The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-11-10
The Conference Of the Union Reform
Party I'm Columbia.
LProm the Marion Star.l ~ !.

A conference OF representative men or the Re-
form party from the whole state Is 10 axe piace
In Columbia this week. What questions VIII come
IN for action tn this Conference we do not know.
but W e desire TO say a few words on the general
policy proper to be pursued by the Intelligent
Thare have been vague rumors that, at the COM
tng conference, q retraxlt OF the declarations Of
the Reform party IN recognition OF the poItlcai
rights OF the coored people OF the State was 70 De
mada upon the ground That. 10 the receat eiec.
non they nave shown themselves unworthy and
ami. 70 exercise those righ g.. we entirely dis
credit n,se rumors, but we think tt rlght ior our
seyrs ann we believe Tor the people OF Inis coun.
ty distinctly declare our position on tnls polns.
We abi,iu 10 day by. every engagement and decla-
ration made BY cur party IN the Canvass our po-
sitlUu WOO right then: we STAND ny IL in IetLer
and spirit now Nor VIII tne noness ana t1e o1 er
Of MarlcY stand bS any party, or leaders OF par
ty, which. IN q few weeks after an eiecti1n, dis-
ca, ds aud abandons Its platform anu tneir piat-
form because OF defeat. -,
The truth Is, that In South CaroHna to'uay tle
prayest and most solemu problem tnat mas ever
occurred or ever can occur IN the history OF Tue
human race, Is In the process OF soutlun. we
have two races OF different copirs 70 matk tne
difference perceptiblY and unmistaSaoly; one
race has held the other tu slavery Tor nearly TWO
Centuries: suddenly the bonds Of slavery have
been broken by the result VI leVoiutlon auu aL'
aud the euslaye,I have been not merely emancl-
pated, but lnye ted with every polltlcsi rlgnG OF
the ruling race on terms OF perfect equality Tile
,he whites nv an overwhelming majority, and 80
far as q mere numerical majority Can couuG nave
ali power; but In education In wealth, ID all tnas
cnnstItutes moral power, they are utterly DELI
Client. The whites, Inferior IN numbers, yet nave
every element OF moral respUnsl0lilty. dweaiGi,
education, ,courage-eyerythlngl In Wnicn nlgniy
civilized people excel rude ana oaipalous peo'
pie. ,,., =, ,,o ,.,,,o,,
compncoted a. 1t may be, the result 10 tne eye OF
The thoughtful student OF history would noG ne
g,a
caIcnl ,ble leuept in the problem. South Caro-
lima "a t0.,Iay n conquered province; ner nstitu,
tions are t the result OF anv falr choice OF her
neuplt but are imposed upon her Dy the oay one's
Or mighty nation, WHICH mas S mic mg H1 Iy na.
tIon is itself in conflict with sell no nereoitary
monarchy, no state empire, no sett!ea p9licy
controls it. Two great parties representlng dll-
ate struggle for supremacy, and each looks to
South Carolina, and the other SoutnerD
conuuered provinces, as likely u noio tne
balance of power In this CON est. one OF these
psrtie, holds the Federal Government, anu uses
ali tie power and patronage OF the government,
not To tuild up the common good, not to promote
the prosperity Of al the people OF every race ana
every color, but 10 perpetuate lts supremacy.
And hence we have here IN 50 tn OaroiILa, Us ~ ~
many Of the other Southern States, swarm OF
a,iyenturers from the Northern states, VINO are OF
neither race, and care for neither race, VINO
Wuuld not dare to stay here single day Dut Ior
the support Of the Federal Goserunea-mno GI
univ sees to rob and pIunder both races, and
h55se noiI,i:al existence depends absolutely upon
nrom0ting aninosity and hostility between the
two races. .,,,o al, uh,to ;ond
black heard these people, ana We a kn1M %a ana
To,nlinscn and Stoeber. Their accents may oe
difrrrent; their teachings are one. Ihey SPEAK o!
no happy futur when we snail agrees nIen ny
common counSels. white anu oiack' we m s,a. az slaie
h1f
of a past when he was oppressed, anu tney invoke
him io revenge that past by seiueu naIreo 70
tho whites. which shalt involve Wnite anu Dlack
In common rum. and make tneln coninou
prey to the thlevlsh and depEaveu
So far these appeals to the rlodlctlye pass!ons
Of The colored race has been successlui; II was
in vain to convince them that Scott an9 ms mlch.
ed crew had plundered the treasury, hau stoieil
the ney voted by the state 10 rnish ' Sd
Children. white and black. and 10 iurnlsn MONIES
Tor the poor. The reply was Dy Wolthiugsoa anu
Tumlinsun, Stoeber, and talas nat ~ smouiu wv oe
sol Rone,t F. Graham. Better that IL slloulu oe so
better that the treasury shon!S ~ than that
white men should be trusted by oiack men. ~ Sucn
has been the verdict OF the back race III Soutn
Carolina at the late elec ION, a"u VIC e"nuol CA
tenuate the guilt OF THAI Verulct ,oo,o.o -,or
But what then? Shall we rn nnele,Hle s uS upon This
sSIl. and reared up with US under tnis Soi;. 'esi
sum- Nu no. no. Sound policy lorpius .s II; nI,n sne
voice OF reason and wisdom lof plls ~. I'LL
Iation of Almighty God In His sacred WORD lorolas
T If. We II have pieiged our sacred ionorIo me col
ored people to acknowledge tei, Sns ian and to
labor for their prosperity In common win ON our
own. Here In Marion we have sought aa ncg,
gent colnred man to place upon u,ce 0ar WiIIiams
ticket Ir either Ben Thompson or BRUCE IIIosd
would have accepted our NOMINATION, tley woula
to-day be returned as members OF tae LegsaoaIe
rom Marion county Nelson Fore, coored man.
received 1888 votes more than Rooelt Z. no a
nt1r
have said. we Will trust Scott, the Yankee, oeiore
we will Butler, the South Caroinian, Wno pieuge9
his honor and nisllfe to be true to all nis people,
white and black. ,,,,,o,
But we can never 20 back upon our pledges,
and the gentlemen Of the State never WIN. be,
cause we are gentlemen; because we speak Tue
truth; because duty and honor require IT, we must
and will stand BY our solemn pledges.
do Ii ~ hlQck man In SOQLQ