Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1895-05-17
EVANS RED HOT.
The Governor Issues Fiery Manifesto
to the People.

TO the feOples
The following address from Govern
or Evans to the people of the State
appeared in the daily papers of last
Wednesday
Fellow Citizens In 1865, after the
most bloody struggle for principle in
the history of the world, South Caro-
linians laid down their arms and accept
ed 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 farce
of an election for delegates to con-
stitutional convention, the constitu-
ton which has been our organic law
since 1868 wa, adopted at the dictate
of General Canby. The conditions
which followed and the results of plac-
ing ignorance and vice in the control
of the government are known to all
men. This condition lasted until 1876,
when the oppression and misgoveru-
ment had rendered our people so des-
perate that with one impulse they as
serted their manhood and overthrow
the despotism oflhe 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 prescrib-
ed in the constitution, in accordance
with Southern Interpretation, has since
been affirmed by repeated decisions of
of the supreme court of the United
States. That court even asserted that
the States had never been out of the
Union, thereby indirectly declaring in
valid the acts of congress, readmitting
them after reconstruction. The right
of a State to manage and direct its
internal affairs without national inter-
ference 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 constitution of the United States
and the laws of congress. This is so
well recognized 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 the courts of the
United States; but when the judges Of
these courts wantonly invade and
trample under foot the recognized
rights of our people guaranteed by the
Federal constitution, they have a 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, usurpation and
tyranny of partisan politicians in high
places, who disgrace the judicial er-
mine. We cannot, nor have we the
desire to, resort to arms to resist his
unjust decree, but we can and will exert
the united efforts of liberty-loving
people to thwart the conspirators who
are plotting to overthrow our civiliza-
tion. In this struggle we confidently
rely on the sympathy and moral sup
port 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 a mortal blow everywhere.
1t is 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 revolu-
tion for the restoration of the liberties
of white men, that will far eclipse that
other fatal struggle for the emancipa-
tion 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; NJ. c. Butler,
United States senator; Charles H.
Simonton, chairman of the judiciary
committee and leader of the house of
representatives, later district and cir
cult Judges of the United States court,
and Jno. C. Sheppard, speaker of the
house of representatives, lieutenant
governor and afterwards governor.
In 1882, under the leadership of these
men, the legislature passed the laws
known as "The Election and Registra-
tion Acts" designed to preserve white
supremacy and a white mans govern
mcnt. These laws worked admirably,
and up to this proceeding no complaint
has ever been heard Of their injustice,
oppression or criminality. The citi-
zen who dared raise his voice against
them was denounced as an enemy of
his State. Those who were too young
to hold office and take part in such af-