The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1895-05-22

Most CumeaSured Terms. and Speaks OF
Butler and Pope and their Supporters as
Traitors.
COLUMBIA, May 14.-One might al
most suppose from the gathering OF
the clans here that there was a con-
vention pending The Reform big
guns are here in full force. This af-
ternoon there was quite gathering
in the Governors office. Some OF
inc r1c Of the Wint6ropp p 1t.sara tolGege E" board,
while others are here preliminary to
the meeting of the executive commit
tee. Senator Tiilman was central
figure in the party. and, of course,
the present political conditions came
up for discussion, and there was a sort
of general and inpromptu talk about
matters. Senator Irby was in the
city, as happy as he could be. During
the day Governor Evans prepared an
address, which he issued TO the people
OF the State. 1t is rather a vigorous
paper, but one which lie thinks the
occasion demands. 1t might be added
that it has the approval of some of
the Reform leaders who have heard
it. The paper reads as follows:
THE GOVERNORS ADDRESS.
Fellow citizens: In 1865, after the
most bloody struggle for principle in
the history of the world, South Caro-
lima laid down her arms and accepted
in good faith the results of the war
The State was put under martial law.
and under the Reconstruction 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 a farce of an election for dele
gates to Constitutional Convention
the Constitution. which has been our
organic law since 1868, was adopted at
the dictate of Gen. Candy. The con-
ditions which followed and the re-
suits 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
overthrew 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 pre-
scribed in lhe Constitution, in accord
ance with Southern Interpretation, has
since been affirmed by repeated decis-
ions of the Supreme Court of the Uni
ted States. That Court even asserted
that the States had never been out OF
the Union, thereby indirectly declar-
ing invalid the Acts of Congress read
hitting them after reconstruction.
The right of a State to manage and
direct its 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 Constitu-
ton of the United States and the laws
of Congress. This is so well recog-
nized that I do not propose to discuss
it further. but feel that we can safely
rely upon the integrity and patriotism
of the Supreme Judges to reaffirm
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-
ton and tyranny of partisan polit-
clans in high places who disgrace the
judicial ermine. We cannot nor have
we the desire to resort to arms to re-
sist his unjust decree, but we can and
will exert the united efforts of liberty
loving people to thwart the conspira
tors who are plotting to overthrow
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.
Its 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 a revolu-
ton 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 NJ G.
Butler. United States Senator, Charles
H. Simonton, chairman Of the jadici-
ary 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 'the
Election and Registration Acts" de-
signed to preserve white supremacy
and white mans government. These
laws worked admirably, and up to
this proceeding no complaint has ever
been heard Of their injustice, oppres-