Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1879-12-11
From WASHINGTON,

WASHINGTON, November 30, 1870
Both parties show disposition to open
tho session very quietly. Prominent Re
publcans say to day that they do not think
it good policy, for the present at least to
recommcnoc their old gamo of drawing out
the Democrats. They prefer to await the
development of tho Democratic policy.
Prominent Democrats for their part, say
that they do not wish to see tho folly of the
extra session repeated. Mr.. Atkins, chair
man Of tho Appropriations Committee,
holds, so somo Of tho members Of the com
mittee say, that the appropriations for the
pay of marshals for election purposes,
which failed at tho extra session and which
comes up now us deficiency, should be
promptly provided for by tho House, and
the moderate Democrats desire to avoid n
repetition of the heated discussions and
futile contests with tho President into
which they were led last summer 1t re-
mains to be seen, however, whether they
can control their wild men, and if not,
whether tho modcrates will have the firm :
ness and good sense to cut adrift from these
wild 'ncn. Loading Democratic Senators
desire to bring up for settlement at tho
earliest day the bill providing for better
method Of counting the votes for President
and Vicc-Prcsdcnt. It is probable, how.
ever, that this will cause Il prolonged and
tedious debate in the Senate, which on
numerous occasions has shown itself very
anxious to lcavc this unfortunate question
open and unsettled Tho late Senator
Morton, who took very great intcres. in
tho matter, tried on two or three occ ,sions
to get some definite rule adopted, but with
all his pcrtnacty always failed liudjng
opponents in his own party as we'll as
among the Democrats 1t is curious fact
that the Senate did once pass bill to which
the House was then ready to consent With
out delay, but Senator Thurman, after the
passage, moved reconsideration for some
trivial cause. 10 obligo him tho Senators
granted reconsideration and tho bill was
never again heard Of. Now if this bill of
Senator Morton had become Il law, as
would havo happened but for Senator Thur
mans interference, its provisions would
have carried Mr.. Tilden into tic White
House in 1877 without an electoral com
mission or any other troublesome cxtraordi-
nary cxpcdicnt.
A new movement in South Carolina pol
itcs attracts attention here. 1t is for an
educational qualification of voters. Tho
Bourbons in that State have determined
under the leadership of Gen. Martin Gary
to sweep the State next year, when now
Governor is to be chosen, and to do 50 bv
general intimidation and tissue ballots, in
defiance Of Senator Hampton and the mode.
rates who recognize him as their leader.
There is a good deal Of irritation bctwcon
tho two wings Of the party, aud tho mode
rates arc beginning to appeal to the people
tor quiet aud sensible action. a promi-
ncnt and ablc member of tho Charleston
Bar, Edward McCrady, has published in
pamphlet form suggestion that the Leg
islaturc ahall order new registration of
voters, and require every voter to write his
own name on the registration book, those
unable to writo their names and to read to
be excluded from voting. That is to saw.
he proposes an educational qualification
such as Massachusetts and Connecticut ol-.
ready have.
He admits that white rs we'll as black
voters would be excluded under this rule,
but says that tho State has established and
fostercd FREQ schools for both races, and that
if any man white or black, cannot read and
write it is his own fault and liz ought to
suffer.
In tho course of his argument he points
out that tho Democrats havo maintained on
thc, Statute books all tho laws relating to
elections which they have denounced as
iniquitous while tho Republicans ruled.
Ito tells then, that neither fraud nor vo-
lcnco will be tolerated by the country at
largo and yet that under the present eystom,
which maintains the color limo, tho Demo
Gratis can carry tho State in 1890 orIy by