The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1894-10-17
NOT POLITICAL,

well as IndIYIGualS, IGFOfahIe ~ tAe
call for a constitutional convention,
that only Independents and Repub-
licans oppose the call, and they do so
simply because it is a Reform meas
ure, and for this reason, they claim,
that as such it should receive the
undivided and hearty support OF all
Refoymers.
Unfortunately for these would be
cengors Of individual opinion such IS
not the case, nor will the assertion bear
the light Of logical reasoning. There
are men whose fidelity to the prlncl,
ples of the Reform Movement is
unimpeachabIe, and whose fea!lty to
the cause is not to be questioned, who
seriously doubt the wisdom Of such
q measure and regard the attempt
10 commit the Reformers to it with
grave apprehension and alarm, TIL
manism nor anti Tillmarism, Re
formers nor Conservatives, Regular
Democrats nor Independents have
nothing to DO with the question at
all, nor should these considerations
beiniected into the discussion. They
. are only side issues used to rattle as
dry bones to frighten recalcitrant
Reformers from acting rs they con-
ceiye to be for the highest and best
interest Of their State.
1t is not even a party measure, be,
cause it has never received that en-
dorssnent necessary to make it
such, and to lug this issue into
the discussion solely for the pur-
pose of obtaining a favorable result,
regardless of the opinion the masses
might entertain, and thus force men
to the support of measure which
they believe to be unwise and fraught
with grave danger and are confident
is intended to rob some Of the citi-
zens Of the State, both white and
black, of their most sacred rights
which they hold under the present
constitution-that Of the right to
vote and sit as iurors-simply begs
the question and implies a weak
ness which they have neither the
manliness nor courage to openly
and frankly admit.
It is not a question Of politics, but
one Of right and justice in which the
weak and poor and the uneducated
confidently appeals for protection
to the strong, the rich and The edu-
Gated to prevent monstrous wrong
from being perpetrated For the
establishment of the principles Of
self government men have suffered,
fought, bled and died; to maintain
and perpetuate these principles free
men will again suffer, fight, bleed
and die
It is question of policy. Is it
wise at this time, and can the best
interest Of the State be subserved
to adopt such a measure, when the
public mind is so unsettled and is in
such an infammabIe condition: when
blinded prejudice and bitter politi-
cal hatred rules the hour; when Our
political relations are strained to al
most their rendering asunder and
we are standing over smothered
fire of pent mp passion which
only needs the match Of dis
franchisement to be applied to
start the fame which cannot be
extinguished until the bosom Of our
old mother is dyed with the life blood
of her sons. Calmness, sober delib-
Grafton and cool Judgment are para
mount factors to an intelligent deci
SION on question Of such import
ance as the attempt to reconstruct
the fundamental law Of the State.
Another consideration in the study
of this question, and one which will
no doubt largely influence the deci-
sion Of the voter, is the great ex-
pense which the tax payers will have
to pay for holding this convention,
without a corresponding benefit be
ing returned for the money spent.
The people have just passed through
one o. the most Trying nhahclal
panic5 known TO this generation, in
which much hardship, great deal
Of self denial and some courage We're
required to keep them from giving
up in dispair, and they have not suf.
fcieDtly recovered from the disas-
trous effects Of this panic to willingly
subject themselves to further hard
ships by levying heavier taxes upon
their already depleted pocket books
to meet the unknown expenses Of a
useless convention.
Another question for consideration
is, are we willing to delegate cur