The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1895-05-22

lCSU NY t!sC CiSNI'"'' VI - ~ '''''-"'A
as Governor, declared that it was not
their intention to create All oligarchy,
when in 1916 they threw off the yoke
OF the negro aud the carpet-bag-
ger. Two appeals have been made
to reverse this verdict of the sover-
eign people. but it has been sustain
ed each time with vehement determi
nation. The Reform movement had
nothing to do with the election and
registration laws. We receive them
as legacy from the administration
of 1892 We have upheld them as
the acts of the people. and as con-
stitutional means of selfpreservation
Some of these men who are response
BILE for and who have enjoyed the
benefits and honors of Office under
these laws have turned upon their
State since their retirement By an
appeal to one of the bitterest enc
mics of Southern civilization-a
politician who disgraces the judicial
ermine of the United States Court and
masquerades as judge-they have
succeeded in having the registration
law declared unconstitutional, null
and void The chief argument made
before him was the defamation Of
your State, and insult, if insult
could come from such source, to
your State officers Under this de-
cree the doors have been thrown
open and the ballot again placed IN
the hands of every man, white or
black. Of the age of 81 years The
abuse and aIander heaped upon the
State by the counsel for the plaintiffs
was only surpassed by that of the
Judge in his document styled de-
cree in equity. But the pity of it,
the humiliation. and the shame of it
is yet to be told Beside this JEFF
fries on the bench sat an old man,
whose head was grey, who had
fought on the field of battle for
States rights, who had been Speaker
Of she House of Representatives Of
South Carolina, and in whose hand
writing part of your registration laws
exist in our archives there he sat
wearing alike the judicial ermine,
hearing his State DETAINED, his cora-
rades in arms denounced as Rebels,
and bis own handiwork adjudged a
crime. Ifthe law was crime, was
was he not the criminal? Should his
head have not been bent and his eyes
moist with tears of humiliation? Alas
they were not! With a Mephisto
phelean grin on his wrinkled face ne
nodded assent to the most Infamous
document ever emanating from
court in equity, while the black aud.
ience exclaimed: "a Daniel has
come to judgment, yes, Daniel" "
The ex-senator who has been holding
caucuses in Columbia II: private
houses, having the ear of the court
aud "holding the foot of the chan
celIor. returned to his home, feeling
that his movements had not been
detected ; but the responsibility shall
rest where it belongs Let the peo-
pie not blame the poor, lean and
hungry counsel, who are barking
merely for a bone. but visit the sin
upon the heads Of the arch conspira-
tors
A crisis confronts US, an issue has
been thrust upon us without our will
or consent at time when peace was
lowering over the State South Caro-
lima is enjoying an era of industrial
Improvement; factories are being built
in greater number than elsewhere in
the South. The credit of the State
ranks higher than ever in its history,
our bonds not being purchasable at a
premium of less than 10 per cent.
The march of progress is about to be
stopped; the black pail of negro
domination hovers over us !;
we must meet the issue like
South Carolinians. There are
only two flags, the white and the
black. Under which will you enlist !
The one, the white peaceful flag of
Anglo-Sa1on civilization and pro-
gress; the other. the black flag of
the debased and ignorant African,
with the white traitors, who are
seeking to marshal the negroes. in
order to regain political power 1t
is fortunate that the issue comes at
this time, when a constitution is to
be made, guaranteeing white supre-
macy once and forever. The con-
stitutional convention must be con-
trolled by white men, no: white men
with black hearts, not negroes. The
world must be shown that we are
capable of governing ourselves and
that constitution or no constitution,
law or no law, court or no court. the
intellioant white men of South Caro-