The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-11-06

1S&cA2Js
Now we also allow any one who
has fought in the Union army qualify,
but that will not affect many votes
AS a rule those who have come here
from the north were men of property
or education, and the negroes who
fought on the Federal side have, as a
rule, more intelligence than their fell
lows. In this county there are mum.
bers of negroes who are called white
men because they entered the Confed-
crate army with the understanding
that they would be recognized as white
men if they did so.
Now, sir, is it constitutional2 Well,
there is no way of demonstrating that
as you can that two and two makes
four. There is no decision upon re-
cord that would indicate that it is un-
constitutional. The only provision OF
the Constitution that it might infringe
upon is the fifteenth amendment. The
suggestion of the gentleman in the
caucus that the hereditary feature of
it was contrary to the rights of nobili-
ty clause, etc., won't do. The revised
statutes give pensions to the sons of
soldiers. I will say that Connecticut
and Massachusetts, have had the same
provisions in their constitutions and
they have never been attacked.
The greatest argument of all is that
it will give a true and honest ballot.
Then, sir, the dark cloud that is hang
ing oyer our State will burst asunder
and we will walk out into the sunlight
and get out of the miserable slough,
where the fanatical hate of the north
ern people and the ignorance and in
competency of the southern negro
have placed us for the last 80 years.
Here is an opportunity to brush aside
these clouds and walk out and look
the world in the eye.
Mr.. Patton concluded thus: IF the
plan of the committee is unconstitu
tional you have direct educational
and property qualification. If my
plan IS unconstitutional we will be in
exactly the same fix. But we can Ga
to our people and tell them that we
have done the best we could, and if the
Federal courts will not let us, it is moi
the first time in the history of South
Carolina that she has been forced to
call upon aer sons to sacrifice their
private interests to the public veal. y
Robert Smalls, one of the colored
delegates from Beaufort, rose to a
question of personal privilege. he
referred to Mr.. Patton's statement
that he (Smalls) had, in 1877, been
convicted, in the Richland court, OF
having received a bribe whilst Sena,
tor from Beaufort. Smalls indignant
ly denied his guilt-said his case was
pending in the Supreme Court of the
United States, when the governor OF
South Carolina, without his solicita.
ton in any way, granted him full
pardon.
MIR. Haynsworth of Greenville at,
tached Mr. Patton's plan and warmly
supported that of the suffrage com
mittee. He declared that the latter
contemplated no fraud, and was, un.
der all existing circumstances, the
the best that could be devised.
Miller of Beaufort had something
to say about Mr.. Patton's reflections
upon the Republican administration
from 1868 to 1876.
Several amendments to section 4
were handed up, to be printed for the
information of the members. :. None
of them was acted on.
REDUCING CLERICAL FORCE.
Owing to the fact that there was no
work for the engrossing clerks to do,
the convention passed a resolution dis
missing them, and providing for their
pay at 80 a day and 5 cents mileage
each way.
The convention then adjourned.
PATToN's PLAN REJECTED.
COLUMBIA, Oct. 30.-Special: The
Convention this morning resumed the
consideration of the suffrage article
the subject in hand being the substi.
tute offered by Mr.. Cowper Patton of
Richland.
MIR. MCGoWAN's POINTS.
MIR. MCGOWAN of the committee got
the floor at the outset and stated that
in his opinion the attack on the report
last nightwa uncalled for. The com
mittee had worked hard for three
weeks and they had given it the most
careful consideration. The Conserva.
t1ves and Reformers had all agreed and
reported the matter unanimously. He
proposed to show that the attack was
unwarranted in every respect; he
wanted to show that Mr.. Patton was
wrong in his facts and his law. I deny
that the committee contemplates that
the plan shall be fraudulently en-
forced.
The object was to enfranchise litter
ate white men. I don't care who
knows it! And we can do it without
trouble. He denied that it was the in
tention of the committee to have the
requirement enforced dishonesty.
Mr.. Patton had said nine-tenths of the
poor white people would be disfran-
chised. deny this: can say that
thew can understand. If they know
so little that they cannot understand,
they are bordering on idiocy and lun-
acy. This clause should and will be
administered honestly. My friend
based his entire argument on this
''impossibility to understand. I
say that he has built his argument on
a false basis. His purpose is to get
these men in who should not be dis
qualified. This States old soldiers
had been called off to war when they
should have been learning to read and
write. The argument Of my friend
must fall to the ground. It cannot
stand. Now where is my friends fig
ures and statistics to prove what he as
serts2
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