The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1870-07-20
!. WEDNEsDAY MORNING JULY q.

lRENlsEA41 41y ssysS Sjll4 II :
s,s: s5:sss;s::.s<ss Z. - !: -, !.
,!Il!TY And Q! 6,Ell EltAL
South 'Carolins. fsssin9 ALOHA apoa. thl
votes of the. Afri6ahs 4 deelaia. .!ts !, -
The people of SoatH Carelins made
|'no effort "a Ay6ftsof q oauStol ths pro,
gross Of: the onsttaction acfs. They
contsnted thsmSelves with dshounoiu6
their iniquity and their eunstitut ion
ality. Alas alas ! this hes not arrested
their progress. An appesi = was, made
against them to tho people Of tho UutA
ted States, in the late Presidential elec-
tion. In common with other Democrats,
I appealed to the eolored people to, vote
for their own disfrAuchisement, but, sad
to tell, they wouldn't do it. They had
not yet reached that point Of sumbli-
mated magpanimi:y. The majority of
tho white people Of the country, too,
deaf to the appeals to their pride or
prejudice of race, affirmed the policy
aud principles of the reconstruction acts.
The Supreme Court recognised them
as law, and all the South sacoepted the
situation" The fifteenth Amendment
to the Constitution, however adopted,
has acquired the form of law-has been
accepted as law in the practice Of all
the States, aud can never be reversed
but by revolution or repeal. To which
of these measures do you, sir, invite us,
as means of maintaining the "Princi-
pies of Right, Of Justice, of Truth,
which wo practiced and upheld in the
past?"
What were those principles7 Tho
right of secession? Undoubtedly it
,oas right, but VIC lost it by the war,
and surrendered it when we accepted
life. property, and civil law, conditioned
with the amended oath Of allegiance.
The justice of self government under
the constitution aud laws of our fathers,
Us construed by Calhoun? When the
perfection of human reason is attained
in tho age of millenial glory, 1 believe
We may hope for restoration of that
justice.
The Truth that human slavery is con-
sistent with Christian morality? BY the
constitutional enactments OF the People
Of South Carolina, in Convention assem-
blcd, in 1886, that has been rendered q
more abstraction, which 1 care not to
discuss.
I know Of no party in the South
whose banner is inscribed with the
watchwords "Repcal or Revolution"
and because see no hopc for South
Carolina to escape from grovelliug ruin,
poverty and despair, in any othor way,
| have aided in olevating the bloodlcss
banner Of "Union and Reform" and
have at my side thank God! tho best
and bravest of those who upbore the
Conquered banner until God and reason
bade them furl it. That my friends
abroad may judge of the justice of your
criticism, 1 have traced my Thoughts in
coun ection with the events of the past
few years, that they may comprehend
my course in tho late Convention. My
friends here know that went into that
convertion to take no leading part, but
to aid in preserving tho ancient land
marks, while promoting the proposed
reform.
In order to 10 so tho more aivisedly,
I had endeavored to put in writing what
I believed to be the principles upon
which those who approached the subject
from our standpoint could invite the CO.
opperation of the oolored people, without
whose assistance the whole movement
was ON impraoticable absurdity. These
resolutions were forced out in the con-
vention by circumstances. They did
create some "sensatiou" when read,
chiefly, l have reason to believe, because
thoy chanced to embody, in guarded Ian
guagc, what all believed to be the pur-
pose of the convention. BE that as it
may, the fact is they were reported by
tho Committee, unanimously adopted by
tho Convention, (with one exception }
and have received sufficient of friendly
criticism from the Press Of this State, to
crafty any petty vanity which their au-
thor may have felt in his bautling. He
is at least willing that his friends should
judge him by them. These are the reso.
lutions:
"This Convention, representing citi-
zens of South Carolina, irrespective Of
party, assembled to organize the good
people Of the State, in an effort to re-
form the present incompetent, extra
VACANT, prejudiced and corrupt admin
istration of the State Government, and
to establish just and equal laws, order,
harmony, and econo omy in public ex-
ponditures, strict accountability of
Office holders; and tho election to Office
only Of men Of known honesty and in
tegrity--both declare and announce the
following principles, upon which mon
of all parties may unto for the purpose
foresaid
"1. The fifteenth Amendment Of the
Constitution of the United States, hav>
ing been by the proper authorities
proclaimed ratified by tho requisite
number of States, and having been re
coivcd and acquiesed in as law in all the
States of the Union, ought to be fairly
administered and faithfully obcycd as
fundamental law.
"2. Tue vast changes in our system OF