The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-11-29
THE DEED IS DONE,
The South Carolina constitutional
Conventions Work,
WHITE SUPREMACY IS ASSURED
Irtho Consultation Runs the Gaunusto OF
the Federal Courts-FlIrd So That
IIundrrd Thou,and White Adnib Can
OutyOtO Hundred aud Forty Thou
sand ooIorrd aIsn-A Democracy In
Which the Minority WIN Rule.

COLUMBIA, S. c.. Nov. ?S.-south
Cardinals constitutional convention
will adjourn sine die next Tuesday All
the work OF tho convention has now
been completed except that Of final re-
vision OF the changes made In ths con-
atItution, which Is in the hands Of a
committee. The body has been In ses-
sion continuously with the exception
OF u ten days recess since the tenth OF
September. The new constitution win
be different In many respects from the
one It vii supercede The most lmpor-
tant change win be in the suffrage ar
tlclc. In round numbers there are no.
900 adult male negroes and 100000 adult
male whites In South Carolina, The
present constitution OF South Carolina
was adopted IN 1865 and was framed by
a convention composed mostly OF re-
Gently liberated slaves and dominated
by Hortherncrs who came into the state
at the close Of the war II was pat
termed after those OF Massachusetts
and Ohio. The greatest objection 10 II
was against the suffrage article, which
bestowed the franchise on all male cit
liens OF The age OF twcnty-One years
and upwards, not laborlng under GER
tain disabilities named.
Some OF the most intelligent negro
members Of the convention Of 1868 were
opposed 90 universal suffrage. ana
wanted an educational qualification
imposed, which would have prevented
a vast majority OF the members OF their
own race from voting, The present
constitution provides natural negro
majority OF 1000 which has been over
como by an ingenius registration law
and the box ballot law, which re-
quIred each officer to be voted for In
separate box. The leading men OF the
state have always.rccOEniscd that there
was a possibility OF one or the other or
both Of them being overturned IN the
federal courts.
This possibility induced them to adj
yocate the calling OF convention for
the purpose OF framing n constitution
permitting such qualification OF tine
suffrage as would ensure maintenance
OF white supremacy There was great
objection to the calling Of the convent
tIon from the llllterate whites and their
friends. There are about l5,OOJ Hitter
ate adult males In the state. The con-
yrntIon could never have been called
Ind not most explicit promises been
given that these men would be taken
hrr OF. How to cut down the negro
minority and preserve the vote of the
white men. and do II In such q way MS
to run the gauntlet OF the federal courts
was the difficult problem which engage
Cd the attention OF the convention, IN
which there are only six negroes.
Senator Tillmnn. who led the fight for
the calling Of the convention, was made
chairman Of the suffrage committee.
The suffrage article OF the new constl-
tuition provides for an alternative cdu-
cationnl or property qualification for
voters, ANY man who can read or write
or who pays taxes on $500 worth OF
property has the right 20 vote. HAD
tho convention stopped there. the hit
crate whites would have been dlsiTdh-
chlscd They nrc provided for In
clause which says that any one VINO
cannot vote under either q property or
educational qualification shall be given
the right to vote for life II he can un-
dcrstnnd section OF the constitution
when read TO him by the registration
officer. This understanding clause Is
only to be operative for two years. Al
males attaining their majority after
1895 must comply with the educational
or property qualification In order to be
allowed to vote This clause wna
fought vigorously, though unsucccss-
fully. and Is regarded with dissRtisfne-
ton by n large proportion OF the c!tl-
gems OF the state Doubt is expressed
as to whether Il will stand the test OF
review by the federal courts.