The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1895-05-29

pOSSlpIC. 1ueic LluSL, however, NC uo
backing. no funking, no lodging.
We must win this election honestly
and peaceably, and l believe we will
do it. :"
We'll, Senator how do you pro-
pose to accomplish this!''
II think that for the dignity Of the
State the Attorney General ought to
prosecute his appeal with the greatest
possible dispatch. He can get case
by one supervisor ignoring Judge
Gof's order, and take him to the Uni
ted States Court under writ of habeas
corpus. But this alone could not safe
ly be relied upon, for we ought to take
all the chances. in case they decide
against us, aud know what to do at
once. I think that it is highly prcba
bic that if this case is taken to the
United States Supreme Court that it
may-not be decided in time for US to
know what the decree will be till time
to hold the election or convention ar
rives; so time is great factor in this
whole matter. If we can strengthen
the line of policy in any way, it is our
duty to do it. The committee dis
cussed at length, and while there was
no expression upon it by vote, yet I
have every reason to believe that a
majority Of the members favor the
suggestion that I made, which is: that
tae committee, as the representative
and guardian of the whole Democracy,
including every faction, should re-
spectfully ask the Governor for the
good, safety and the peace and dig
nifty of the State to call an extra ses-
sion OF the Legislature at once To
use common expression, tie it out IN
the woods for quick use, should the
decision be against us, or fail to come
in time Realizing the seriousness and
gravity Of the situation, I was unwill-
ing to trust my knowledge of the law
and called around me able lawyers, to
discuss and advise as to the legal as
poets Of the case. The Attorney Gen
eral. Col. Aldrich, of Barnwell, Sena
tor Mayfeld and Speaker Ira B. Jones.
l also asked the opinion of another
gentleman, whose name I shall not
mention, and they all agreed that the
Legislature, if it saw fit, could wipe
out our present election law, do away
with the good, bad and indifferent, and
give us law copied from some North
ern State to De used as q pontoon
bridge to cross the stream, with the
hope of building. an iron one later. l
know tits claimed by some that we
have got to stand or fall on what the
last Legislature did, and that an extra
session can not undo what it did in
these election matters last December.
This was the point that was elaborate
ly discussed by the gentlemen whose
names have been mentioned, and de-
cided unanimously in favor of the
right of the Legislature to make new
law. I think it is due myself person
ally, as well as chairman of thetparty,
to say that some Newspaper correspon-
dents have intimated that some politi-
cal advantage might be at the bottom
of this suggestion that I made in refer
enee to the calling of an extra session
of the Legislature realize that the
executivecommittee have been charg-
ed by the party with the taking care
of the Constitutional convention, to
see that delegates are legally elected,
so that the product of that convention
will stand the blows of its enemies in
the Federal Courts. If we think it is
best for the people of the State to have
the Legislature to meet and remove
this cloud that threatens the title and
very life of the Constitution to be
made, then we should be derelict if we
failed to ask the Governor to call the
Legislature together. OF course, it is
in his province to do it Or not as he
sees fit. This executive committee is
the one that made the campaign that
elected the present administration and
called the Constitutional convention
and as loyal Democ:a ats and true rep
resentatives of the Democracy, we are
always pleased to sustain the admins
tration, and will continue to do SO,
but we must not be expected to shirk
a responsibility, even if it does conflict
with the opinions of other able and
distinguished men"
Then, Senator, you have very de.
cided convictions that an extra session
of the Legislature ought to be called?"
''Yes, have indeed, after much ma
ture deliberation. The chief reason is
that it will remove all questions and
everybody will admit that these law
questions are not only serious, but in
great doubt. To emphasize it, say
again. in this way we will quiet
and peaceable election. Now, the
cost Of the Legislature in these hard
times. under reform government,
may be beconsidered an obstacle; but the
life of one, much less hundreds of pa
triotic men, will be worth to the State
more than a few thousand dollars
that ten days session will cost. In
the name of peace and God, 1 submit
that we can very we'll afford to make
the investment. y
We'll, Senator, you seem to take a
gloomy view of this?'
II am not gloomy, hacked or afraid
of the final outcome. The people when
allowed to think always act and do the
right thing at the right time. Itwould
be untrue to me if it did not point out
what seems to me to be pitfalls, and
do what l think ought to be done to
avoid them. At any event, with a
possibility of a general uprising of the
negroes, led by unscrupulous white
men and negro preachers, 1t is the part
of wisdom. of the true men OF the
State to look these dangers in the face
and bring victory again to the Demo
cratic party. As I have said before. |
don't believe that the people of the
State, principally farmers of the State,
will sit idly by and allow themselves
ruined, in every sense Of the word, by
the domination of negroes. The ne
groes living among the white farmers
in their impoverished condition. if let
alone. will naturally sympathize with
the men who furnish them bread to
eat and clothes to wear. If the worst
comes to the worst. and the election