The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1871-08-10
Cumulative Voting-A Preferable Al
tentative Proposed.
NO. H..

Before developing our substitute Tor
cumulative voting, We desire to say a few
words upon the election for Mayor OF
Charleston, which resulted in favor OF
the citizens reform candidate, General
Wagner, by majority of III votes-a
most significant and suggestive triplicate
of lucky numerals. It's evident, from
an analysis of the vote, that some eigh-
teen hundred or more colored men must
have voted the citizens ticket. They
did so because they have become salts
fled that their interests as citizens re-
quired change of administration in the
city. They must have been men, there
fore, of more than average intelligence
among their fellows to have been able to
see this necessity. They had to endure
reproaches, insults and violence in thus
voting, for, be known, the Radical denies a
eolored mans right tovotc forany ticket
other than that ordered to be sup
ported by their masters, the party lead
crs. The willingness of these colored
Conservatives to brave these conse-
quenccs and to exercise the privilege OF
freemen to vote for whom they pleased,
proves them, also, men of more than Or
binary character. They are, in fact,
good citizens, and have given the best
evidence of their title to be so regarded
by voting as they did in the face of such
obstacles. These men, therefore, are
qualified for the suffrage, having intelli-
gence enough to see the right and char
acter enough to pursue it. The exist
ence of so large a number OF colored
men of this stamp in Charleston is a
most encouraging fact, and raises the
question whether the same element does
not exist all over the State; and if it
does, whether it may not be developed
and made available to redeem the State
in the same manner and by the same
means as in Charleston. Those means
were thorough organization, a just recog-
nition of the rights Of the colored man,
and good cause. As we said last
week, we desire to fight this Radical fac
ton in South Carolina to the end, tooth
and nail, so to speak, and we do believe
the Democratic party, raising the stand
ard of the "new departure, can carry
the State next year. We must begin
now to select the colorcd men who are to
help us to victory. First, we must look
totheir intelligence, and next to their
character; and one by one we must sep
arate them from the mass of the igno-
rant, blind and prejudiced who can never
be made to see the right, or are too cor
rapt or too cowardly topursue it. We must
confine our efforts to this superior class
alone, and show them that the only sal
vation of their liberties and ours is the
arrest of Radical progress in the land.
Let us now organize all over the State,
and at once work out this plan. Let us
show by the end of the year that there
are two classes of colored men amongst
us, and that We properly appreciate that
better class who prove themselves good
men and true, and entitled to be distin-
guished from the riotous and savage
crew who are ready to murder, burn and
destroy when citizen dare exercise the
freeman's right to vote for the men and
measures of his choice. Let us make
this movement now, and so surely that
it cannot be made to fail.