San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-12-11
A BIG KICK
REGISTERED BY THE SOUTH CARO-
LIMA REPUBLICANS,
Against What They Term the Fraud
ulent Enactment of the Late
Constitutional Convention.

COLUMBIA, s. c., Dec. 1.-THE
republican state executive commit
tee has issued an address in which
it says:
at has been well said that no
question can be regarded as def
nitely settled until it has been set
tied Alright that is, on the basis OF
right and justice. II this saying
be true, certain the suffrage ques-
tiOn cannot be regarded as definite
ly settled by the recent enactment
OF our so.called constitutional con.
vention, for no fair-minded man
can pretend that this enactment is
based either on right or justice. On
the contrary, it is the very essence
Of injustice and wrong, being moth
ing less than an attempt to per-
petuate cheating and fraud in cleo
tions by enacting 1t into the funda-
mental law of the state, as was
fully admitted in the discussion by
its author and chief advocate, B. B.
Tillman.
This, indeed, was the openly
avowed purpose for calling the con-
ventioD, and that purpose IL can
hardly be denied has been faith.
fully carried out, and that, too, in
clear and palpable violation OF the
constitution and laws of the United
States.
We regard the enactment as
fraudulent in its origin, in that
the convention was fraudulently
counted in" with only l, 402 votes,
out OF the voting population In the
state of over 235, 900, according to
the United States census of 1890;
fraudulent in character, in that it
proposes to perpetuate in the fun
damental law of the state the sys-
tenn of cheating and fraud and dis
elimination against certain classes
in elections; and fraudulent in its
finale, in that it proposed to put
this so-called legislation in opera
ton as the fundamental law OF the
state without first submitting il to
a popular vote for ratification.
This latter alone, as has been well
said by high authority, is Soon
trary to the spirit Of American in
situations and hostile to the true
theory Of republican government"
We, therefore, propose to resist
in every proper and legitimate
way this so-called legislation, and
to use our utmost efforts before
congress and before the federal
courts as well as before the return
ing sense of justice and fair deal
ing of our people, to have 1t de-
clared null and void. We do not
propose, however, to carry on this
struggle for right and justice along
any narrow or factional lines; on
the contrary, we cordially invite
and invoke the cooperation and
hearty participation of all patri-
otto and justice.loving citizens OF
our state, without regard to party
or faction. 1t is a struggle forced
upon US against our will by the
dominant, arbitrary and despotic
Tillman faction, and no choice Is
left us but resistance or cowardly
submission to wrong and the gross
est kind OF injustice.
Resolved third, that immediate
organization Of all friends of our
cause is imperatively demanded to
effectively meet the condition con-
fronting US, and in order that said
organization may be systematic
and thorough, a set OF rules have
been adopted and printed; copies
can be had upon application to
these headquarters.