The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1895-10-18
THE SUFFRAGE PLAN
AS Reported Bitterly Attacked and
Its Alleged Effect OF Disfranchising
Whites Pointed Out. War Be-
tween the Senator's.
tween the Senators.

tween the Senators.
Senator Irby, in an interview which
was published in the Columbia Regis
ter, vigorously attacks tho report of
the Suffrage Committee, of which Sen
ator Tillm"n is hnirman. & tic Con-
stitutiunbl I7,:vr'.tinl S,laior lrhy
says:
q! look up,a ;ALt report rs Il pul''f-
cal moas,r0sity one of the most dan
gerous schemes ever cOncocted in tic
brain of man, and when the Conven-
tion rccOnsenes I shall fight it and vote
against it, if hoy" rot another mem
Der upon the floor at my back. Why,
the more l study that report the
stronger my opposition aud the great
o. the danger ! see IN it. Lct us
nnalyzo the Suffrage Committees pro.
posed articles:
In the first place, here is sweeping
clause positively DISTINGUISHING every
white man IN South Carolina who j.
not ablo both 10 read AMI write; or
does not own Gnd pay taxes upon $500
worth # property il our State. This
language ~ too plain 10 be misundcr.
stood. 1t is a total lisfrunchisemcnt
OF thc poor ana illiteratc white man,
as well IA the negro lnh"riug under
the same political disabilities.
'Eut thor is tail 10 this snnra.r
kite, ID Proviso that holds good until
JNnrNry !, 1899, which permits the
registration officer. ii be sees tit AMI
proper to do 50. t. grant n pardon to
such voters ms he may see fit and
proper, subject 10 his amnesty for
the hcinous crime IF being poor and
illitcratC--nnd thus place them upon Il
political equality with the educated
negro and Who hns accumulated prom
crty. But even this proviso is coupled
with provision 30 ignominous and
degrading that proud-spirited Anglo
Saxon voter would sooner lose his right
of suffrage than to accept such political
charity. Here is what Senator TIL
mans report says:
"a separate record Of all illiteratc
persons thus registered sworn to by the
registration officers, shall be filed. one
copy with tho Clerk of the Court. one
copy with the Secretary OF State, etc
''ln other words, for n poor uncduca-
ted man to vote, after this law passes, u
palpablc and u barcfuce fraud must be
committed, and then the name Of the
beneficiary Of this pardon must bs
filed ns IL public record, both at his
court house and at the State Capitol
in Columbia. 1t will be n public and
perpetnnl document of reproach upon
thousands of honest family names in
South Carolina, and tho descendants
forgeneratlons to come of these par
doned voters will have the fact thrown
n their teeth that their ancestors be-
ing poor and illiterate were permitted
TO vote IN direct conflict with the spirit
Of their State Constitution, through q
pardon and special act of suffrage.
"Why, no brave and proud spirited
white man in the old Palmetto State
would accept suffrage under any such
conditions, and would sooner lose his
right to vote and be showed off in the
sane boat with the Sea Island negro
He would then indeed be u political
exile III the State Cf his birth, but tic
honest name that he will bequcath to
his children would not be fled among
the archievcs of South Carolina as are
the names of pGrdoncd convicts.
IL am responsible for the calling of
OIr Constitutional Convention. |
pledged tho white voters Of South
Carolina tnnt not one of them should
lose his ballot on account OF ignorance
or proverty, and L shall sacrcdly keep
this solemn covenant; and if il is
broken by Senator Tillman and the
convention 1t will he with my dcnuncin-
tion Of the infamous plot ringing in
tho ears of the dclcgateg. What brave
and sclfrcspccting whitcmMn desires
his names handed down to tuturc
generations as being so poverty stricken
and ignorant that ID separate clause
had to bo rngraitcd into the Constitu-
ton of his State to enable him to vote.
IL have unshcathcd my sword and
thrown away the scnbbard. 1 am in
the battle 10 the end. No poor and
UnCduratCl white man will lose his
vote II have the power to prevent il
I shall GCnOuncc this outrage upon
the floor Of the convention, and shall
dcuuuncc 1t upon the stand before the
IcUnl" We can preserve white 81
prcmacT n South Carolina without,
either diSfranchIscmcnt or humillut.
IEg q single white vutcr.'