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

Interests, will be pale !or ~ aovSIHse@enSs.
THE REFORM CONVENTION.
SPEECHES Of -
GEMS. M. O. BUTLRH AND y. n,
KERslIAW, REV. JONAS BIRD,
COLORED, =. r. THOMAS AND
OTHERS.
SPEECHES ON THE PLATroRM-MR.E e
y. KEITT.
On motion Of Mr.. F.. g.. Keitt, ol
Ncwberry, the report of the Committee
on Platform Was taken up for consider.
alton, whereupon that gentleman pro
ceeded to address the Convention at
length. He ~aid that this MAS an oooa.
sion Of great solemnity, and he was
duly impressed. with its importance.
Frankness, however, would compel him
to say that he did not fully concur in all
the views therein expressed, for the
reason that it was comparatively in
complete. 1t referred only to the past
He would have it more comprehensive
and progressive still. A hundred years
had not passed away since the only
government in the laud was that of Old
England. During the time that has
since elapsed, while We have enjoyed
freedom, the black man remained in
bondage. At last, however, his cries
had asconded to the Throne of Grace,
and God had raised up deliverer in
tho person Of Abraham Lincoln. Mr..
Keitt then proceeded to draw a histori-
cal parallel between tho bondage Of the
Israelites aud that of the colored peo.
pie Of the South, illustrating the man,
ner in which Moses eventually led the
former to the land of promise before he
died, and in which Lincoln likewise
witnessed the fruition of his work, and
then gathered to his fathers. Drawing
the lessons from these examples, be
urged upon the Convention the i'm
portance Of abandoning all prejudices,
recognizing no North, South, East
or West of uniting under the pure
white banner of right against wrong
truth against falsehood, and good
against evil. Then, aud then alone
would the angels be arrayed upon our
side, and the God of mercy and justice
command in the fight.
SPEECH OF GEN. NJ. BUTLER.
Mr.. President and Gentlemen Of tht
Convention Having had the honor oi
introducing the platform which is the
subject Of discussion, ! feel called upon
to endorse what has fallen from my
distinguished friend. If ever there was
time when the good sense of our peo-
pie, black and white, should be invoke ed
in determining what is best for the in.
tcrest of South Carolina that occasion
is the present. We have assembled
for no child's play, but to show our
carnestness in a movement that promi-
scs to rebound to the common good
We arc not here for the purpose oi
skirmishing, or intcrchanging random
shots with the opposite party; but to
work like men, like the children of one
mother, for her welfare and her peace
(Arplause.)
Now what are the issues before US
On the one side we see long, dark
line on the other an array of pale
faces, in hostile antagonism, while al
around us are political vultures, Tapping
their wings and gorging themselves
upon the carcasses that fall beneath
their blows. That, sir, is. the picture,
ald no man in South Carolina can deny
it. But, I ask, is that antagonism .
natural one Z Has il been produced BY
natural causes mo 4! Black and white
We are common people and have 6
common destiny-and there is no reu.
son why we should not be united in al
our purposes, save that between tho two
races an element has been intorposed
which has the cunning to promote
strife. And the object Of this platform
is to heal the differences that hav,
arisen, and to reconcile all misunder
standing that have occurred. Gap
plause.) am frank to concede tha
the misfortune has been partially ofoul
own creation-I refer to the white pco
ple of South Carolina. We have never
put ourselves in condition in which
the colored people could vote for US.
tell the truth a, it stands, and desire
that it shall be freely ventilated from
one end of the State to the other. W.
have never put ourselves in such po-
sition that tho colored citizens of South
Carolina could heartily sustain us unit
the present moment. Do we ask why
propose to answer the question with 6
short resume of the condition Of affairs
since the close of the war.
You will remember that We returned
home in 1865, after having laid dowi
our arms. Chaos, confusion and anarchy
reigned. What was first done? Th'
people assembled in primary meetings
they sent representatives to the thel
President Of tho United States, Andrew
johnson, to set forth the circumstance
ofthe country, to.acknowledge their ac
quiescence in the results Of the struggl
and to obtain counsel. MIR. johnson
said, return to your State. I will ap
point Provisional Governor. Organ
ize your Convention; popularize you
State Government repeal the Ordinauc
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