The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1870-06-22

MU VIc96uts ~ ~ III. ~
|psSjadiesa asd 6osSr Adnili
Of ths; 8ss1s Osssraln lnsnE and ID Sstal>
lish instssa thereof Just md equal laws,
order, and harnouSs ecoa aomy u public
expenditures, : strict accountability Of
of6oe holders, aud :hs election to Office
oely of men Of known, hone and iu-.
tegrity, doth declare asd, announce tho
following priaoiplss upon which men spf
oil parties may unite for tho "rposes
aforesaid:
First. The dfeeeu.h amendment Of
the Constitution Of the United Ststes
having been by the proper authorities
proclaimed ratified BY the requisite
number Of States, and having been re-
oeived and aoquieseed In ~ law in all
the States oi the Union, ought to be
fairly administered and faithfully obey.
cd ~ fundamental Law.
Second. The vast changes in our sys.
tenn Of government, wrought by tho
international war between the two
sections of the States, aud following in
it's train, are 80 far incorporated into
the constitutions and laws ofthe States,
and Of the United States, as TO require
that they be regarded as accomplished
facts, having the force aud obligation OF
law.
Third. This solemn and complete
recognition of the existing laws brings
the people of South Carolina into entire
harmony upon all questions of civil aud
political right, aud should unite all
- NJ M
mined effort to establish just, equal
and faithful administration Of the gov.
ernment, in the interest of no class or
clique, but for the benefit Of united
people.
The committee also recommended the
adoption of the following resolution:
Resoluea, That this organization be
known as the "Union Reform Party
Convention"
After some preliminary business had
been disposed Of, the platform reported
by the committee was taken up for con.
sideration.
Mr.. Ellison Keitt first took the floor.
He termed tho platform on abortion.-
It did not 60 far enough. He boldly
declared that President Lincoln had
been made the instrument of God to set
free the slaves, whose tears aud groaus
reached up to His throne. North and
South were alike oulpable, and both
were punished by tho war. But Lincoln,
like Moses, was not allowed to see the
freedom of the people which he had
wrought. He appealed to the Conven..
tion to be faithful to'the end, and to
Danish class and race prejudice.
General Kershaw followed, explaining
the many difficulties of the situation,
and showing the strength of tho plat
form rs a recognition Of tho law and
facts whioh both whites and blacks
might accept. In conclusion, be said
that he considered the whole movement
blown to the winds if the Convention
dissolved without making a nomination.
He had no fears For the honor of South
Carolina. 1t would not be tarnished
and could not be degraded. The day
would soon come when all the colored
people would rally around tie whites.
Gen Kershaw was yociferously oheercd
throughout,
Mr.. Keitt explained that he wanted
to make the platform progressive, and
to 60 beyond the bare facts.
General Butler followed. He said
that the whites had hitherto been in
fault, and had not put themselves, until
this occasion, in position to be sus-
tanned by the colorcd people. The
people of the State now propose to take
care of themselves, without regard to
the d rocratic party, or any other
party. lis was called the "June Bug
Convention;" but there were othet
bugs-meaning tumble bugs-more Of.
fensive. They call us ''palpitators,"
He might be asked, why not join the
Union Lcngues He would answer, that
the League makes men slaves, and binds
them to vote for donkey if that animal
should be nominated. The object of
the Reform NOV ement is to make men
free to vote as they please. The Edge.
field colored delegates had been threat-
ened and abused. They were told that
thoy would be mobbed and starvcd.-
What must be thought of such expodi-
ents? A State Executive had boon
elected by colored votes. What was
their reward? In Edscfeld, of twenty
office. e.holders, nineteen are white, and
the one colored had been removed
The dirty work, at sixteen dollars a
month, is given to the "niggor," but
tho three-dollars-a day jobs are given
to white men from Ohio. But we of
this Convention, when VIC Jccognize the
right of colored men to Office, mean to
give them substantial share of the
emolumonts, and mean to stand up to it.
Tho speaker made vigorous appeal for
nomination, and for Reform. He
bitterly denounced the murder Of Ran
dolph, and showed that tho blood OF the
murdered man was upon the head Of the
Executive. No judicial investigation
was had. 1t was far moro convenient
to say that "thc Ku Klux did it," He
exposed the rascalites Of the land com,
mission, whose ostensible purpose he
approves. The speech was splendid
and most effective one, brimming over
with heart and fact.
Mr.. Jonas Bird, (colorcd) Of Chasles-