The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-05-22
THE CRIISS IN THE STATE.
Governor Evans Issues an Address to
the People.

guns are mere III 1ull I0Tce. LIB
afternoon there was quite gathering
in the Governors Office. Some Of
those present came to attend the meet
ing Of the Winthrop College board,
while others are here preliminary to
the meeting of the executive commit
tee. Senator Tillman was central
figure in the party, and, of course, the
present political conditions came up
for discussion, and there was sort Of
general and impromptu talk about
matters. Senator 1rby was in the
city, as happy as he could be. Dur.
ing the day Governor Evans prepared
an address, which be issued to the
people of the State. The paper reads
as follows:
FELLOW CITIZENS In 1865, after
the most bloody struggle for principle
in the history of the world, South
Carolina laid down her arms and
accepted in good faith the results of
the war: The State was put under
martial law, and under the Recon
struction Act the ignorant slaves,
whose fetters had just been broken,
manipulated by carpet-baggers from
the four quarters of the earth, were
placed in entire control of our State
Government.
After farce of an election for dele
gates to constitutional Convention
the Constitution, which has been our
organic law since 1868, was adopted at
the dictates of Gen. Candy. The
conditions which followed and the
results of placing ignorance and vice
in the control of the Government are
known of all men. This condition
lasted until 1876, when the oppression
and misgovernment had rendered our
people so desperate that with one i'm
pulse they asserted their manhood
and oyerthrew the despotism of the
carpet-baggers and resumed control Of
the States affairs.
While the constitutionality Of the
Reconstruction Act was never ques-
toned by us, because we were power
less to resist, the question of State
sovereignty within the limits prescrib-
ed in the Constitution, in accordance
with Southern Interpretation, has
since been affirmed by repeated decis-
ions of the Supreme Court of the Uni
ted States. The Court even asserted
that the States had never been out Of
the Union, thereby indirectly declar-
ing invalid the Acts of Congress read
mitting them after reconstruction.
The right Of a State to manage and
direct it's internal affairs without ma
tional interference is recognized
throughout the Union, and it is no
peculiar or special claim on the part
Of South Carolina to exercise that
right so long as her State officers and
her General Assembly obey the Con-
stitution Of the United States and the
laws of. Congress. This is SO we'll re-
that I do not propose to dis
cuss it further, but feel that we can
safely rely upon the integrity and
patriotism of the Supreme Judges to
reafirm and maintain it.
The people of South Carolina have
always been law-abiding and respect
the Constitution and Courts of the
United States, but when the Judges
of those Courts wantonly invade and
trample under foot the recognized
rights of our people guaranteed by the
Federal Constitution they have right
to assert themselves and maintain
their sovereignty and independence.
This they have ever done and will
continue to do, and will resist with all
the means within their power usurpa-
tion and tyranny of partisan politi-
clans in high places who disgrace the
judicial ermine.- We cannot nor have
we the desire to resort to arms to
resist this unjust decree, but we can
and will exert the united efforts Of
liberty-loving people to thwart the
conspirators who are plotting to over
throw our civilization.
In this struggle We confidently rely
on the sympathy and moral support of
all lovers Of good government and
States rights throughout the Union.
The sovereignty of the States, within
their proper spheres, is as dear to
Massachusetts, and Ohio as it is to
South Carolina, and the principle can
not be struck down here without re-
ceiving mortal blow elsewhere.
1t is unfortunate that the passions
and prejudices excited by the war in
regard to the negro should influence
the opinions and feelings Of Judges in
dealing with this vital principle, but
it will follow inevitably that if this
principle is once destroyed this coun
try will be convulsed with revolu-
tion for the restoration of the liberties
of the white men that will far eclipse
that other fatal struggle for the eman-
cipation of the blacks.
The restoration of white supremacy
in 1876 placed in Office and in leader
ship Of the affairs of the State Wade
Hampton as Governor and afterwards
as United States Senator, and M. G.
Butler, United States Senator, Charles
Fl. Simonton, chairman Of the judi
ciary committee and leader of the
House of Representatives, later Dis
trict and Circuit Judge of the United
States Court, and John G. Sheppard,
Speaker of the House of Representa-
tives, Lieutenant Governor and after
wards Governor. In 1882, under the
leadership of these men, the Legisla-
ture passed the laws known. as s'the
Election and Registration Act, de-
signed to preserve white supremacy
and white man government. These
laws worked admirably, and up to this
proceeding no complaint has ever been
heard of their injustice, oppression or
criminality. The citizen who dared
raise his voice against them was de-
nounced as an enemy of his State.
Those who were too young to hold
Offices and take part in such affairs
were taught to respect these men as
patriots and their handiwork as the
palladium of liberties.
This regime, becoming arrogant and
distasteful to a majority of our people
and repugnant in their policy to our
institutions, was overthrown and the
people in 1890, by the election Of B.