The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1870-07-06

| q f..
State have given monopoly Of tfs,,,e ~ t''s
| beds to {. corporation for which gift ffsss-ahaia
received SEQ 900 to line their own pocketaNs
| they will let tie poor man go to the devil. lAEas
plauSe.] And so, gentlemen, it will ever be
with them and the colored citizens Of this
State. They are willing 10 keep up the preju-
| dice between the two races uGtil they have ac-
| cOinpl!shed their purpose. and then they don't
! care wliat becomes OF those upon whose votes
| ther nave ridden into power. tApplause.l
! Nr. President, these men are ut work. They
have . nice plan upon which they are opera
| ting. They axe already sending out men into
! every county, WHO are lnatitIlnS into The minds
| OF the people the idea that this Convention Is
| only IN ariful scheme TO carry our race back
into bondage. They say 10 the people that.
notwithstanding the FitteectL amendment, II
ihe Reform party get into power, they Will tase
the ballot from them. The idea is preDos:er-
ona. The Reform party could not. If they
would, and they would not If they could. Ap-
plause.l This Ia = sort OF flank movement
they are attempting, because they are afraid
10 approach squarely in front. To meet this,
committees should be appointed in every
county 70 speak to the colored people, TO res
SOD Mltil them. and teach them to distinguish
between their friends and their foes, who are
LisgracIng the uan.c OF Republican. These
nl..u care notilit. for !he colored people Of
this State, except to make what they can out
OF them. (Applause.l You shonid remind the
people that they were cheated at the last State
election. R.ainu taerl Of the land aud the
mules and ths holses which were promised
them. iAppiaISe snd laughter. HOY lu-
&epiously they dupei our poor ignorant people
in the country who came out to a man and
worked with al their hearts ard souls to Sc
cure the sucscsS OF these adventurous They
PROMISED SO many acres of land, and vet not
c,I0rcti nian has received an acre! They
RI Il
yet Iot Iai!c nor bGshel Of corn or pound
OF bacon las been received by coloIed man
who voted fUr them. But these men got their
places go. their salaries, got their bribes. and
ulel Wio had not dollar when they arrived
are sporting fast horses, riding in SPLENDID
carriages, living IN 6ne houses in grand style,
while the poor are mlny OF them without
shelter. GApparse.l Gentlemen OF my race,
I want You to tell Your ir!ends over the Eh0.e
length and breadth OF South Carolina. that
this Convention has been held fer the purpose
Of uniting sill the friends OF good government
il al effort 70 save the old ship of State which,
under It's present bands, seems lkclc to be
wrecked. Prolonged applausc.l
Colonel J. P. Thomas. or Ricnland. in sup
port OF the report o. the committee, said:
REMARKS OF COLONEL THOMAS.
Mr. President Il feel 1t incumbent upon me,
IS member OF this Convention, and as Z white
m N OF South Carolina, and having full sense
Of my responsibility before the God Of I1uth,
10 express MY earnest and hearty appreciation
Cf The admirable sentiments which have just
fallen from the lips Of the delegate from
Charleston [Mr. Byrd.l | IN. free to say, Sit,
that the sentiments which he has uttered
would 10 honor as the utte:ances OF any Ii g
ofaGy race, in any country, and al any time
(Aopau$e.l
Sir. this Reform movement, il its inception,
dlI not meet with the approval Of my juds
uleut, and 1t was because ] had become, 30 tar
as our coorcd citizens were concerned, 4
doubtiaG TEonis tL2ugiter.l 1 had made
appeal after appeal to them, 1t Is true, upon
less high grounds than those npoa which
uuw stand. and nv appeals haye been treated,
with but 4 few exceptions, as the idle Wind
which is regarded not. And feeling. sir. that
sentiment which is iuEo!u in the breast OF
every ICau It seemed consistent with my prin-
cipes, my sentiments and my dignity 10 close
the argument, so lar az the colored man vas
concerned. Eut, sir, am tree this day. and
in ak caudor, To declare that recede trom that
proposition. [Appause.l l believe, before
High Heaven, that in Lhs canvass We can use
the element OF truth and go forth conqIcrlDG
and to conquer; that the colorcd man and white
lnYu, seiZ nG with muscular hands the banner
OF Reform, have within their power to plant
it on the yerY Gil. -. vi our conquerorS. Ap-
plauSc ] Sir. / eau very well conceive that the
blessings Of Heaven itself may have rested
upon the Inception OF this movement. Iuduig
ing somewhat il the imagination, may suS-
gest that the genius Of Charity, the genius q
Harmony, and the genius OF Patriotism, met
to.e; her for high converse and noble counseis,
aud tlat under the influence OF that Heaven
born spirit, 1t occurred to them, in behalf OK
Carolina, and OF truth TO nau@urate just such
movement as we have this day iuaug
lapplausel and as honestly suppose, lnau-
guratcd 1t upon the basis Of truth, which in
the end will give /: the amplest success.
Sir, as I interpret this movement, It is
movement in behalf Of South Carolina, and for
hcr prosperity. Throwing aside the prejudice
of color and of race-thI lowing aside the stan
dards OF party-it becomes US, ca this occa-
sion, 10 lift ourselves to the heights ofgenerous
patriotism, and, with one mind and with one
.oul, and with ranks closed and banners iyiug,
10 move en- to the rescue and redemption OF
the Palmetto State. [hpplause.l
Mr. President, will say to you that With the
amendment proposed by the honorable MEM
l,er Of tic committee General kershawl cor
Liaiy endorse the proposition contained III the
platform they have reported, and IN king
that endorsement I contend that l slnk DO
principle, that violate no sentiment which
shall maintain III the future. as l have III the
past, as being essential. in my Judgment, to
the permanent interests Of good government.
That platform has my hearty concurrence, and
r9on my personal honor, and with my resQon-
sibiity. before Heaven, l declare my purpose
and firm resolve, IN good faith to stand by II
through evil report and good report. and un-
der all circumstances TO make good the noble
r,l,ccy OF the cciored delegate from Charles
ton. who last spoke. lIond applause.l Slf,
in the past the honor OF q South Carolina gen
tIoman has been like the honor OF Bayard,
whether he were rich or poor. When the true
men OF South Cal ollna, from Whatever Walks OF
-!>oSh NOT n nr
when they meet and send forth pledges in be-
half of South Carolina, I give my word, sir.
that those pledges Will be redeemed. lAE-
,lau.el S;r the great movement I'D Whlcn
VIZ ors .:ced rises abovs the level OF party
to the dignity OF 8 great patriotic WORK, and 10
that spirit we have undertaken 1t. In tnat
spirit let us press u anu carry IL on 10 its
oforious iooical consummation. profess TO
deal with this question fairly, honestly and
copsciantiouslv; and do arTalSn the present
rncir,,e. We do not demand that the Govern
mani OF osSouth Carolina should be white mans
government: we do Do3 desire that 1t snail DC
blac: mal.'s government, but We Wart 1t as the
Government OF TIE whole people, 10 promote
the PROSPERITY OF our co"iIn0n country. lap
rlacsc. ! would not have partial Executive.
even if It's partlality were extended To me-.
wou!G have cur Executive plant himself III tue
Execl;iye cEiairin the same spirit that judge
takes lis saat III that august tribunal, ana,
with lis eyes blinded, discharge the duties Of
bis high Office. [App!ause.l j That Is all We
waot. I arraign the members OF the present
administl alton in another respect: arralsn
tie manner in which other eIfcutlEG enlcsts
htva d,scha1 ged their duties. shall forbear
us,,,a ranlea. Ido not mean to say that every
rnan OF item il corrupt, but l do mean TO say
that there are many men who form part OF
the present regime, who have utterly failed 10
discharge their duty with impartialfty and
common decency and honor. Sir, let us turn
to the Legislature. We don't complain, and
don't complain tLat our Legislature contains
cosored members believe that in accordance
with the present state of affairs in this State,
they are there by right, by equity, by policy
ard by principIe. (Appiause.l They are ell