The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-04-19

3 PaoPonT1IoNAn RnrnrasExsrAr1o,s.-A Rni,uarl: ~ ~,
correspondent OF the Charleston Ne,c,s,,
referring to;the suggestions made Of The
necessity Of restricting suffrage, thinks
thisimpraolicable, and remarks:
''I admit that the requirement of O
proerty qualification to enjoy the fran.
chise. is the simplest and most direct
mode Of giving stability to our State 20
vernment, confidence to capital, and en-
terprise and prosperity to our commerce
abroad and at home. But rs Lieut..
Gov. Ransier asks: will the blacks, the
majority in this State, vote to disflan-
chise themselves? No. ask, will IL Q
General Government ever repeal the
amendment giving them the fra uchise? ?
Whoever so thinks follows m ignis
futuus.' The Democratic party is, it is
true, conservative one, and does not
follow in the wake of political propngan-
dists, but it's very conservatism makes it
SO far progressive as to support this or
any other amendment to the Constitu-
tion which has, s,olcns uolcns, been en-
grated upon and rooted into the very
network Of our Government as law.
These are my convictions, because, rs q
party, they favor fixed law and order, as
opposed to the rapidly shifting and pro
gressive changes of Radicalism-a politi-
cni principle that forms tho very life
blood OF their party. Again, The iden of
simple citizenship giving the privileges
OF the franchise has become sn tho
roughly imbued into the people of these
United States thot, despite nil State
laws, we find. especially in large cities all
over the Union, they vote en- masse,
owning perhaps but the shirt and pants
upon their bodies. It is not, therefore,
strange that the blacks of this State will
be tenacious of this right. Now, what
controls the Northern votes? Capital it
is true, but not as 'Laurens would sug-
gest. 1t is noiseless and unnoticed. and
consequently the moro effectual. Bread
and wages make the laborer vote with his
employer. the capitalist, all over tho
North. That is the way Northern capi-
talists and property-holders North check
the vote OF the non-property-holders.
"This growing tendency to indiscri-
inmate voting in this country is, how
capitalists, and we find thinking men
North casting about for remedy. Sc
nator Buckalew, of Pennsylvania, in a
speech some time back. presents a full
and clear theory Of the system OF cumu-
lative voting, which, to my mind, under
the tone, temper, spirit and political ed
ucation not only Of the blacks of this
State, but Of the masses of the people
OF tho whole country, comes nearer q
peaceful solution Of this question of the
franchise than any suggestion yet made.
''We, the whites Of this State, possess
the capital Of the State, but from it's
shape and nature cannot han die it the
same as Northern capitalists do theirs,
to control the laboring class, the majori-
ty in this, as in every Northern State,
except that ours is black majority. If,
then, this subject is. attracting the atten-
ton Of thinking men and capitalists
North, where capital is plethoric, and
the laborers of their own race, how
much more important is it, TINT where
IN our State the capital is unwieldy and
not merchantable, and the majority of
laborers of different race, that our
thinking men should give tho subject Sc
rious consideration, 80 as to avoid those
inevitable evils that must turn the ballot
into Pandora's box?
1.-The general idea is, that the minority
as we'll rs the majority have represent
alton pro ratH, 30 that, where there is a
slight difference in numerical powers OF
politics, there will be q corresponding
slight one in representation of interests.
The pamphlet of the Senator is an able
one; presents several practical modes OF
carrying ont this system Of cumulative
voting, and is, to my conception, our
only course to aettle this question of the
franchise ut this day."