The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1895-01-30

esates-Another Move by the Republican
Call For Second Convention-Their
Reasons.
COLUMBIA, S. c., Jan. 22.-The fol-
lowing call was issued last Saturday:
COLUMBIA. S. c., Jan. is. 1895.
To the Negro Ministry in South Caro-
lima:
Dear Brethren in Christ: By fraud,
greatly surprising the glaring robber-
les in accordance with which the cleo
tons in South Carolina have been
conducted for so many years; by
methods that are a burning disgrace
to civilized people, much less pro
fessed democratic form of government
to say nothing of their tendency to
prevent, vitiate and surely destroy the
public's moral sense Of honesty and
right; by machination 50 grossly out
rageous that the alleged end sought,
viz: ITO keep the negro eternally
down" is inadequate for the high
handed means employed, a Constltu-
tional convention was counted in in
the recent election and accordingly
called by the last Legislature to meet
at Columbia, September, 1895. Though
changing the very organic law OF our
State the work of this convention will
be amendable to no power other than
the wishes of its members; for it has
been decided that the doings of this
body shall not be submitted tothe pco-
pie for their approval.
Among other things Of a partisan
nature, provisions are to be made
whereby the negro can be effectively
and perpetually robbed of his right
of franchise and, at the same time
and by the operation of the very same
law, the white man, in similar or
more degraded condition, shall eXper-
ience no political inconveniences. In
fact, the only argument offered in be-
halt of this convention has been along
the line of more thoroughly intensity
ing the already abnormal and by cir
cumstances, unwarranted prejudice
against the unotfending negro. AS
the embezzler begins his career by
stealing smaller sums and using every
precaution that skill can employ or in.
genuity invent to cover over what he
has done. grows more reckless as sue
cess makes him the more involved and
the greater rogue, and finally, in en-
boldened despration takes everything
in sight, leaving his suffering victims
the consolation contained in the ques-
ton, What are you going to do about
it, so has been the history of the pre-
sent Democratic party in South Caro-
lima. 1t began its career by breaking
every sugar-coated promise made to
the negro by Hampton and the repre-
sentatiyes of his government, declar-
ing in the meanwhile, however, to the
outside world-both through leading
| men and powerful newspapers-that
dishonesty was unknown in the States
political realm; growing bolder, be-
cause of the success attending its met
hods of fraud, suppression and intim-
idation, and, as is natural, perhaps,
less sensitive of right and more defiant
to sentiment. We have, as climax,
the assurance given by those empow-
cred to speak, that our right Of fran
chise and all the accompanying privil-
eges will be taken away from us with
out the question Of how we likeit be-
ing raised to the dignity of considera-
ton.
The present is not the time, nor does
the occasion justifya mincing of words
much less a lack of activity. A des-
peration born of and fostered by a
righteous cause and a deep sense Of
what we have to gain or lose should
fire us. Since our people as race,
have but few leaders in whom they
have any confidence other than their
preachers, and since it is our Cod
given mission to cry aloud against
wrong at all times and in all places,
even in high places, wethe negro min
istry of South Carolina, regardless of
denominations, must awaken to the re-
sponsibilities which our vocation, the
demands of the hour and the otherwise
helplessness of our people impose.
Too long already have we been con-
tent to lift up standard of right and
honesty for the individual life of the
governed, without even attempting to
manifest our righteous Indignation
against the indisputahle dishonesty on
the part of those governing. We who
preach with the ardor of our spiritual
! " awakened souls the doctrine of the
golden rule and obedience to the COM
mand thou shalt not steal, can do no
wrong if acting on the principle that
''an ounce of prevention IS worth a
pound of cure, we do all in our power
| by the employment Of legitimate
means to prevent our fellowman either
from stealing or himself from being
robbed. The fact that the coveted thing
in question is right which God has
/ given and civilized and honestly
managed governments unquestionably
grant, in no way changes the matter,
unless perchance, it is made thereby
the more obligatory upon our profes-
sion to be other than placid spectators.
Now we do not forget that, in the
midst of so much political dishonesty
there have always been large and
constantly increasing number of white
men who are sufficiently conscientious
and far seeing enough to understand
that dishonest methods in affairs of
government must, in the very nature
OF things, contain in themselves Incl
pient germs of chickering's, discord and
a retarding, if not complete destruc-
ton of the common wealth's prosperi-
ty. Among the Reformers these men
are found. In the ranks Of the Con.
servatives they are not absent. Even
in the Republican party there are some
broad-minded, patriotic men. The
emergency which confronts US, how,
ever, demands that we shall be tied to
no party or party leaders-that we
shall stand and contend on the broad
plane of eternal right rather than on
the circumscribed platform ola particu.
lar party. Men and measures must be
our aim.
| Moved by these considerations and
I / f,>1 1,,,,-