The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-02-13
crty-loving white men, who like our
selves, are opposed to the domineering
and tyrannical Tilllnan-1rby ring.


that they proceed to the permanent
organization. This was carried:
W. w. Russell nominated B. o.
Duncan as permanent chairman say
ing he was known to the Republicans
of the whole country. S. E. Smith
seconded Duncan's nomination and
spoke of him as "distinguished gen
| tleman and scholar--a moulder o1
thought"
Fishburne nominated E. NJ. Bray
ton. Shiver nominated Capt. J.. d.
Melton.
Brayton declined in favor of Dun,
can. Nominations were closed. Dun
can was then elected, and he was In
troduced as a pioneer Republican.
Duncan made very short speech,
acknowledging the honor, and en-
dorsing the statement and points
made by Brayton.
THE ADDRESS TO THE PEOPLE.
DR.. Clayton then presented the re-
port of the committee on platform,
which was read by S. E. Smith:
To the People of South Carolina: We
have the authority of Ex-Governor and
Senator-elect Tillman that the Demo-
cratic party is an offense in the nos
trils of the South Carolina people: He
said the same thing of the Republican
party, but as he has always claimed to
be Democrat, his judgment OF the
Democratic party may be accepted as
the result of intimate knowledge, while
his charges against the Republicans are
evidently from hearsay and prejudice
and not so we'll entitled to belief. The
facts before the country and the people
of this State are that the Democratic
party is confessedly dead and the
Populist party impracticable. NO
thinking man doubts that at the next
election the Republicans will sweep
the country and regain power for a
long term of years.
In the face of this situation an effort
is now being made to destroy the Re
publican and negro vote in South Car
olina. The only justification suggested
for this course is the alleged desire for
white supremacy and fear of negro
rule. The only argument advanced for
its support is the rehash of the sins OF
the so-callcd radical" government i'll
this State from 1868 to 1876.
We ask the people Of this State to
consider soberly and honestly. GER
tain facts which cannot be disputed.
The masses of the negroes of this
State have never shown theleast desire
to persecute their white neighbors.
There was corruption in the so-called
radical government but it was chiefly
the work of alien politicians, and the
result of bad leadership. 1t is q fact
that the men now prominent in the Re-
publican party here passed through
that time of temptation and debauch-
cry untainted. In palliation of the
sins of the negro we may submit the
testimony of the white Democrats re-
garding their own government. Gov
ernor Tillman has informed US that the
governments of the white Democrats to
the year 1890 were marked by corrup-
ton. bribery, political leprosy and i'm
becility. On the other hand very Sc
rious charges of very much the same
nature have been brought against his
government by Democrats of opposing
factions. The people of the State are
agreed that the taxes of the so-called
"radical"times were not as hard to pay
as those now levied. We have Gov
ernor Tillman's evidence that far more
pounds of cotton and meat and bushels
of corn are needed now to pay taxes
than at any period of the ''radicar'
government. Nobody can claim that
the people are as prosperous now as
they were then. Notwithstanding
these things the Republicans and the
negroes of the State have for eighteen
years submitted quietly to the rule OF
the minority with wonderful patience,
with docilityand faithfulnese and hope
which must challenge the admiration
and enlist the sympathy of the world.
They have yielded everything with
hardly amurmur. They have seen all
the promises made them by the white
Democrats in 1876 broken and con-
temptuously ignored They have been
banished from the jury boxes and the
ballot boxes and Disseminated against
constantly and remorselessly. With all
this they have gone on paying their
share of the taxes, the masses Of them
faithfully, honestly and humbly striv-
ing to do their parts in building up the
State and TO make themselves better
citizens and Christians.
Now they are called on to meet a
proposition boldly, publicly and un-
blushingly announced, that conven-
ton is to be held for the declared and
expressed purpose of disfranchising
them forever and leaving them entire
ly helpless at the mercy of the men
who have shown every disposition to
invade their rights. to blast their
hopes and to crush all their modest as
pirations. Against this cruel, unpro-
voked and unnecessary outrage weap-
peal to the people of the country Of all
parties, and especially to those of
South Carolina. Representing and
speaking for the Republican party, we
.solemnly declare that we are not act
ing for the restoration of Republican
rule in the State or for the destruction
or impairment of white supremacy.
w e are asking simply that Republi-
cans and negroes be spared the right
to exist as citizens and be not put at
one stroke on the level with convicts
who have forfeited all civil rights.
1t is not only for the Republicans
and the negroes, but for all classes of
white people and for all interests of
the State, that we appeal. Under the
Constitution of the United States no
law can be framed to disfranchse the
negroes which will not disfranchise
thousands of white men, except by the