The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1870-03-09
u DAY - 10 Legislature.
~ A8eia Shows ap sse oorrup.
yas.s ana Dasssrs Of tho Radi.
llisSss5Sis cal Parsy.

y A8e!0 ,ohovvs ap tho Corrups
yls.s ana Dasssrs Of tho Radi.
cal Farsy.
vs take tho following from the
0ylpp5eia correspondent Of tho Charles
ssa Dsly Ne.os, Of date March 2:
fscslie commenced by saying that bis
Rlpion differed somewhat from that
4 4bressed BY other senators who precc-
3sd him, and it was impossible for him
change it. The ist opinion was,
sst4at all 90, erDmeuts were founded upon
fls CONSENT Of the governed; second,
8 ketsgoverDments were for tile benefit
fsoF The people, and when they failed to
secemplish this purpose, their days and
$their honrs were numbered. The great
opposition Of to dny ia, has the recon-
.sstructed governmcnt Of South Carolina
Z sbaeu succeos or a failure? The cousti-
stution was made for the people; they
fought and bled many Of them--to
establish their rights, and they succeed
ed in so doiug. Seven years of bloody
\ ,coptest olearly demonstrated that tho
I American Colonies were capable Of sell
( government yet the ambitious aud
jealousies ofmcu like to have destroyed
that government. No government can
s,be irmly established unless it be upon
I the principles of truth, justice and
|, economy. I am q Democrat, for the
sDcm9crscy Of this country, az under
stand it, is the government Of the
people. kepublicauism OF this country,
Z when rigidly understood, means equal
. rights Uf every man before the law; 10
matter how poor or unfortunate he may
te. he has certain inalienable rights,
which are. tho right Of liio, liberty, and
she pursuit. Of happiness. The Recon.
.sstruction acts Of Congress declare this,
aud nothing more. They do not an
nounce that colored man should have
.>an Office because Of his color, any more
than they declare that a white man
should enj"y official cmolnmcnts. Now,
has this government bccn failure or II
success ? It nigh, have been better than
it has bccn-it could have done much
better.
wniPrER's AND wnIGHr's orALIrIcArteNs.
have now gotten to point where
am compelled to speak frankly. There
nre forty millions Of white people on
this continent with prejudice against
. the colored man; that prejudice will
not die out. l a,n sorry that it is so ;
nevertheless it. is fact There arc
four millions Of colorcd people in this
country; many Of these, most Of them,
orc uneducatcd; many were slaves, aud
few having conception Of the true pur-
pose or character Of government. |
think this statement is fair. Now, the
people of the United States demand this
much: That every man shall enjoy
equal and exact justice before the law
that is the popular sentiment of the
world, and it is just rs far as this senti,
ment will 60 in that direction, and you
cannot live one hour in opposition to
it. But, Mr. President. when this party
was organized the Devil got into it I;
possibly was that devil. There was
class Of colored men who, when they
found they were in majority proceeded
to announce the doctrine that they must
be protected, not because they were
Republicans, but because they were
colorcd. One year ago, they elected
one Of their race as a codifcr. l voted
for him because l thought he might
possibly discharge the duties of his
office, and desired to give every man
a chance. Tho next thing demanded
ny the colorcd men, on pure question
of color, was the highest Office in the
htatc-thc Office Of associate Justice
the post Of honor, which every State
throughout the United States commands
the highest legal ability, largo cxpc-
rience and sound Judgment. There is
not to-day, IN South Curolina, a man
VIII" b licvcs that either of the persons
to whom have referred (Whippcr and
'Wrisht) isqualificd to hold his position.
.lr rou DON'T LIKE 1T LEAVE.
Wimbush. fyon don't like the party
why don't you get out of it?
Leslie. This is The way this BODY
receives truth. IF man speaks
the truth, he is forthwith charged
with being Democrat, third party
man or something Of the kind. But
tell YOU if ltepublicanism means that l
o""' 'o'c 'or Any oo"y OF everything
SIMPLY because he or il is supported by
the party, then I am not Republican.
furtnur, tell y that the moment the
Republican party starts out with snch
platform it will 90 t" pieces. Already
you arc canvns,ing amoug your people
Tor Uui!cd States scnatur--you wish
to send a colorcd man to that body,
which has been honorcd by the presence
of Clay, Webster !; aud you do rot
ask whether or not your candidnto has
any conception Of tho duties lie may
have to perform, or that he possesses the
qualities Of u statesman, or the ability
to cope with tho learned men by whom,
he will be surrounded but all you desire
to know is that ne is black man. You
also propose to send colored man to
Congress from each Congressional Dis
trict. Well so be il. You may go on
that track. but it is the ,mck to ruin,
aud the colored men and the Republican
party will go together.