The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-06-18
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the principle Is involved, we concur in
all that hasi haed sdid .-sh,Atyor'9f Ehe
ayatem. 1t ia nothing. mQre than the
minority in q Republican government
has Fight to demahd5AnothinR more
than tue MINORITY should be willing to
concede. In onr present condition,
Though, In this State, we are entirely un-
able, t9. SEQ any advantage that could
accrueto the minority from it's adoption.
It could not be brought into play in the
election Of Governor, Secretary of State.
Comptroller: General, and other cxecn.
tive officers. It's result, therefore, would
be to leave the Executive Department in
the hands of the parties who now hold
1T. II would not avail ns anything in
the organization Of the Senate, for, ns
there is only one Senator to bo elected
IN each County, his election must be
straight out contest between the two
parties. So fur, indeed, from helping
us IN tho constitution of the Senate, we
believe that it would operate injuriously
to tho interests of the x-paying portion
OF the community, in tho organization
OF that body, by the direct and power
ful influence it would have in drawing
more sharply the line between the two
races in the State. The adoption Of the
system would. be looked upon as sort
OF bargain between the races that each
was entitled to and WAS to take all it
could get in the practical working of the
scheme. AS result the Senate would
bp almost entirely colorel. In the
House, Charleston. Georgetown, Beau
fort, Richland, EdgeGeld, aud, other
Counties, would gain some members
that would BIO representatives of the
property-holding element. On the other
hand, Spartanbnrg,s Pickens, Anderson,
Lancaster, and other Counties, would
have to concede members to the party
who represent. MI ~ bers. N Instead of pro
perty. So that, even in THE election for
the Honse OF Representatives, the loss
would 4bs almost 'as great as the gain.
In the County elections, ehe system
could only beiapplied to-the election of
County Commissioners. The most that
could be effected by this would be to
give one Commissioner to- the minority
in each County. While he would bo IL
watch upon the majority OF tho Board,
and would be able to prevent dishonest
practices, by making exposure Of then,
he would still be minority of the
Board, and would be powerless to stop
e1travagant expenditures within the
limits of its lawful authority. We Gun
then see no practical benefit that is to
result from the adoption of this system.
10 ns, it looks like very small tub
thrown to very large whale. If this is
all we arc to get for ignoring the record
OF the spotless Chapberlain, who takes
no Ignorance nor rapacity in his Repub-
licanism. and for burying in oblivion the
Winchester rifles and ball cartridges OF
Scott, we think we had better make up
our minds not to accept the bargain and
to fight out the issue on the same tack
that We have been operating on hereto
fore.
The plan OF changing the constitution,
40 as to engraft thereon property qnali-
hoation for the Senate, is az easy Of nc
complishment as the securing of the
adoption of the cumulative system Of
voting. and is worth something when it
is secured. The system Of minority
representation. by cumulative voting, is
not easily explainnble to ordinary minds,
and, in its actual working, would be
utterly inoomprehensible to the colored
population. On the other hand. the
proposition to allow property to be rep
resented in the Senate and numbers in
the House. is simple and easily explain
ed to, and understood by, the most COM
mon intelligence. The negroes could
easily be led to see that they represent
the numerical majority in the State, and
that the whites Downing the property
represent the wealth of the State. They
could be made to understand that the
object Of all good government is to so.
cure the rights of person and the rights
OF property; that, by their having tho
House of Representatives in their hands.
their rights of person would be amply
secured; and that, in order that the
rights of property should be secured,
istice and fairness wonld require that
the other branch of>the General Assem-
bly, should DO in the hands of those who
represent the property of the State.
T ( 4, -.