The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-12-20
SOME SPICY DEBATE.
THE REolSTRIcTING BILL DIS Gu sSEO
INTHE HOUSE.

INTHE HOUSE..
Tho Metropolitan Police Bill Reported
Unfavorably Upon-A Lively and Inter
esting , sbate on the Rsdistrictins Bill
In tho House,
COLUMBIA, S. c., Dec. 14.-In the
House yesterday Mr.. Weston moved tt
strike out the enacting words of tn
bill to redistrict the State, which
brought on sharp debate.
Mr.. Magill, in speaking against the
motion, said the majority reported fav'
orably because they had carefully con
sldered the bill and felt that 1t demands
the serions attention of the House and
should be passed, because 1t would IN
sure to South Carolina a Congressman
from each district as Democrat. Il
will be shown on this floor, he said,
that this will result. There Is nothing
to hinder the people of Charlie ston
with their resources and political In
genuity, from carrying this district for
the Democracy. When such a result
followed it Is Incumbent upon the Cen
eral Assembly to pass such bill.
Mr.. Weston said the object and pur.
port of this bill may be briefly stated
In a few words-to place the city OF
Charleston in the "Black District"
He had confidence in the opinion that
members had not descended to such
position as to pass any bill for the pur-
pose Of revenge He blushed with
shame that Mr.. Magill should suggest
that the district could be carried by the
political resources and ingenuity OF
Charleston. There was a time when
such tactics counted. but 1t did not
now. Notwithstanding all ingenuity
and resources G. w. Murray now occu-
pies q seat In the national Congress
from the Seventh District. Mr.. Wes-
ton said that be had heard various mo.
tives for the Introduction Of the bill,
among which was the opposition of
Charleston to the Dlspensary law.
Other cities had opposed The law with
equal vehemence as Charleston. He
trusted that no member was actuated
by the sentiment that Charleston
should be degraded because she refused
to vote for man for q certain position:
He was willing that his portion OF
Richland should remain In the "Black
District rather than see CharIestsn 80
disgraced. It was unnecessary and
for. So far as ingenuity and
money is concerned you might as we'll
make up your mind that a black Re.
publican would represent that district.
Mr.. Watson said while he was COM
pelled to disagree with his friend from
Charleston, he wanted to ask them
whether they had respected the plat
form enunciated by the Democrats IN
1890. Has Richland or Charleston done
soP If my friend can answer that
then do not want Charleston in the
"Black District" Iciaim that the rep
resentatlve Of that district should so
represent South Carolina. There Is no
disposition 10 ipjure Charleston, but
shall the tall wag the dog? But when
Charleston denounces us as Populists,
etc., my bosom swells with resentment.
We have q national Democratic plat
form which. has not been kept and we
have not been respected. If Charles
ton wants to help US let her stand up
and support us In our demands as q
Democratic party and I for one will
bid her God-speed In everything that
looks to her future advancement.
Mr.. Tatum In his remarks raid: We
believe 1t is to the best interest Of De-
mocracy and the State that the redis-
tricting bill should pass. He said that
in the last election there was q differ
ence of 1900 votes between the prim-
ary and general elections In Charles
ton. Charleston having then 5000
votes In reserve would be better able
to overcome a Republican majority
than the other counties. which cast
their full vote. Under the circumstan-
ces he held that the First District had
q larger negro majority to overcome
than the Seventh. Charleston had a
majority of three to one in the primary.
but In the election Orangeburg cast
two votes to her one.
Mr.. Rivers, colored, of Beaufort, as
q representative Of depressed race,
would say that they were weak but
their lot was cast here by God and the
negroes and whites must live together.
How are you going to manage those
negro votesp How are you going to
elect seven Democratic Congressman
and account for the negro vote? Re-
member there Is another race to be
considered in the division. We ask
that while you are making comfort for
yourself you consider our race. We
agree to everything that Is done on this
foor, but we. have not had our rights.
There is u time when forbearance
ceases to be q virtue. We do not de-
mand anything or ask anything OF you,
but are willing to do anything for the
interest Of the State. Consider that
we are not cattle, that we have souls
and have to answer to God Just like
you. Now Is the time to remember US
and that we belong to the district that
was set aside for US. We are perfectly
satisfied to stay where we are. Why
not let us stay there? We don't ask to
change nor does the Charleston delega-
tion, This speech was attentively lis
tened to, CO ming from negro, but the
Charleston people felt that 1t had lost
them twenty votes.
Mr.. Blease defended the Board OF
State Canvassers against what he con-
sidered the insinuations brought by
Mr.. Weston that the negro had been
counted in against General Noise. He
said 1t was as little as MIR. Weston
could do to insinuaUe anything against
the Board when the county which ne
professed to love 50 much had not
made a return of a single vote against
the negro Congressman. He hurled
the insinuation and dishonesty back to
the teeth of the member and he served
notice that the Board would do Its du-
ty Ia 1894 as 1t had done in 1892, fear
les,ly and honestly and that there was