The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-03-13
COLUMBIA, s. G.


veno Again In tho Affairs OF EOuth
Carolinn.
The people OF South Carolina met in
convention in September, 1866, adopted
constitution and lire organized the
State Government. The government so
formed failed to meet the approval Of
Congress, as not sufficiently liberal. It
was set aside. The Acts OF reconstrnc-
tion followed in rapid succession. A
spirit OF unexpected hostility was deve-
loped towards the State and the South.
In 1868. new convention was ordered
to be holden. and q new constitution
adopted. Congress interfered to strike
down one government. It interviewed
to set up another, in the professed inte-
rests OF the newly enfranohised citizens,
and to secure their rights of life. liberty
and property. Universal suffrage was
mado its cornerstone. The evils which
would pour in upon the State, from the
adoption of this measure. with two
glasses Of population 30 sharply antago-
nized in condition, color aud numbers,
were foreseen, and earnest and disintc-
rested efforts were made by several of
our citizens to induce the freedmen to
agree to qualified suffrage. at large
public meeting first held in Colum-
bia after the war-in the interests of the
colored people, to consider and agree
upon some line of future action, Gen.
10 onro;1sokor-
in which he frankly and with the spirit
of honor and perfect faith, which has
never known blot or been impeached by
a doubt. accepted for our people the
results OF the war. He cordially vel
"coned the black people to participa-
tIon in the honors and responsibilities
OF the State Government. He rendered
them the right hand Of fellowship as
citizens, and proposed that both races,
whose relations had been so completely
'chaaged, should cooperate together in
the establishments OF good order and
peaoeable understanding, by which the
rights OF all should be impartially Sc
cured. he took with him to the meet
ing volume OF American constitutions,
and proposed that that of Maine or
Massachusetts, should be fixed upon as
the fundamental law for this State. He
pointed ont the evils that must necessa-
rily eusue from universal suffrage in the
then condition OF the State. He demon
strated the advantages of some restric-
tions upon suffrage. BE proposed to
make them strictly impartial aud appli-
cable to both races.
This sensible view was endorsed by
David Pickett, leading colored man,
then resident here. he declared that
all the colored people were not capable
of exercising the right of tho ballot dis
o.oo.,y. --l :...-. IL. e 49, -c-"
fail an easy prey to political shar pers
Beverly Nash, while he could not COM
bat the justice of this view, and while
he admitted tho perfect candor anl
frankness Of General Hampton aud his
friends in presenting it, made objec-
tions. He said briefly that tho colored
pooRio 5@e Iuo ttSuVs tu6 ~ Oultcu SCHL6S
Government had conferred it, and he
was opposed to any modification of it.
This was decisive of the question in
that large popular meeting General
Hampton subsequently visited the Le-
gislatnre when it convened, and sought
to impress his views upon IL, pointing
out pationi!y and kindly the necessary
and valuable restrictions on the suffrage,
as they are found in most Of the const-
tutions of the Northern States. But
the die was cast. Reason was slenced,
under the wing and authority of the
General Government. The fatal alli.
ance between Ignorance and chicaucrYy
was consummated. The colored people
so'zsd the ballot, and the State entered
upon the new era Of ruin. Unrestricted
Suffrage became, in crafty und unprinci-
pled hnHds, the instrument of oppres-
sion and wrong, the means of ready
spoliation and corruption. 1t has
brought us where we'aro to- o-day-bank
ropt, disgrnced. and infamous to de.