The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-12-08
cAROLrxA'S CONSTITUTION.
The Republicans 50 Carry Their
Fight Before Congress.

EAbnl before lOnEEes
Columbia, S. c., Dec. THE republican
state executive committee tonight issued
an address 10 the people Of the state IN
which ii says: 1T has been well said
that no question can be regarded as def
nitely settled until il has been settled
Alright. that is on the basis of right and
justice. II this saying be true, certainly
the suffrage question cannot be regarded
as definitely settled by the recent enact
ment Of our so-called constitutional con-
vention, for no fair-minded man can pre-
tend that this enactment is based either
on right or justice. on the contrary, II IS
the very essence of injustice and wrong,
being nothing less than an attempt 10 per-
petuate cheating and fraud in elecuons
Dy enacung II into the fundamental law
OF the state, as was fully admitted in the
discussion by its author and chief advo-
cate, b. X. Ifllman. This, indeed, was
the openly avowed purpose for calling the
convention, and that purpose, II can hard
~ be denied, has been faithfully carried
out, and that, too. in clear and palpable
violation Of the constitution and laws OF
the United States
In announcing our purpose as repubh-
cans to resist the enforcement of this ne
tarlouS enactment in every proper and
legitimate way, brief retrospect or our
very anomalous political situation here in
south Carolina may not be amiss."
The committee also adopted resolutions,
the second and third Of which read as
follows:
Resolved. second. That on state issues.
we decline to accept as final and definite
the constitution, SO-caled, just completed
by the constitutional convention, So
called, here in Columbia, and this for the
following reasons:
We regard it as fraudulent in its origin,
IN that the convention was fraudulentiy
counted in with only 3l,402 votes, out
OF a voting population in the state Of over
Z33,yO, according TO the United States
census of 1880; fraudulent in character in
that II proposes TO perpetuate in the
fundamental law of the state the system
or cheating and fraud and dis
elimination against certain classes
in IN, elections: and fraudulent in
put this so-called constitution in operation
as the fundamental law of the state, with
OUT nrst submitting it to "a popular vote
This latter fact alone as has been well
sald Dy nigh authority, rs contrary TO
the spirit of American Institutions and
hostile TO. the true theory of republican
government" We. therefore, propose to
resist IN every proper and legitimate way
TINS so-called constitution and to use our
utmost efforts before congress and be-
fore the returning sense OF justice and
falf dealing Of our people to have it de-
ciared null and void. We DO not propose,
however, to carry on this struggle for
right and justice along any narrow or fac
tlonal lines; on the contrary. we cordially
invite and invoke the cooperation and
hearty participation of all patriotic and
justice loving citizens Of our state without
regard to party or faction 1t is a strug-
gle forced upon us against our will by the
dominant, arbitrary and despotic Tillman
faction, and no choice is left us hut resist
ance or cowardly submission to wrong
and the grossest kind of injustice.
Resolved, That Immediate Organiza-
ton of all friends of our course is imper-
atively demanded to effectually meet the
condition confronting 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 APP
plication to these headquarters. :"