The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1895-02-27
The Black Bugbear.
The Address of the Irby State
Committee.

The Address of the Irby State
Committee.
The sub.committe Of the Irby State
executive committee met in this city
yesterday, and the following is the ad.
ndress, which it was decided on Feb
ru5lxG should be issued to toe Demo.
cratic voters of the State. The address
was issued at a very late hour last
night:
To the Democrats Of South Carolina:
The demand for a Constitutional cou'
vention to frame an organic law adapt
ed to our people aud our conditions
has become a cardinal principle of the
Democratic party Of this State.
The call for such a convention ha:
been duly made by the people. provided
for by the Legislature. and the con-
vention will assemble to do its work on
.>the-of September next.
Upon the complexion and acts of this
convention depend the welfare of our
people for many years to come. There
fore the election Of proper delegates to
the convention is of paramount impor-
lance. Our best and wisest citizens
should be chosen for this great aud re-
-~spopsible trust.
Realizing this. your State commit
tee, charged by the constitution Of the
party with the execution and direc.
ton of the policy Of the party" in &C.
cordance with its constitution and
platform Of principles. has unanimous
~ resolved that delegates to the con-
yention to represent the views Of the
Democratic party of this State, should
be nominated at a Democratic primary
TO be held 10 each county on the
day of July next, unless the county ex-
ecutive committee shall adopt a differ
ent mode of nomination, and the State
committee will 10 due time prescribe
suitable rules to govern the primary
, election. It cannot be ignored that the
factions "Reformers" and .Conserva-
tives" exist IN the Democratic party
of this State, aud that much bitter
strife has existed between them. Blu,
20 matter where the blame, if any,
should lie, the time has come when
aniou and harmony should again pre-.
-rail among the white Democrats of the
State. We believe the great body Of
the Democracy earnestly desire the re-
storation Of peace and harmony, and
We observe With pleasure that patriotic
men on both sides are sincerely en-.
: deavoring to bring about a union on
fair and just lines. By every fair and
honorable means We should strive &c
prevent a bitter factional fight for the
control of the Constitutional CONVEX
tioo, with its inevitable appeal to the
negro 10 arbitrate the differences
among Democrats. There is no reason
Why all white Democrats in South Car.
DINA cannot heartily agree and unite in
the adoption Of a Constitution. The
sran.cendent issue is the preservation
of white supremacy by a qualified suf
fgage. In this issue Conservatives and
Reformers alike are equally and vitality
concerned. On this supreme issue the
.ocsin should be "whise unity fol
Avbite supremacy" There vas once
lsuch a time. and may not be amiss t.
:ecall it.
Nineteen years ago a dual govern.
ment existed iu ous State capital, with
:wo Governors, each claiming to be the
legal executive, and two Legislatures
with full sets Of State officers. The
one government: was composed of car
pet-baggers, scalawags and negroes. the
viless set Of thieves and scouudrels
known to American history, was sus.
tanned by Federal troops, who had beer
ordered to seize the State House by
Grant. The question of the Presiden-
tia! succession was in doubt, and the
iron-willed President, without scruple
propped the edi6ce built By Gen. Caoby
and the carpet-baggars With bayonets,
because the States electoral vote was
necessary to save the Presidency TO the
Republican party.
The other Government was sustained
by the white people of the State with
a unanimity and determination born
Of despair and with the immovable pur.
, pose to throw oe The yoke Of Ignorance
an vice let the consequences be wha'
they might. But it was a period Of
doubt and gloom aud the minds of mea
have never been kept at such higi
TENSION for so Tonga time. The can
naisn Of 1876. With the exciting scenes
Which it engendered, the Hamburg and
Eilentou riots. the Cainhoy massacre.
.he red shir, cavaieades, the troops at
The polls, all these were fresh AID