The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-09-28

jtine Dciore the War---tO theHyear 1853,
In the year 1873, the Democrats spent
Sz9,00O dollars less than was spcnt iH
1905. Besides the regular expenses of
;; the government. there are other OK
pcnses on account Of which we could
not get down to the aHte- beilu7n STAN
dard. There are now some unusual
expenses, such for instance as the pcni-
tcnliary, and The Stale debt, vet tho
whole increase in the cost of running
tho government in 1878 over 1868 il
only $77 ,000, taking Il tax oftwo thirds
oin mill to raise it. Our taxes tire
sill heavy-hcavicrthan wc would like
them to be. But there arc now some
necessary expenses not incurred be-
fore tho war. Taxes arc now ncces-
sary to pay the interest on the public
dcbt-wbich is but u few thousand
dollars larger than it was before tho
war TAcn the institution known as
the Bank Of tho State paid the interest
Oh tho public lebt-now it has to DO
mot by taXation.@~ Anothcr increased
expenditure is thGmoncy spent for
free schools. Before the war this
amounted to about $4,000. IL year
how 1t is almost trcblcd. The money
for the free s:hoo!ss--;,nOunting to
almost $780, 200 annually--;s: raised
from The two-mill tax, established bv
tEe Democratic administration, and
from u close collection of the poll-tax.
For this support Of free schools, tho
Democratic party has no> cNc,tsc to
offer. The money has been honestly
and faithfully expended, and has
brought to cvcry mans door the means
Of giving his children at least a good
on,mon-sc]lool education. The bcnc-
fits Of this education are manifest to
every thinking man. All forms of
government proceed on the supposition
that power is in The hands or those
best qualified to WELD il. Suffrage is
that power in democratic govern
mrnts. We know from experience in
our own State what fellows from on
abuse Of tho ballot. For this reason
the Democratic party, in 1876, while
they accepted tho established doctrine
OF manhood suffrage, tried to establish
Il government that should improve the
manhood OF It's citizens. With this
view, they adopted the two o:mill
amendment to tho Constitution and
took measures for a rigid collection Of
the poll-taN. by simply making those
pay. tho poll-taN who had before re-
fused to pay, the money from that
source has been almost doubled. This
is the record of the Democratic party
of South Carolina in the matter Of
popular education. 1t is submitted TO
you as another evidence that the party
10 which you belong has beon true to
all its pledges. The Democratic party
made other pledges, which involve no
figures, which cannot be measured hy
dollars an,ttunts, but which affect the
honor and welfare Of tIlc State in the
highest degree. We promised security
to 0N her citizens, regardless Of race.
color or politics. There is still too
much violence around us-more than
human iniirmity is sufficient to excuse.
WhiSkcy and pistolsrarc still,too COM
mon. This state Of things is due to
the decentralization and feeling of i'll
security naturally resulting from tho
war. TO cure this evil, il will require
tho exercise OF all tho statcsmanship
and all the power of Christianity that
we may command. There is another.
cause for some Of the violence We all
so much deplorc. Experience and
education teach us that there arc GER
tain wrongs which every man may
rcscnt-thosc committed against wo-.
man and honor. Colorca men, too.
more or less share this icclin" TO
these causes Is due .nuch the violence
which comes before our courts Of ius-
tiCc. But the violence which, chiefly,
the Democratic party pledged itself to
prevent was the violcnrc Of race
against race. Go back few wears
and recall the frequency Of violence
growing out Of rolitics-that species
of violence now 50 rare. 1t has indeed
almost'cntircly disappeared. But, say
some, grant all this-grant that Gods
blessed peace has made its home in
South Carolina-that the people, bear
ing and fOrhcarinw, arc engaged in the
peaceful task OF building up their
lallcn fortunes and c;iacating their
childrcn--@rant all this, and yet YOU
have not given TO the colorcd man the
political rights to which he is entitled.
What arc political rights? Not natural
rights, but those given by the law Of
the land. The Constitution Of the
United States gives each State the
right to regulate suffrage, provided
only that no distinction is made on
account ofracc, color or previous con-
dition Of scrvilttlc. This is the
famous Fifteenth Amendment. In
South Carolina all grown men, whclh-
er white or -colorcd, may vote. In
Massachusetts an ctucaticn;l oualif-
cation is required, and i'm some other
States property qualification. Where
has the Democratic party OF South
Carolina intcrfcrcd with the right Of
suffrage? 1t has had full rcwcr TO
take away the right, but where has it
attempted to exercise that power? In
no instance has any such effort been
made. thank You for your kind
attention. There arc other speakers
who arc to address you, and | must
not weary YOU. LII closing, can only
pledge myself that if elected Gas 1 Ger
toinly shall beg | will fully recognize
the rights Of all citizenship in our
State shal know only her sons, and
do my full duty in all that affects her
welfare and her honor. Tremendous
chccring.]
Major Woodward next introduced,
i'll appropriate terms,
GEN. JAMES CONNER,
who was greeted With enthusiastic
cheering. He said:.