The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-05-17
hold In my hand the following resolution which
I mnye no adontad

hold In my hand the following resolution. which
move be adopted:
RAeolued, That committee OF nine be appoint
ed to suggest, for the ratification OF this meeting
the names Of suitable persons to represent CnafeS
ton County In the conven ion which assemblies IN
Columbia. on June 18Th next. and tnat the number
OF delegates be double the representation or li!s
i county in both branches OF the General Assembly.
The motion was agreed to. and :he chair ap'
pointed the following gentlemen: James Arm
strong, Jr., Hugh Ferguson. q. Jackson, A.
Duncan, B. F. Evans, Jacob Small. Marrow CocG-
ran, william Blackand Lawrence Smith.
/. There being loud calls for WEliSRE Aikeil'
Esq., that gentleman respon&sd as Ha6ws:
| REMARKS OF WILLIAM E. MtKEIL, ESQ.
| Mr. Chairman :a,,d misunderstanding
| respond to the call you have made upon me, L DO
not rise Tor the purpose Of making speech: MY
/ physical condition will scarcely permit ME TO
utter the few words have to say. | am here
simply to express my appreciation OF the move
( ment now ON foot, and to wlshit God-speet.
| well remember the day In South Carolina
when cast my FIRST ballot as citizen. went
to the polls to vote for hi,: Thom believed To ne
| the best and truesG man, and never for one mo.
ment asked myself question as 20 his political
| views. I Looked alone 10 his personal quali1ca-
| tions, ana am glad that the day Is again dawn
| ing In South Carolina when that rule ls to be ap-
| am glad that when am henceforth called
| upon to cast my ballot for man, shall not be
! compelled to ask whether he is Wing, Democrat
| or Republican,, hut whether he Is worthy OF the
trust he seeks. This is the condition OF things
| that should prevail in every country which de-
pends for law, peace and order upon good gov.
ernment. And the great question now IS, not
/ whether shall vote for 4 party representative
but for man OF Integrity: and when that honest
man is named, he shall have my ballot regardless
nNh
may have been my opiuions in former days, this
necessity his become an established face-that
men are hen uceforth 10 be measured by their aoll-
ity alone. moro cheerlngl l may hestate IN
forming an opinion, but when once 1t has taken
shape, am the last man to abandon the stand
ard have planten. And i say tonight. frankly
and boldly, 10 this immense audience OF my iel
ow-citizens that the hour has come when II Pc
hooves US to look neither to the past nor to the
present save for the purpose OF choosing those
among Us, In whom We can conhde the destinles
Of the State, as qualified and honest men. zap
plause.l
It Is not long ago that in another place eX-
pressed the belief that there was hope Tor
South Carolina. still entertain that belief. The
men who were born upon her soil and nave
breathed her balmy air, will be true TO her, what
ever may be their condition or complexion. There
Is something In the old State, know not whether
1t is In the associations OF the historic palmetto
or In the memories of his youth. which clings to
the South Carolinlan wherever he may roam, and
he turns with fondne5 to the hour wnen MS Ioot
may once more presA the sea beach, or sandy soil.
And 30 In political life, however much ne may
wander from the interests OF his people, ne VIII,
In the end return and with them enjoy the bless
ings Of 8 common welfare.
One word more. 1t seems to me that II TINS
movement Is to be successful we must look be-
yond the narrow limits OF this meeting. we
must 60 forth into the broad State IN which we
live. We must meet our citizens from tne noun
tainS and ask them to cooperate with US IN
electlng to 1fnce men irrespective OF race or
color and In securing to all the fullest enjoy
ment OF civil and political liberty. We must com.
s9 and thu ppen nf
to introduce the following resolution.
ReSolued, That we invite our fellow-citlzens 10
send representatives from their respective coun.
ties to the State Convention, which assemblies In
Columbia on 18th June next In order that the policy
then adopted for accomplishing the great work OF
Retrenchmeut and Reform may be carried out
with harmony and with energy by all good citi-
Zens. -
And 1 earnestly believe Presumed Mr.. Mikelll
that when the people Of the State respond to the
invitation We have extended, the day Will NOT be
far distant when we shall secure Tor South caro-
lima good and true government.
We have men among US capable OF guiding the
helm Of the State, aud under them we need not
fear that the Constitution OF the State will ever
be debilItated or tn: pulse so rapid as to require
the manipulations OF an Ohlo DOCTOR. tLaughler
and cheers.]
1 say again, and in conclusion, that the hour l is
not far distant when her own citizens will admin.
lister the public affairs OF South Carolina, aud
every man, rich and poor will enjoy the blessings
Of q pure government, and be rewarded accord
ing to his merits. for that which ne contributes 10
the common stock Of usefulness. tCheers
The question being on the adopotion OF the re-
solution offered by Mr.. Mikell, It was unanimous
ly decided in the affirmative.
Loud calls now being made for R. S" Bruins,
ESQ.,, who was on the platform. he responded as
follows:
sPEECH OF r. S. BRCSS ESQ.
Mr. Chairman ana Genilenlen-I am glad that
the nlst and clouds which, like funeral PAIL nave
oyerhung this old Commonwealth OF ours lot 80
many years are at last to be dispelled anu tnat
the sun Of prosperity may once more siae fes ~ sr i
that this night is to be memoraole IN
In our history; for before me are the hign
and the low, the rich and the poor, tne
Democrat OF tile past and the sturdy Republican
Of the present determined, as believe, hencefor.
ward to move together In common cause. anu
intent upon the one patriotic purpose OF securing
to South Carolina an honest administrator o l.s
publIc affairs. [Great applause.l We are not mere
TO send delegates to Columbia to meet there ID
convention and nominate this man; or that
man. because he was born for once, ouI
to choose "the right man In the right place.
those delegates we have drawn no party lines,
and recognized no party issues. Ihey represent
everysclass and condition OF society IN the CITY OF
coIored cItIzen-all classes, conditions and pro-
fesslons. and they will meet in caucus there
mon platform sufficiently broad to hold them
all to devise means to rid US OF the onerons put
dens BY which we are oppressed. Ine CITY IS
taxation, taxation! From the mountains to the
seabUard it fills the air. What we wear IS taXeo,
what we eat Is taxed. what we drink Is taXeu,
and when we dle, the very nails In our coffin are
taxed know OF no theme more appalling, anu,
II the present condition OF affairs continues 10
exist I know Of no fate that Providence mas IN
store but departure from the land OF our birth,
or grave In It's soil. (Applause.l
The State Of South Carolina after the war haa a
debt OF but six millions OF dollars. To-day II Is
nearly fifteen millions. anu increasing. what
people can stand such on increase OF public la
bilities as that? We are peaceful and laW.a6idng;
but there Is one way In which to win TINS hght.
and that is, not by force OF arms, but by force OF
reason. Go te the polls and deposit your votes
for the best men, irrespective or race, color OF
previous condition, In whose honesty you nave
confidence. Let these representatives take theif
place upon the floor OF the Legislature, nominate
a chief magistrate who will carry out the laws
there made and then, with union OF hearts anu
a union OF hands, we can move forward In the
achievement Of prosperity, financial ana ponti.
cal. TO which South Carolina has been stranger
for years. [Cheersl
Mr.. John +. Britton now being called upon, ad-
vanced to the front OF the platform and delivered
the following address:
SPEECH OF IR. JOHN F. BRrTToS.
Ferro,r- ctfzens-It Is with difldence, especially
after the remarks which have preceded me, that
appear before you; but believing that no citizen
OF this Commonwealth, however humble or re-