Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1890-09-25
DESTROYED by FIRE june
2lst, l88z
Rel established August
lsjl 4

Re-
s
sona) prejudices and consider the
qaes zion presented iii i spirit )
patriotism. u
The The next speaker. Nj. Eo,d, ddelless
gate from the State at largs, opposed
the Dortch law and all properly
qualifications.
Gen. w. q, Martin, of Adams
county, made q fierce attack upon
the committee eport,f6denounsing Its
as q make-shift and Of only tempo
raty benefit, He favored both All
educational and property qualities
ton as$the only efficient remedy tor
the suffrage evil complained sof, and
characterized all mi1der measures as
the outcome of moral cowardiicees.# s$;sSE
JAcKsoN, Miss, September
Montgomery, the negro delegate,
addressed the Convention to-day
support Of the committees report
and proved himself BY farsthe& ablest
man of his race who has achieved,
prominence in the State for years,
being easily the equal Of John il
Lynch and Blk, Bruce, He saidSin
part Il B
Before the trust Of becoming a
member Of this honorable body was
conferred upon mo by my constitu
ents, I fully stated TO them NY
earnest conviction that the work Of
this Convention, in, orderst to be sue.
%ccssful, must restrict the franchise
by prescribing such qualifications for
voters as would reduce tho negro
vote considerably below tho white
vote Of this State. I entertainment
tho same. opinion then thatI hold
now; that tho Federal CongressSwillS
interpose no objections, provided
such restrictions are honestly imposed
for tho purpose Of bringing about a
fair solution Of the great problem
now confronting the people of Of this this
State. g
The speaker went on}t to say how
much Of the wealth and prosperity
Of the South was due to the labor$of
the colored mar. He referred to tles
loyalty Of the negro race to the
Southern people throughout the war.
He concluded that branch. Of his sub.
ject by saying: I:
1t is at least Justice to my race,
that I should recall those aalfffeeotthag4S
memories upon this floor to-day. M
mission here is to bridge the chialssum
that has been. widening and ttsepens
ing for generations; to divert tlieS
maelstrom that threatens destrpcttiioni
to, YOU. and yours, while it promises
no enduring prosperity to me and
mine. The fortunes Of Warr$sto3re astnla
der our relations as they had existed
in a greater or less degree for two
centuries. The master and slave Of
yesterday met to-day upon d plane
Of equality, possessed of tha same
rights and privileges under the coms
mon law of the land. Your I,i foudF
nature rcbelled and you turned from
the scene in disgust. At this uinc-
ture an alien appeared and claimed
the confidence which the people
our condition at that time must need
to place III some superior guiding
hand. Tho alien sought and OBJ
tanned our confidence, but mot out
affections. That, MI. PRESIDENT
would remain you aud yours till the
memories and traditions Of former )
generations become o~bliterated. WIG
are well aware that our race has mot
yet attained the high planeof moral,
intellectual and political excellance
common to yours, but it is our priyi-
lege to press onward and npward.
It is a lack Of confidence In any
adjustment Of our political economy
proposed by you that keeps up our
race solidly. Without q restorations
of confidence, I can see no solution
Of this great problem.
The speaker then declared lila he.y
lief that the report of the franchise
committee is the safest measure Tor
the Convention TO adopt:
A wall comes up from thousanda$
of hearts in mute appeal to the Con-
vention. This bill will restrict 1914
334 negro voters and 1880 white,
giving q nettSwhitto miaiority%of 40,45i.
Such, / believe TO be tue virtual
effect OF She measures irepessted nv
the committee. Mr. President, tits
a fearful sacrifice laid upon Che altar
Of liberty. Many Of these mon 3
seek to disfranchise / know person
ally. Their hearts are as tr0a as
steel. Many are soldiers who haya
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