The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1895-11-06

A4tOSiOl W jOSlpOuc' Lue COu4u4ltSe Ic-
port dispensing with the committee
clerks and allowing the chief clerk to
appoint two or more assistants.
The roll call was demanded and re-
suited N the convention declining to
indefinitely postpone the report as fol-
lows: Yeas 81, nays IS.
The report Of the committee was
then lad on the table. So the clerks
were retained.
Miller of Beaufort caused much mer-
riment by offering q resolution rails
ing the pay OF the members to s. a
day. The motion was ruled out Of
order.
The question then recurring upon
section OF the suffrage article, Sena-
tor Irby rose to speak. His speech
lasted considerably over two hours.
He reviewed the course of things in
this State since the Reform movement
began. and came down to the calling
of the Convention. He stated his own
connection with the movement. Com
ing down to this mater OF the suffrage
he said:
say now, Notwithstanding some
slurs cast upon me in my absence,
that am not an migrate that would
accept the highest office in South
Carolina from the poor and illiterate
white men and then trample them
beneath my feet. They have been
my friends, sir and so help me God,
intend to be their friend, and en-
deavor to protect them from what I
believe to be an iniquity. l say that
By way OF preface. Fearing to trust
myself. indisposed as have been, ]
f.ave written what conceive 10 be
protest against the preparation OF this
outrage. have to say, sir, that I am
not governed by what other men may
do. Thank God l think and act for
myself, and l stand here today to tell
the members OF this convention that l
will vote with the negroes when they
propose the indefinitely postpone
this bill if we leave the conditions Of
section as they are l shall vote
against the whole report if l am the
only white man on the floor who does
so. l conceive that to be my duty,
sir, and in spite Of anything to the
contrary, am willing to 60 before
the people of South Carolina and
their verdict I will abide by, but I
cannot be frightened or ridiculed or
driven from my position of honesty and
gratitude because the members of this
convention think otherwise.
Mr.. President, dare to say not
one-tenth of the Reformers of this
convention could have been elected
if they had had this plan and advo-
Gated it before the people on the
stump. This may be guide to you.
Ask yourselves as honest men:
Could YOU have been elected if you
had frankly and boldly told the peo-
pie this was your scheme of suffrage.
Mr.. Patton IN his argument the
other night said it was either to be
honestly or dishonesty administered.
He was right That is the only way you
can look at it. If it is honestly ad-
ministered, nine-tenths of the litter
ate men in this State viii fall behind
the dead line and be disfranchised,
land there is no use for any Intelligent
man to deny it. Ii puts it in the pow
er of the supervising officer, appoint
ed by the governor Of the State, -to
Gisfranchise any man, white or black,
who is not able tSzsnterpret every
section of-Ile~Co,I tuition. When
| the repe.t Gays any" it only means,
Sir, any tha. the supervisor may see
fit to PROFOUND If the man who
presents himself telongs to the same
political faction that the supervisor
does, when party lines are tightly
drawn aud partisan spirit runs high,
/ it will matter little whether he ex-
plains it or not he will get his certii-
cate.
The provision of being able to read
and write is intended for the protec-
ton of that class who are educated.
It is constitutional beyond doubt.
If you qualify the $4,000 OR 10000
people IN this State who cannot read
and write under your understanding
clause, honestly, or dishonesty, your
supervisor may be enjoined. This
question may be carried before the
supreme court Of the United States,
and will be, and the supreme court
may strike it out as unconstitutional.
| Then where, sir, is the promise that
], not single white man should be dis,
qualified! 1t will be too late then,
because this convention will have ad-
| | journed. l don't think the people Of
this State, will ever have another one
in the next 100 years.
| | demand for these illiterate people
the same protection to exercise the
right of the elective franchise, as far
, as this Constitution is concerned, as
is given to the educated. It is not
right and you ought not to discrimi-
nate in this way against them. If you
are going to protect them and give
them this right, let it be a Constitu-
: tional right, Or none at all.
For causes that [ need not mention
J the factions are closer together than
many of you imagine. Some say
that this plan will qualify $4,000 or
$4,000 negroes. l frankly tell you
that if it does not senfranchise 10000
5 or 10. 600 the chances are good that
these 10000 may hold the balance OF
. power in a very short time.
Now. Mr.. President, l warn both
factions in this convention; If you
strike down, humiliate or degrade
these humble but genuine heroes you
, will not only do an ungrateful act,
but something you will regret as long
as YOU live.
Mr.. Dudley then rose to speak tc
his amendment offered just before ad,
iournment yesterday After short
debate it was killed by vote Of 100 tc
25. Those who voted for it were Mes
SIS. Bates, Berry. Brice.T W.; Doyle.
Dudley, Floyd, Gage. Glenn, J: L.:
Jervev, NcDermotte, McMahan, Mont
gomerv, J. D.; Montgomery, W. j..
Nathans, Otis, Read. J. H; Rogers,
Rosborough, Scarborough, Smith,
} Jeremiah: Smith, R. T.; Smith. VIC.
! Taylor, White. 5. E.: NiAhler.-25.