The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-10-31
An Appeal by Mr.. 81. r, Thomas
for the Convention.
WEDGEF1ELD, Oct. 90, 1894 +.

LOT CQ9 COuV0utlOu.
WEDGEF1ELD, Oct. %, 1894.
Editor Watchman and Souttron: Your
paper seems to oppose the Constitutional Con-
vention, but have not seen any valid reason
why the people should vote against it. Please
give me space for some arguments why the
people should vote 'sYes' for the Constitu-
tional Convention.
One of the declared purposes of that con-
vention, which overshadows all others, is the
dlsfranchisement of the greater portion of
the negro population, because, in the last
thirty years, white statesmen, white philan-
tbropists and white organized effort have e1-
er,ed themselves uutiringly, in large and
noble measure, to elevate the negro and it
him for good citizenship, but all efforts have
failed. Rev. Dr.. Haygood in an article in
Harper's Magazine, shows that the contibu-
| tons in the twelve Southern states to aid the
negro in their commoo and normal schools
up to 1894, was the enormous sum of 81, 377,. /.
673 dollars. Of this amount South Carolina
contributed 5000; 900 dollars. After this
great expenditure of money, it is time to look
for some fruit, and what is the harvest?
After thirty years Of freedom, under the
most favorable circumstances, statistics show
! that negro industry has decreased 66 per
cent, while licentiousness, lying, thieving,
drunkenness, gambling and perjury have
made alarming increase. The question arises,
s'can the degradation of the negro 60 steadily
forward in its progress Of ruin, and the white
race escape the contagion? Can virtue bloom
in Sodom 2"
It is well-known fact that the negro is in
large majority in this State, and that they
vote under instructions, and consequently
are unit; but Tor the eight box and regis
traton laws, the government would be con-
trolled by the negro. The Republicans are
making efforts to have the validity of our
registration laws tested before the Supreme
Court. Then three men, without recourse, will
decide the question of white supremacy in
South Carolina. Yet some newspapers are
bowling over the danger of leaving the Con-
stitution to l60 men of our own "kith and
KIM" without submitting it to the people,
when they know this negro majority and a
few whites, possessed of more bitterness and
prejudice than brains, would not approve of
disfranchisng the negro or rything else that
they did not recommend.
The white race has already lowered their
high moral standard by the conduct Of elec-
tons in South Carolina, when even minis
ters of the Gospel have been known to con-
nIve at the crookedness practiced to over
come the the negro majority and maintain
white mans government. God rules, and
no attribute of His holy nature could place
Him on the side of the white man in the con.
duct of elections 10 this State.
Morality and self-protection, therefore, ad-
monish our people, both white and colored,
to take advantage Of this opportunity to re-
move the incentive and the excuse for wrong.
doing.
The condition Of the country is such that
the white people are unable to continue the
fruitless experiment of contributing toward
the elevation of the negro, while our own
children are sadly in need of all the help we
can give them. History, a fair trial for thirty
years and common sense, teach US that we
cannot govern the negro by educating him
or by an appeal to their reason. They Can
only be governed by the strong arm of the
law, can onIy be governed by force, and
since they cannot govern themselves, they
could render no aid to the white man by as.
sisting in the conduct of the government.
The. suffrage which has been conferred on
them has proved detriment to good govern
ment and 10 good morals, ao injury to both
white aod colored.
The negroes have also shown themselves in-
capable Of appreciating the sacrifices which
the white people have made in their behalf.
Every election year they are marched up to
the polls like so many chattering monkeys,
and if they succeed in getting their votes 10
the right box, the vote Is oftentimes dead
against their own interest, but always meaat
to be against the interest of the white people
who nurture and employ them. Watch them
on the 9Th of November, and you'll see them
fecking to the polls without single thought
Of the responsibility of the ballot and cast
their vote for Capt. T. B. Johnston, instead
of Dr.. J. VIM. Stokes, the white mans can
didate for Congress, when Capt. Johnston is
a carpet-bagger and money lender, and sll
his interests and associations, if elected,
would be with the bond-holders and money
lenders of the North, with the very people
who are expressing them and giving them
Eve cent cotton for their hire. Nothing
would iaduce them to vote for DR.. Stokes,
the white mans candidate, when every in
terest of his, being q farmer, is identical with
that of every other farmer, be be white or
colored. The ". 4 s. says Dr.. Stokes is not
a Democrat. This is untrue. DR.. Stokes
stands on the Democratic platform. he is |
the same kind of democrat as is Talbert,
McLaurin, Shell and Strait and who ever
knew one of them to fail to vote with the
democrats are all party measures.
Any old man, white or colored will tell
you, that with all our assistance the negro
has retrograded. They are not self-sustain-
ing, they produce less than they consume.
While the Industrious white and cclored men
are asleep, the loaiers pick cotton, break
corn, rob hen roosts and burn you ont, so
that many OF our people, white and colored,
living in isolated places, have to leave their
homes and seek the towns for protection.
The suffrage in the hands of the negro, the
great majority of whom have proved them
selves totally incapable of exercising this
high privilege of citizenship, with threatened