The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-06-05

RESOLVED, That the proceedingslof This
body be kept secret"
Those favoring this resolution will vote
'tay." Those opposed will vote no."
The Chairman then announced that
'the resolution Is unanimously adopted,
and the proceedings will therefore be
kept secret. The members may speak
their minds freely upon this important
question. Nothing which transpires he1e
must be repeated or reported outslde
these walls. The Convention Is now
ready for business" The consideration
of Mr.. Kings resolution is now In or
der. The resolution Is as follows:
Received, THAT Captain Edward Hender-
BY the usual delegation In the county club
thought this q question of great impor-
lance. While he felt that 1t was a ques-
ton not easily solved, he thought 1t safe
to refuse the admission of delegates on
the color basis. He was not willing for
them to come into our organization as
colored men; he wanted them to come as
Democrats. If Democrats, he could
see no objection to their joining q
local clubs. It looked like drawing the
color line for them to organize separate
ly. He wanted them to obliterate the
color line by joining u local clubs. he
was in favor Of guaranteeing to the negro
all his political and civil rights, but he
disliked the idea Of keeping up the color
line.
COL. J. g. CoTHRAN
rose and said that he would discuss the
question calmly and dispassionately, and
with a spirit and intent Of fairness to both
the white man and the colored man Of
this County. He sought to he right. He
did not expect applause for his senti-
ments on this occasion. It was possible
that he was on the wrong side to receive
it. It is in my opinion right 10 receive
delegates from Captain Henderson's COM
PAW. We all know that that company
in the last campaign did good work
for Democracy, and for that service
we had made pledges in return. He was
In favor of redeeming those pledges.
While he would deprecate any social
equality he was in favor of guaranteeing
to the colored people all their political
rights.
". II. PARKER, ESQ.,,
thought we were bound by every sense
of right and gratitude to allow this CLUB
representation. It was organized under
the resolutions Of the first meeting OF the
Central Club; they could claim represent
tation with as much right as any otter
club.
MR.. J. q. wIDEMAN
was not willing to allow them representa-
ton. We never had done 1t, and he
would never be willing to 1t In The fn-
ture. He wanted the old Constitution OF
'76 to remain as 1t LIS.
MR.. A. H.. AIKEN
was In favor of their occupying the same
old position they held in the last cam
paign---on the back seats.
E. @. aRAYDEN, ESQ.,,
took the ground that we were under nc
obligation to Captain Henderson's com
pany on account of pledges made by this
Convention or by the local clubs, TO ALLOW
him representation in this club. II 1ndi'
yidual members had made such pledges,
they are not binding on the party.
CAPT. J. N. KING
said---If we didn't allow the negroes
representation in this club, how are we
to approach the colored people In the
coming campaign. We have made these
people promises and we should fulnll
them. 1t was through the influence o.
this very club that ticket was elected
in the last campaign. IF the number o.
the members of bis club had been de-
Quoted from our ticket and added to that
of the Radical ticket, that ticket wouio
have been elected instead Of our own IN
this County.
DIR. JOHN A. ROBERTSON
was decidedly in favor Of admitting the
negroes, and made q speech with more
than his usual ~clearness Of thought, and
accuracy Of expression, ] illustrated by
apt incident and rendered emphatic BY
forcible and earnest ges~ticulation.
COL. F. A. coNNoR
was in favor of admitting to representa-
ton those clubs already formed, but he
was opposed to the organization Of any
more clubs in the county. We have q
sufficient number Of clubs already,
Even If the opposite was true, to organize
clubs on the color line would be to repu'
date the principles of the Democratic
marty. as enunciated by our leaders In
the last campaign. We want the colored
Democrats TO Join the clubs with us. By
doing 70 they help to obliterate The colol
line.
coL. N. O. ToLMAN
was opposed to the admission Of dele.
gates from this club because 1t would
open q way to the admission OF delegates
from other negro clubs. He had seen 9
paper In circulation in his neighborhood
q short while ago, which purported to be
an appeal to the colored natives to sigr
their names to club auxiliary to Captain
Henderson's club, and that the word.
AUXILIARY to Captain Henderson's club"
was afterwards stricken out and Tom
Finley's name inserted In lieu thereon.
If Captain Henderson's company was al
lowed admission to-day there would be
an application for the admission OF dele
gates from Tom Finley's company at tn
next meeting and there Is no telling
where such action will end. After thi!
speech the Colonel introduced q resolu'
ton requesting the President OF this con.
vention to break the news gently ane
to inform Captain Henderson OF n De
NAL on the part of this convention to al
low his club representation.
CAPT. L. W. WHITE
was opposed to the admission Of dele
gates from Capt. Ned Henderson's com
pany in the first place, because he die
not believe there was any such a CLUB
Ned has frequently had appointments
for meetings'of his club but the speaker
had never heard of such meetings being
held. The sum and substance OF hi
company consisted perhaps in q reluc
tant consent on the part OF some country
negroes for him to enroll their names
them all their rights, but to allow then
REPRESENTATION on the color basis woule
produce dissatisfaction and ~ill-feeling
rather than the opposite effect which wa.
now so much desired. He then recon-
mended that the negroes be invited 4
enroll their names in the different loca
clubs, but not as separate organizations
where they would be represented q
Democrats by the delegates sent up by
these clubs, and not as colored men.
DIR. o. P. HAWTHORN
said: Mr.. President-I am jealousy ap
%prehensive that we will unthoughtedlJ
ere long, commit some act that will even
tuafly be the downfall of Democracy
We cannot be too careful in exercising
caution to preserve the integrity of oul
party. My humble opinion Mr.. Presi'
dentin reference to the motion that Is nov
undergoing consideration before you
honor Is that it should have been adopted
when first introduced at our last meeting
without q dissenting voice. I believ'
sir, Its opposition has done harm already
even II It should fortunately be endorsed
by the club here to-day. This very cir
cumstance I venture to assert, Mr.. Presi.