The morning times., 1895-12-09
TO APPEAL TO CONGRESS.
South Carolina Republicans Re-
pudiate the Convention.
WILL PERPETUATE FRAUD
State Executive Committee Issues an
Appeal In Which 1t Declares the
Whole Proceeding Was Unconstitu-
tionai and That Fraud Was Used
In Seating the Delegates.

Columbia. $ c.. Dec. S.-The Republican
State Executive Committee last night ISSUED
an address to the people of the State, In
which it says:
1T has been well said that no question
can toe reTa rried as definitely settled until
it has been settled alright, that is on the
basis Of right and justice. if this 81 ying
bc true, certainly the suffrage question can
not be regarded as definitely settled by
the recent enactment of our so-calIed consti
tutionai colvcntion, for no fair minded
man can pretend that this enactment is
bascd either on right or justice.
''0u the contrary, 1t is the very essence oi
iniusticc and wrong. being nothing less thar
an attempt to perpetratc chea ting and fraud
in elections by enacting il into the funda-
mental Ia y of the State, as was fully ad-
mittcd iu the discuss sion by its author and
chief advocate, B. X. Tillmau.
This. indeed, was the openly avowed pur-
pose for calling the convention. aud that
purpose. it cac hardly bc denied, has been
faithfully carried out, and that, too, in
clear aud pdlpa bic violation Of the consti-
tuition and laws of the United States.
INTEND TO RESIST
"In announcing uur purpose as Rcpnb-
Bcaus to resist the enforcement "f TINS
nefariuuS enactment in every proper and
legitimate way, a brief retrospect "f our
very anomalous political situation here in
South Carolina may not he ainiSs-
1t has also adopted resolutions, the sec
ond and third of which read as follows:
Resolved, SecnDd, That un state issues
we decline To- accept as final and definite
the consultation, su-callCd-iust completed
by the constitutional convention. So-calted-
here in Columbia, and this for the follow
ing reasons:
we regard 1T as fraudalrnt in its origin,
In that tie convention was fraudulenily
'couRted in with only Sl,i02 vGtes out
of the voting population iii the state oI
over. 235, 400 according t. the United
States census Of 1880; fraudulent in char
actcrs in that it proposes 10 pcrpetuate in
the fundamental law of the State the sys-
TEN Of cheating and fraud and discrimina-
ton against certain classes in elections,
aDd fraudulent in its finale. i'll that it
proposes Ia put this sO-caiiei constitution
in operation rs the fundamental law of the
state without first submitting il 10
popular vote for ratification.
THIS latter alone, as has been well said
by high authority, is contrary tp the spirit
u! AGeric5tu institutions ana hostile to the
true theory of republican government
WILL APPEAL TO CONGRESS.
We therefore propose TO Iesisi in every
proper and legitimate way This so-calied
constitution. and to use our utmost efforts
before Congress- and before the Federal
courts. A. well as before the returning SENSE
of justice ard fair dealing OF DIr people To
hay" il declared nun and void. We do no.
propose. however, TO carry on this struggle
for right aud justice along ANY narrow or
fractional lines; on the contrary, we cordially
invite aud invoke the cooperation and
hearty participation of all patriotic and
justice -lCviDg citizens of cur State, with
out regard 10 party or faction.
Ii is a struggle forced upon us against
our viii ny the dominant, arbitrary and
dcSpotiC Til!mau faction, and no choice is
lcft Us hut resistance or cuwdrdly submis
sion Ia wrong and the grosSest kind of in
justice.
Resolved, Third. That immediate or
ganizs lion OF all friends of our course is
impera dvely demanded TO effectively meet
the condition confronting us, ana in order
that said organization may be systematic
and thorough. a set of rules have been
efoPtcd and printed Copies can be had
upon appiica tion to these headquarters"