Omaha daily bee., 1895-05-15
DENOUNCED FEDERAL JUDGES
Governor Evans of South Carolina Issues a
Fiery App al to the Whites,
NEGROES SHALL NOT RULE The STATE
Federal Judges Branded as Disgraces to
Ermine-Accused Them OF Overrid-
ing the Constitution and the
Peoples Rights.

COLUMBIA, s. c., May 14-Governor
Evans has issued a lengthy address to the cit
izens Of South Carolina in which he deals very
harshly with the recent decisions in the d'spen-
sary and registration cases. He refers to
the political history of his state since the war
and argues for the right of the state "to
manage and direct its internal affairs without
national interference" He continues: "The
people Of South Carolina have always been
law abiding and respect the constitution and
courts Of the United States, but when the
judges Of those courts wantonly invade and
trample under foot the recognized rights of
our people, guaranteed by the federal consti-
tuition, they have a right to assert them
selves and maintain their sovereignty and in
dependence. This they have ever done, and
will continue to do, and will resist with all
the means within their power the usurpation
and tyranny Of partisan politicians in high
places, who disgrace the judicial ermine. We
cannot, nor have we the desire, to resort to
arms to resist this unjust decree, but we can
and will exert the united efforts of a liberty
loving people to thwart the consprators who
are plotting to overthrow our civilization. In
this struggle we confidently rely III the sym
pathy and moral support Of all lovers of good
government and states rights throughout the
union. By an appeal to one of the bitterest
enemies of southern civilization, a politician
who disgraces the judicial ermine of the
United States court, masquerading as judge,
they have succeeded in having the registration
laws declared unconstitutional, null and void.
The chief argument made before him was
the defamation of your state, and If insult
could come from such a source to your state
officers. Under this decree, 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 slander
heaped upon the state by the counsel for the
plaintiff was only surpassed by that of the
judge in his argument, styled decree in
equity.
but the pity of it, the humiliation and
the shame Of it, is yet to be told Beside
this Jefries sat an cid man, whose head
was gray, who had fought the field of
battl- for state rights who had bsen speaker
Of the house of representatives Of South
Carolina, and in whose handwriting part of
your legislation laws exist in your archives
There he sat, wearing the judicial ermine
hearing his state defamsd, his comrades in
arms denounced as reb=ls and hia own handi-
work adjudged as crime. II the law was
a crime, was he not criminal? Should his
head not have been bent and his eyes moist
with tears Of humiliation? They were no. .
With Mephistolean grin on his wrinkled
face, he nodded assent to the most infamous
document ever emanating from court Of
equity, while the black audience exclaimed: :
"A Danisl has come to judgment, yea, a
Daniel"
He concludes with an assertion that the
issue is row between black ard white and
urges citizens to see that "white men, net
white men with black hearts, nor nsgroes
shall control the constitutional convention"
II will not call the legislature togsther,"
he says. They could do nothing. An APP
peal will be taken to the supreme court Of
the United States, but under the red ta-e
and technicalites surrounding It a decision
cannot be had in time to effect the election
of delegates. 1t must be free, open fight
| appeal to the sovereign peope Of South
Carolina to protect their HON and liberties
The government of the people must and
shall be perpetuated and we are ready to
lead the fight und r the white mans flag"