The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1870-06-29

II AAW %DE O41e4 StsSt$t ~ NAVNs x
! Dir. EplT0R ~ Alts tsodS you have
hitherto slxAn Jeas aSssai y the fofma.
tion ofthis nsx pSssys Ns DO moi SUPPOSE
you sppteve Of All th.i.wds said asthe
Convention reesptlyhsid IN Oolambis.
But whether: this be. 50. ..oraot, wedoubt
not your eolumns'are open 70 fair criti-
cism upee the action Of the Convention,
its messures and its nominees. -
We confess that ws have read lhe
proceedings with astonishment. Senti-
ments have beon uttered by Carolinians
which fill our minds with dismay, and
our hearts with pain.
If the gentlemen who have given
their aid to the movement had entered
the Republican Party, although. We
would have grieved over their defeOts4!
we could have understood their language.
But We aro at loss to fathOm the
meaning of certain expressions which
fell from the lips of men like Butler,
Kershaw, and Thomas, in a Convention
held avowedly to break down Republi'
car rule in South Carolina. But to
facts.
"Put none but Republicans in nomi.
nation," says Kershaw-tho forlorn
hope Of the whites in this State-im-
migration-he denounoes as can inva-
sion by all the nations Of the earth"
The colored people are, "brethrcn. I"
He speaks of the "lamcnted" Randolph,
"of unblemished reputation !" A fair
and legitimate sequel to all this negro
worship was the same gentleman's de-
clared preference for nominee for
LIEUT.. Governor.
Gen. Butler declares that "black aud
white are common people" "there is
no reason why We (black and Whitley
should not be united in oil our purpo-
ses." He admits "the Platform is fully
expressive of the ideas Of the Republi-
can Party" and assigns as his only OBJ.
lection 70 joining that party the system
of Leagues which he dislikcs. He be-
rates the Scott administration because
they have not given the negroes Offices
enough and caps the climax with these
words: "The spirit of Randolph calls
in tones of vengeance for judicial re-
dressw
Col. Thomas, who admits that at first
the movement was against his judgment,
now sees in the Reform Party the
blessings of Heaven He is ready to
"throw aside the prejudice of color and
race" Ho adds eve do not demand that
tho government of South Carolina
should be white mans government"
He declares that colored Legislators hold
their seats in accordance with "right :,
equity, policy aud principle "
| We have confined our remarks to the
speaches of men Of known and honored
reputation, the real leaders of the Con-
vention. One speaker, Mr.. Keitt, seems
80 far. to- have out Hcroded Herod, that
his utterancrs fell stillsborn upon the
ears of his hearers. That any man
could dare to announce such sentiments,
in an assemblage Of Carolinians, is q
sufficient comment upon the Convention
itself. "The tears and groans ofslavcry
ascendcd to Heaven" and Lincoln be-
came the chosen instrument ofGod to-
avenge the wrongs Of tho negroes
Alas poor South Carolina! that any
son of thy soil should utter, unrebukcd,
such atrocio6s, such slanderous ealum-
nics.
OF tho Platform we have little to say.
The substantial meaning to be gathered
from its long array "glittering gener-
ali;ies," is that because an uuscrupu-
lous and tyrannical majority has forced
upon the whites Of tho South, negro
suffrage, and negro equality, therefore
we are bound to carry out in good faith
those unwelcomo enactments. In 9th.
er words, because we are powerless, to
take from the masses Of uneducated
ignorant negroes that suffrage for which
they are totally unfit, therefore we
mnst acknowledge that they ought to
have it, and VIC arc bound, in good faith,
to elect them to full share OF the Off
ces of honor, trust and profit.
As for the candidates put forth by
the Convontion, we have word to say
Who is Judge Carpenter An adven.
turer from Kentucky who came to
South Carolina, with his carpet bag in
hand, and in that carpet bag, an ap.
pointmcnt as Register in Bankruptcy
Having sucked that orange dry, and
having as is reported, converted its
sweet and golden juice into money to
the amount of sixty to one hundred
thousand dollars, he the Commission
or of Bankruptcy himself becomes q
voluntary bankrupt, on the last day
allowed by the law on which to flo his
schedule
Having thus paid his debts, he assumes
tho Judiciul Ermine aud is highly
praised because he, being now safely
cnoconoed in a fat Office and having no
longer tho fear of radical opposition,
condesconds to decide cases brought
before him, according to the law aud
evidence.