The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-05-15
GOVERNOR EVANS TO THE FRONT.
The Stirring Address of South Carolina,s
Governor

which the following Is taken
Fellow CITIZENSHIP 1865, after the
most bloody struggle for principle in
the world, sSouth Carolinians accepted
in good faith the results of the war.
The State WAS put under martial lew
and ignorant slaves were placed in en-
tire control Of our State government.
After farce Of an election the constitu-
ton, which has boen our organic law
since 1866 was adopted at the dictation
OF General Candy. The conditions which
followed lasted until 1876. when our peo-
pie with one Impulse asserted their mag
hood and overthrow the despotism of
the carpet bsggers and resumed control
of the States affairs.
while the constitutionality of the
reconstruction act was never questioned
by us because we were poWerless to
resist, the question of State sovereignty
within the limits prescribed in the CON.
stitution, in accordance with Southern
Interpretation, has since been affirmed by
repeated decisions Of the Supreme Court
! OF the United States. That court even
asserted that the States had never been
| out OF the Union, thereby indirectly
declaring invalid the acts of Congress.
THE people of South Carolina respect
| the Constitution and courts of the
United States, but when the judges of
| those courts trample under foot the
recognized rights of our people, guaran-
| teed by the Federal Constitution, they
have right to assert themselves and
maintain their sovereignty and inde-
| pendence. This they have ever done
and will continue to do. We cannot,
nor have we desire to resort TO arms.
But we can, and will, exert the united
efforts OF liberty-loving people to
thwart the conspiratorS who are plot
ting to overthrow our civilization. The
sovereignty OF the States, within their
| proper spheres, is as dear to Massa-
chusetts and Ohio as it Is to South
Carolina, and the principle cannot be
struck down here without receiving a
mortal blow elsewhere.
1.-The restoration of white supremacy
in 1876 placed In Office and Ia leader
ship Of the affairs of the State Wade
Hampton as governor, and afterwards
So United States Senator. In 1889. un.
| der the leadership of good men, the lie gis-
lature passed the laws known as The
election and registration acts designed
to preserve white supremacy and white
mans government.
| "These laws worked admirably, and,
up to this proceeding, no complaint has
ever been heard of their injustice, on.
preston or criminality. The oldrepime.
becoming arrogant and dIstasteful to a
majority OF people. was overthrow, and
the people. in 1890, by the election of
Is. Il. Tillman as governor, declared
that 1t was not their intention to create
an oligarchy whom. in 1876 they threw
off the yoke Of the csrpet-baggers.
1.-The reform movement had nothing
to do with the election and registration
laws. We received them as a legacy
| from the administration of 1882 Some
OF these men who are responsible for,
and who have enjoyed the benefits and
honors of office under these laws, have
turned upon their State since their re.
tirement. BY an appeal to one Of the
bitterest enemy's OF Southern civiliza-
tion, politician who disgraces the judi
cial ermine OF the United States court
| and incorporating as Judge, they have
succeeded in having the registration
| laws declared unconstitutional, null and
void. 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.
BESIDES this Jeffries on the bench
sat an old man, whose head was grew.
who had fought on the field of battle for
States rights. who had been speaker of
the house OF representatives. of South
Carolina and in whose handwriting
part of your registration laws exist in
our archives, With Mephistophelean
grin on his wrinkled face he nodded
assent to the most infamous documents
ever emansting from court in equity.
The Ex-senator returned to his homo
feeling that his movements had not
been detected; but the responsibility
shall rest where it belongs Let the
people not blame the poor, lean and
hungry counsel, who are barking merely
for bone, but visit the sin upon the
heads OF the arch conspirators.
"a crisis confronts US, and has been
thrust upon US without our will The
credit OF the State ranks higher than
ever in Its history The march of pro.
gross Is about to be stopped; the black
pail Of negro domination hoyers over
us; we must meet the issue like South
Csrolipians. There are only two flags,
the white and the black, under which
will you enlist? II Is fortunate that
the issue comes at this time, when
constitution Is to be made guaranteeing
white supremacy once and forever.
The constitutional convention must
be controlled by white men, not white
men with black hearts, nor negroes.
Let the man who undertakes to lead the
ignorant blacks against you suffer as
he did in 1876, and remember that
eternal vigilence ID the price OF lib
erty.
ut must BIO free open fight. ap.
peal to the sovereign people OF South
Carolina, the wisest and safest and
purest tribunal to protect their homes
and liberties. They have never failed
to respond TO duty We are ready To |