The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-08-28
The South Carolina Negro.

| COLUMBIA, s. O., August 18.-The
speakers at the recent Blaine ratification
meeting in this city attempted, as usual,
to impress the negroes with the idea that
they were an oppressed and down.trodden
| race, whose rights were utterly denied
| and disregarded by the Democratic party.
They were told that they were virtually
disfranchised, and SO far as political and
| legal rights are concerned were no better
! than slaves. OF Cnurse they were in.
formed that the election laws In this
State were enacted purposely to defraud
| the illiterate voter, and that they were
deprived of educational facilities, 80 that
they had no opportunity tc become in
telligent voters. If any of their hearers
were made to believe these statements O.
few facts may undeceive them. do not
propose to argue any Of these charges
against the Democratic party, but simply
to state few things in connection with
them as think that will be sutlicien.
answer to the accusations.
First, as to their political rights. 1t is
true that there are several boxes into
which ballots must be placed, and If de-
posted IN the wrong box they are thrown
out and not counted. To illustrate /:
There is n box for all votes given for
Governor and Lieutenant. Governor, and
another for the other State officers; q
vote deposited in the Governors box
with the names of the other State officers
OH it would be void, and so with vote
for Governor put in tho State officers
box. But in order that the voter NAV
not ec misled there is painted or posted,
in large Roman letters, on each box, the
Offices % be slled, ant. any one Who can
read can certainly p:.i hin vote 10 lie
right box. This would amount TO an
educational test but for another provis.
ion in the law which requires managers
OF elections, when 80 requested, to read
70 the voter the names Of the officers on
the different boxes, 30 that the mos. iz.
norant voter is fully protected. In the
last election Greenbacker, in q public
speech, said that his people could hardly
read English, and that tho Democrats
had ordered Roman letters put on the
boxes 80 that they could not read them.
This charge against the party in power
was loudly applauded. So much for the
political rights Of the negro.
Every lawyer in the State knows that
when negro Ia on trial he will always
secure white jury and invariably dis.
cards all jurors OF his own color. This
shows in whom they trust when their
legal rights are in danger, or their lives
or liberty in jeopardy.
The most unjust charge il ia out.
rageous-that tho Republicans mako
against the Democrats in this State, 10
that the State does not furnish the ne.
groes educational advantages. This
statement Is known to be &C UNANIMOUSLY
false that it is hardly necessary to con.
tradict it, and will only say this much,
that an appropriation is every year voted
ior Clahin University to give the negroes
the benefits of higher education, and
mere are many more negroes than whites
II haven't the figures before mel edu.
Gated by tho two mill school tax and poll
tax, and the white men and Democrats
Of tho State pay nearly the entire two.
mill tax. This ought to be sufficient to
make even South Carolina Radical
silent on this point.
Coming down to other matters bearing
upon the condition Of The negroes in this
State. I speak to tho negroes, because
they are supposed to constitute the Re-
publican party in South Carolina. In
this city they have every consideration
shown them that the whites have. The
merchants treat them with Just ne much
courtesy, they ride in the first. siasa hacks,
and sometimes they occupy the best seats
In the opera house. l mention these
things to show That there is no discrimi.
ton against them on account of their
color, and colored man who would
leave Columbia to 60 to any other place
in the world, expecting 10 enjoy, any
moro political, legal or business privi-
leges than he does here, would be desti.
tute of common sense. There is no prof.
udice whatever against o negro in South
Carolina because he is negro, but when
he undertakes to revive the old Radical
party in the State there is a slight OBJ.
lection to him, and probably always will
be.-Cor. augusta Chronicle.