
form of social equality in the same society.
He proclaimed that soon the teeming mil
lions of the North would find their way
down here, and as they were more intole-
rant of the black race than the people Of
the South, that race would find no mercy
in Northern eyes. He warned them of the
inevitable" consequences to themselves of
this second invasion Of the Northmen. He
had the kindest- -feelinGs himself for the
colored men, and heartily rejoiced In their
emancipation, for he believed in universal
freedom, and, in his humble way, he would
do all in his power for their elevation and
adyancement-wouldh have them educated,
and see them collected in homes of their
own; "but if it come to the worst, and
thoughtless and bad politicians succeed in
permanently antagonizing the races, have
but one political sentiment, and that is, 1
an, achne man. If you compel us to the
election which race is to 60 down, then
every white man in the South must, by ne
cessity, hearken to the invocation, 'To your
tents, o Israeli"
1t was not expected that these utterances,
although coming from one Of the most car
nest and active friends of the colored peo-
pie in Virginia, would modify the action Of
the convention. Yet their Importance can
not be questioned. A suffrage based upon
some respectable qualification whether IN
regard to property or intelligence, may be
secured permanently for the colored race
A suffrage, which is simply per capita, ex-
tending to ali (even paupers who arc unable
to pay the poll-ta1 being included), cannot
stand. Abstract arguments in regard to
the privilege of universal suffrage, arc alto
gether out of place. Every one can see
that the country neither can nor will accept
it now.