The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-10-17
Wednesday, Oct. II, 1894
The Convention.

The PresS ana Banner mas no ADVICE 10 give
to anybody on the subject OF voting for OF
against the proposed State Convention, but
it is our right to express our opinion Of it.
We have always opposed a Constitutional
Convention.
We have, In former years, opposed the Con-
vention from non-partizan standpoint, and
we now oppose 1t, because we see no good to
come Of It. No man has urged reason for II
which is worthy Of consideration.
The idea of disfranchislng the negro on q
property or educational qualification will
operate to disfranchise white men under like
conditions.
teltigent citizens own no property. We Ger
tainly would not deny them the privilege o
exercising the most important right OF aD
American citiZen-that OF voting.
Again, in Abbeville county are to be found
many citizens, who pay their debts. pros
per and grow rich, but who have no educa
tion. We certainly would not deny such cit
zens the right to vote.
In Abbeville county there Is many manly
and honest heart who neither accumulates
money nor increases his store of education
but who, nevertheless, struggles faithfully
against an adverse fate. We would not deny
him the right to vote.
No intelligent, reasonable, or sensible man
has yet discovered q plan whereby the negro
can be disfranchised without disfranchsine
the white man under similar conditions. We
can't legislate for or against color.
AS far as we have seen the Convention has
been urged for the purpose Of dlsfranchisine
the negro, and for tampering with the school
tax.
And this has been urged only by the
educated or town politician, who NAV pos
sibly do 80 In loyal obedience to orders from
headquarters, or who may have q remote Idea
that he stands q chance Of getting into the
Convention as q member Of that body.
Some of the assumed wiser heads have as
serted that our Constitution is radical rag
and for that reason ought. to be stamped un
der foot.
We are told, however, that our present Con.
stitution, except in the matter OF political
rights, and the schools, is entirely consistent
with the State Constitution, as 1t existed from
1880 to 1855.
One Of the important questions that viii
come before the Convention. is the school tax
The schools have become to be vital mat
ter with our people, and they should guard
their schools with jealous care.
No man should allow. any Convention OF
any body Of men, 10 interfere with our
schools.
Tillman's So poll tax may be put into the
Constitution, and to some people three dol
lars is a consideration. 1t is right for the
property to pay taxes.
It is wrong to tax the Drawn and muscle Of
any man.
The direct taxes on the people would pos
sibly be $4,000. The consequential cost aris
ing from the disturbance of our laws, and the
upsetting OF the decisions OF our Courts might
eventually amount to hundreds of thousands
OF dollars.
The generalization of a people because o
the instability OF their laws is not TO be esti.
mated In dollars and cents.
Those of rs who are fifty years OF age have
lived under all sorts Of laws, and yet we dc
not understand all the points in many of the
important laws to-day.
Thousands upon thousands OF dollars have
been spent to construe the homestead laws
and still there are many open questions ye,
unsettled. Among other questions not settled
is, what becomes OF the homestead, when the
widow and family die or disintegrate Does
It 60 TO the creditors, or does 1t go to the
heirsP