The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1895-02-13

negro rule are simply exhausted buga-
boos watch will frighten no man who
thinks, and are used only by shallow
partisaus for purposes of deceit. The
Republican masses Of South Carolina
will rally once more for the liberties
and the rights Of the people, the safety
of the State aod the maintenance of
Republican principles and free govern
ment.
G. W Murray was recognized. He
said that already the same old game of
registration officers delaying applicants
for registration by useless questions had
begun. He thought that the platform
should warn the people that concerted
plan had already been agreed upon to
carry the constitutional convention by
all means, fair or foul
Morris moved the previous question
aud the address was unanimously adopt
ed The following platform was then
read
We, Republicans of South Carolina,
in Convention assembled for the pur-
pose Of organizing the Republican party
of the State on broader, more liberal
and more progressive basis, do declare
our principles as follows:
On pational questions, we declare ad-
berence to the essential principles Of
the National Republican party as set
forth in its platform of principles at
Minneapolis in June, 1892, that is to
say We are in favor Of moderate and
reasonable protection for American la
Dor and American capital against the
cheaper labor and cheaper capital of
other countries.
We are in favor of sound. fall-value
money, whether of gold or silver, paper
or currency, for all classes of people,
for "bread winner as we'll as for the
capitalist, for the poor laborer in his
hut as we'll as for the millionaire 10
bis palace.
We are in favor of government
service based on merit and capacity, TO-
stead of Oh the corrupt and debasing
Jacksoniau system, .'To the victors De.
long the spoils, y
We are in favor of a free and fair
ballot in all public elections, and an
honest count of votes cast for all classes
of citizens, whether native or foreign
born, whether white or colored. These
we regard as fundamental principles Of
the National Republican paaty, aud we
believe they are in no sense sectional,
aud in DO way hostile or iuimical to the
best interests of The South or of our
Owe State. But in local State affairs
our position is peculiar, and We are
under the necessity of accommodating
ourselves to the situation We have
for years been deprived of any voice in
our State Government by unjust elec-
ton laws, and by fraud and trickery
openly practiced at elections. We have
quietly submitted to the wrong, hoping
for the return of a more liberal and just
sentiment among our Democratic fellow
citizens. We are glad to observe that
this long hoped for change of sentiment
seems to be taking place among many
Of our very best and most trustworthy
people, and we would by no act of ours
mar or check its progress. On the
contrary we would promote and encour.
age its development in every way
possible. This, then, is the stu
ton with which we find ourselves as
Republicans confronted, and from DC
fault of ours, for we have done nothing
whatever to provoke it. The question
we are now called upon to decide, shall
we hold our hands and quietly submit
to seeing ourselves disfrancbised, our
most sacred rights as citizens taken
away from US, and even the meaps
Of educating our children cut of by the
repeal of the public school tax? If we
do this we furnish to the world the
strongest possible evidence of our utter
iocapacity and uu6tness for citizenship.
If on the contrary we proceed to care
fully organize our forces all over the
State, in every town and county, and
manifest our readiness to cooperate
heartily with liberal-minded and justice
loving white citizens and under their
leadership, we will show the world that
we are not unworthy of citizenship;
we will encourage liberal and fair
minded Democrats to organize and take
bold stand against the injustice and
tyranny of the dominant faction: and
we'll show to that faction itself that We
constitute faction to be respected.
But We should make it clearly
and distinctly understood that We
do not propse TO act on the aggres-
sive, but pnrely on the defensive.
that we do not propose to make any
effort to control the constitutional con-
yention. but ONLY to assist as far as We