The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1874-03-12

From the n. Y. World, February %.
The almost pathetic memorial to Con-
gress by the South Carolina sufferers,
which we printed yesterday, recalls public
attention to already wcll.known abuses
whose existence and hidcous enormity
are freely acknowledged by the Republi-
can press. =
What is the remedy? OF course, it is
impossible to turn back the hands of the
dial and withdraw the elective franchise
from the negroes, Their right of suffrage
has been engrafted on the constitution,
and it would be supreme folly to attempt
a reversal of the Fifteenth amendment.
Neither the Democratic party nor any 9TH
er patty will ever be Quixotic enough to
attempt it. Universal suffrage, black as
we'll as white, is fixed and irreversible
And yet, if the Republican party is will
ing to redress the great wrongs it has
perpetrated, We can point out practica-
bic method which will relieve the party
of sinking load of odium, and at the same
time enable it to retain every political ad-
vantage it sought and gained by confer
ring suffrage oa the negroes. We advise
Republican leaders in their own party in
terest, willing that they should reap the
advantage of great act Of justice and
reparation if the suffering South can there
by be relieved. The Republican party
can afford more prompt aud efficient relief
than the Democratic party could if it were
in power; because it can control the ne
gro vote, which the Democratic party
could not.
We will confne our suggestions to the
condition of things in South Carolina,
where the white population as returned
by the last census was only 289,667 and
the negro population 1854, or very
nearly in the proportion of two to three.
Even with this great preponderance of
negroes tolerably good government might
be established in South Carolina if the
Republican party would but exert its 70.
tent control over the negro vote in one
election.
The plan We propose is revision of
the State constitution. We would have
the right of suffrage taken from no ne
gro; indeed that is impossible since the
fifteenth amendment to the Federal con.
stitution. But two changes might be
made in the State Constitution Of South
Carolina which would remedy the chief
evils of negro suffrage.
First, the constitution of South Carroll
ma should be SO amended as to diminish.
as far as possible, the number of elective
local officers Let them be appointed BY
the Governor subject to confirmation by
the Senate. To be sure, the negroes OF
the State might still elect the Governor,
but they would not thereby get control of
the local Offices, as VIC proceed to show.
Secondly, (and this is the vital change }
property qualification should be required
for elections of the State Senators The
crying vice Of the present government OF
South Carolina is, that it fails to protect
property. The owners of property should
be clothed with power Of selfprotection.
Such change in the basis of one branch
of the Legislature, would be consistent
with the fifteenth amendment, consistent
with every other part of the Federal Con-
stitulion, and with the early practice of
several of the States. 1t would not be a
discrimination founded on race, color or
previous condition of scrvitude, and, there
fore. would not come in conflict with the
fifteenth amendment. The Constitution
clearly recognizes the right of the States
to require different qualifications Tor the
electors of the two branches Of their Le-
cislatures. The House Of Representa-.
tives shall be composed of members chosen
every second year by tho people OF the
several States, and the electors in each
State shall have the qualifications requisite
for electors Of he most numerous branch
Of tie State Legislature" Which fully
comedies the right of the States to require
different qualifications for the two branch
cs of their Legislatures.
Such a distinction was made in many OF
the States for long period after the adop-
ton Of the Federal Constitution. In
Massachusetts, for example, the State
Senate rested on basis Of property; and
when its constitution was revised in 1920,
Mr.. Webster and Judge Story made
strong speeches for retaining that arrange
ment, which was actually continued till a