The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1895-07-17

ence--Seem to be Very Anxious to the
Outlook For the Future.
COLUMBIA, S. c.. July Il.-The
State conference of negroes, which
was called by the Ministerial Union
to consider the Constitutional conven-
ton outlook so far as the black race is
concerned, assembled at noon yester-
day in the State Senate chamber.
There were about seventy-fve repre-
sentative negroes from the various
sections of the State present Among
them were many of the leading negro
preachers of the State, George Wash
ington Murray, Bishop Salter and 9th
erS.
The conference was called to order
at noon by the Rev. E. H. Colt, OF
this city, as president of the Ministe-
rial Union. The proceedings We're
opened with prayer by the Rev. l. l.:
Miller, of Orangeburg. On motion Of
the Rev. R. z. Hart, of this city, the
Rev. E. II. Colt, ofthis city, was elect
ed temporary chairman, and Judge Of
Probate Green, of Georgetown county.
was elected secretary.
The call of the roll by counties was
then commenced. When Aiken coun-
ty was reached it was seen that so
much time would be consumed that
Murray suggested that they have the
chairman of each delegation hand IN
the names of those who were delegates,
and that the roll be made up in that
way. This was agreed to. He also
suggested that inasmuch as the
mighty Irby committee with all its
powerful engines of election" and
Conservatives had met with closed
doors, they, the weak and helpless,
should meet with closed doors too.
This was agreed to. A session was then
held lasting until 2:30p. m. The con-
ference reassembled at4 p. NJ. and was
in session until about 1880 o'clock
last night before any results were
made known. At that hour the fol,
lowing address was sent to the repre-
sentatives of the press:
THE ADDRESS.
To the People of the United States
AS part of the constituent elements
from which our National government
draws its life blood in time of peace,
and from whose life blood it exacts
tribute in time of war, under the broad
reciprocal relations that should exist
among all the people of one common
country, that should be elastic, often
sive or defensive weapons for every
American citizen. however humble, at
home or abroad, in order that the
theory of government handed down by
the fathers might be fully realized and
enjoyed by every individual on every
inch of national territory, we submit
that small, but desperate minority of
the population has declared its pur-
pose to perpetuate its power by un-
lawfully trampling under feet all the
rights and franchises granted us by the
Federal Constitution as means of
protecting life, liberty and property.
We have used every means in de-
fense of our constitutional rights and
franchises known to law-abiding citi-
zens in this State, without effect and as
a last resort are forced to call upon the
strong arm of the national government
for a defense of rights granted and
sguaranteed by itself.
q AS the army and navy are held as a
@reserve force to uphold local authorl-
Eties in every State, the Federal gov
! ernment, in order not to be imposed
upon and to support anarchy under
the pretense of suppressing it, should
see to it that a republican form ofgov-
ernment, which we understand to be a
government instituted by thesovereign
will of a majority Of the constitution
ally qualified voters, actually exists IN
every State.
We humbly crave your influence
with the constituted authorities of the
nation, in order that their consciences
and arms might be strengthened in eff
forts TO have the Constitution and
laws of the nation upheld, so that each
American citizen might have the equal
protection of the law, without which,
constitutional guarantees are mere
mockeries, and life itself burden to
the people of the State.
We assure the fair-minded white
people of this State that we are willing
to use every means within our power
to aid in the overthrow of the small
; but designing clique now in possession
of the government, which has busted
itself in thereorganization Of the courts
and militia for the purpose Of perpetu-
ating its power and which has been
so emboldened with success in former
revolutionary steps as to declare, un-
der cover of the unconstitutional reg
istration laws, its determination to
hold convention of its own making
and liking, and disfranchise the vast
majority Of the voting population re
gardless of constitutional prohibitions.
I. assigns as its reason for such un-
constitutional and revolutionary steps
that Constitution must be made to
prevent what they are pleased to call
NEGRO domination" and to establish
:. white supremacy" which means, re-
duced to its essense, the supremacy of
he faction now in control.
~ As the facts of history themselves
srove, we deny that there has ever
been desire Or attempt on our part to
8 dominate the government With the
large body Of US voting, most Of whom
are illiterate and poor, there is not as
much danger of our control of govern
ment as there is of the laboring classes
in Massachusetts,, New York or Penn
sylvania, who with unlimited suffrage,
contrasted with Tillmanlte following,
do not control.
While we are entitled to partlcipa-
ton in the government commensurate
with our wealth and intelligence,
representation is only a secondary
consideration compared with our right
to retain our right of suffrage, which
be annulled by any constitu-
ional means.
Under our theory Of self-government
in order that every man may possess
the means within his person to protect
life, liberty and possessions, the gov