The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-04-24
Evans Talks Again.
Columbia State, ApriI 81.

Governor Evans was yesterday asked
for a plain statement as to his position
with regard to the agreement made be-
tween himself and Governor Tillman and
Messrs. Barnwell, Sloan, Hemphill and
others. Here Is what the Governor had
to say: 81 don't want it to be understood
for one moment that I have receded one
particle from my agreement with the
gentlemen of South Carolina who have
been willing to cooperate with US In the
effort to secure white supremacy and
Constitution made by the decent white
people: .,..., ,,ooo,o, 49,. .h.+ ~.
pledges laid down by; the conference
should be made, and we will insist upon
it on the stump. There is no compro-
mise about it, but simply the basic prin,.
ciple of q white mans Constitution and
unless candidates pledge themselves on
this line the people will not vote for
them. This is nothing new. We have
all had to pledge ourselves on the stump
to carry out the demands Of the people
and they will not surrender themselves
and their sovereignty to men who think
more Of their individual opinions and 30
called consciences than they do Of the
will Of the people. It makes no differ
ence to the people who are the lnstru-
ments to execute their will, so long as it
is faithfully executed"
While in Charleston, Governor Evans
had the following to say in regard to
Judge Goff's order in the registration
matter:
$50 far the injunction is ex parte and
is no expression Of opinion as far as the
merits Of the case are concerned. The
Constitution of South Carolina provides
that no qualification on account Of race,
color or previous condition of servitude
that the Legislature shall provide for the
proper registration Of the qualified elec-
tors Of the State.
sThere is no restriction whatever upon
the Legislature as to the form Of registra.
ton, It thus became the duty Of the
Legislature to provide some system Of
registration. Without expressing any
opinion as to the old law, there is no un-
constitutional provision whatever in the
Act of '94 providing for the registration
of electors qualified to vote for delegates
to the Constitutional Convention.
"This is separate and distinct statute
for special election, and stands on Its
own bottom. Every citizen in the State
heretofore existing under any disability
by reason of previous laws was given an
opportunity to remove the same under
conditions which are reasonable and not
repugnant to the Constitution Of the State
or Of the United States. Such persons
still have an opportunity Of becoming
qualified voters by taking advantage OF
the registration Act. It is an sbsurdlty
to argue that because the system Is cum
bersome it is unconstitutional. There
are no two electors who will agree (pos.
siblyl as to this feature of the law, and it
was for this reason that the Legislature
was left entirely untrammeled az to the
system to be adopted: .,
"It is simply an effort to gain a little
cheap notoriety by some briefess barrla-
ters, who have lately emigrated from this
State to the capital of the nation. we
might as well let these people under
stand that We intend to have Constitu-
tional Convention, Constitution or no
Constitution, and the power Is in my
hand to thwart the efforts Of these un-
worthy sons and their Republican sym
pathizers in their appeal to prcjudiced
tribunal.
"I am glad to see that no respectable
attorney in South Carolina has been Sc
cured, and I take 1t as an evidence that
our people are unit as to the necessity
of q Constitution made by our own peo-
pie, without reference to faotional preju-
dices. We still claim the rights Of q
sovereign State, recognizing the Consti-
tuition Of the United States, and inter-
ference with the attempt of an honest
Legislature to protect the rights Of citi-
zens, without reference to race, color or
previous condition Of servitude, and the
perpetuation of good government will
meet prompt resistance by the State
authorities and the citizens Of this State"