The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1895-07-16

unborn. but we are unwilling to entai
i such q legacy to future generations.
| Most OF our murders and all our
4 lynchings are immediately traceable
to such o government, and under /,
our State will continue 10 sink from
bad TO worse until 1t becomes such 8
hell that no one can live in it.
Man, naturally given to error, Is inn.
PEELED to right action from only two
courses, the hope OF reward or fear OF
punishment, and the law antedating
the Mosaic age, that he that talxeth
| mans life must forfeit his own as a
penalty, has been abrogated aud the
rule in this State Is that o. white man
taking the life OF q colored man does
not pay the penalty with his own,
which has spread to others and is no
longer confined to thet oppressed class.
Upon the slightest provOcation men,
bers OF the privileged class, without
fear of punishment, murder or play
the part of prowling sayages or canni-
balls, and dignity 1t by calling it q
lynching, as tho conscience OF the
State has been SO scared that 1t Is re-
garded as a virtue rather than a crime
to lynch a fellow-being. Murders and
lynchings are noxious pla' IS flourish
Ing only under privileged class gov
ernment, and will surely die when the
sheriff and court are made to depend
for future favors upon the suffrage of
every man.
We believe in universal suffrage, be-
cause we believe in that right of ALL
which, under our form OF government,
cannot be secured without making the
political power of each man equal in
the creation Of the administrators of
the law.
rpba ,,oa+ ;Il;+o.,.o ,ua h~.l,
citizen, possessing nothing but his life
and muscles, has as much right to the
means of protecting his property,
though invisible, as the millionaire.
When deprived Of our ballot, our in
fiuence with the administrators of the
law is gone and we are absolutely
without protection.
While all members of the privileged
class do not take advantage OF our
helpless condition, many do, and it ia
cruel and hope-destroying to deprive
us OF the power to aid humane and
liberal men in the election of such
honest men as will, in the dispensation
OF justice, hold the scales equally bal
anced, whether the subject weighed is
black or white. The rule adopted by
the Democratic Executive Committee,
debarring all c6lored men, regard
less OF past political affiliations, from
participation in the approaching pri-
maries OF said party and allowing all
white men, regardless of past political
aftiliation, to participate N the same,
with tie declared purpose of counting
in the general election the ones named
in the primaries, is violative of every
principle OF justice and honesty, re.
pdgnaht to the doctrines of civilized
government, and q a.practical repudia-
tion of the Federal constitution.
We view with alarm the action
OF Conservatives, whom we are i'm
clined to regard as broad and liberal
men, when they. to our exclusion and
interpolation Of our rights, accept an
equal division with the administration
faction and submit that it Is most un-
reasonable to expect our support when
failing to secure such Concessions.
We submit that the only honorable
thing for them to do, If they mean
Justice, is to make fair fight from
principle in every county In the State
for the rights of all, in which they
would get the support of every honest
man In the State, regardless OF race or
politics.
We further submit that we stand
ready to join with any number Of the
liberal whit3 men of the State, and to
broad enough to cover the rights of
every man, however rich or poor, and
will only vote exclusively for delegates
of our own race and party, when such
members fail or refuse to cooperate.
To the men of our race, we announce
that no legal constitution can be- made
with our united opposition. We must
organize to continue to raise the means
to prosecute the fight now pending in
the Federal courts for the preservation
of constitutional liberty to final ter
mination, and to make such q showing
in the approaching election as will
enable y % move Congress toaction
through, tions.
Before NAL determination Of the
litigation b. eproposed conventions may
be holden and ali the wicked plans Of
our enemies incorporated into new
Constitution, but IL we shall prove to
the satisfaction of the Federal SUI
preme Court that in its making all the
rights and franchises gra ted us by
the supreme Constitution have been
ignored and trampled undef feet OF
which we have no doubt, through
fraudulent and unconstitutional regis
tratiOn laws, the new Constitution will
amount to nothing, and our enemies
will have their pains for their labors.
We congratulate all lovers of honest
government In this State for the pos
session of at least one Judge, in the
person of Chief Justice McIver, whose
judicial ermine remains unsullied, and
,grieve to feel that the time will soon
come when our State will be deprived
OF the last of such tribunes.
ORGANIZING FOR A FIGHT.
/ After remaining in session Vi L nearly
midnight, the conferences finally adj
journed. They gave to the press only
the cut and dried, specially prepared
matter desired, and withheld all infor-
nation as to the proceedings. There
was q good deal of talk during the con-
ference, but how the members stood on
the adoption of the address is not
known.
The following resolution was adopt
ed:
Resolved, That State executive
committee be appointed by the chair
fnantof this conference, consisting of
one faember from each county, to direct
and manage the convention campaign
for the State, each member OF the
State committee TO be authorized to
appoint one representative for each
precinct to direct the campaign In his
county. That we hold ourselves in
readiness to join with the liberal white
men liz every county who ask or may
ask our support, but II none appeal, we
recommend that q ticket be nominated
Il - a