The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1895-07-16
AN APPEAL TO UNCLE SAM.
TaM Eic3Isols WANT HELP FROM
THss ARMY.

: + + =
Che tReformers Are Denounced
6t8onigDy -Stseady 40 Join With Al
uppOpents 0f the Administration.
The negroes held q conference las
week in Columbia, which was ATTENDED
by fifty Or sixty, mOstly preachers
The following is the address issited by
the conference
To hospeUple OF tho United States
IA II part OF the cOnstituenI elements
from which our national government
draws itslife-bloOd In time OF peace,
and from whose life-blood 1t exacts
tribute In time OF war, under the broad
: reciprocal relations that should exist
among alithe people OF one common
country, that shonld be elastic, oifen-
ssiye or defensive weapons for every
American citizan, however humble at
home on abroad, I'm order that the
theory OF government handed down by
the fathers might be fuiiy realized
and enjoyed by every individual ON
every inch of national territory, we
submit that y small but desperate
minority OF the population has declar-
ed its purpose to perpetuate its power
by unlawfplly trampling under, feet
all the rights and franchises granted
us by the Federal Constitution as q
means OF projecting life, liberty aud
properly.
We have used every means In de-
fense OF our constitutional rights and
franchises known to lawaabiding citi-
zens In this State without effect, and
as u last resort are forced to call upon
the strong arm of the national govern
ment for "a defense Of rights granted
aud guaranteed by itself.
AS the army and navy are held in
reserve force to uphold local au-
thorities In every State, the Federal
government in order not to be imposed
upon and used to support anarchy
under the pretense of suppressing it,
should seesto 1t that u republican form
OF government which we understand
to be q government instituted by the
sovereign will of majority of the con-
stitutj0nally 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
efforts 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
10 the people OIL pb6 StaCe.
Wo assure, the fair-minded white
people OF this State that we are will
Ing 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 the reorganization
of the courts and militia for the pur-
pose of perpetuatfng its power and
which he's been SO emboldened with
success in former revolutionary steps
as to declare under cover of the uncon-
stitutional registration laws, its de-
termination to hold u convention of its
own make and liking and disfranchise
the vast majority of'the voting popula-
tion regardless of constitutional pro-
hibitions.
1t assigns as it's reason for such un-
constitutional and revolutionary steps
that constitution must be made to
prevent what. tlicy are pleased to cali
"negro domination and to establish
I" white supremacy" which means, re-
duced to its essence, the supremacy of
the faction now in control.
AS the facts OF history themselves
prove, we deny that theres,has ever
been q desire or attempt onNour part
to 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
government as there Is of the laboring
classes in n,asMsachusetts, New York or
Pennsylvania, who with unlimited
suffrage, contrasted with Tillmanite
following, do not control.
While we are entitled to participa-
ton in the-gDVernment commemorate
Alr wealth and intelligence re-
"a q a secondary
Ion compared with our right
'S'. In our right of suffrage which
+ be annulled by any constitution
X our theory of self-government
r that every m&u may posses
lns within his person to protect
+ berty and possessions, the gov
power Is divided into as many
nal parts as there, are male
to each of whom Is decided an
portion designed to be used ina
entative capacity and the ballot
ts instrument.
nder our form of government all
* i 3 and administrators of the law
signed to be the creatures OF the
= = led and are therefore the servants
M to, whom they must look for
( to all continuation in Office,
means protection for all, the
,Ss' to the governed in such form
)ernment does not exist half so
In poverty or illiteraoy as the
lnulations of vast fortunes by the
bw, the influence of which may be
ssed to sWerve the servants OF the
b9ople to administer the government
jbr law In the interests of a feW to the
|deteriment OF the many. Besidesgif
there is to be q privilege class govern
ment, restricted to persons pos ses5ing
certain amUnTS CT property or educa-
tim, what reasons are there for not
further restrictinNShe governing class
ITO . fow college }rofessors or million
aires 2
( BY making IS officers of the law,
who shall be- !Ee servants of all, the
dependent crefkures OF q class only,
you make them the Wiling or nn-
willing tools Of that class alone, and
they will be bound TO c0nstrue and ads
minister law to please members there
OF only in which system 1t Is apparent
that the class shofn Sof power is Will
out even as much protection as slaves
whose masters ballots protect them.
Such form OF government we had
in limited degree before the war,
when the free negroes, the unprivi-
lcded class had to have guardians by
whom many we're deprived of freedom
and property. Any form of govern
ment (if we may dignity 1t by such o
s term) which forces class OF people to
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