The record-union., 1895-09-17
The TROUBLE IN sOUTR CARO-
LIMA.


There are sixty blacks to every forty
whites in South Carolina. The Constitu-
ton guarantees to all citizens the right to
vote, and it makes no exception in the
case of blacks who are citizens. But
South Carolina has called constitutional
convention and proposes - that is. the
forty whites propose-to hocus-pocus
most Of the sixty blacks out of their
votes by giving the new Constitution q
peculiar twist.
They do not seem to realize that be-
tween that and notification. which they
there is not an impossible gulf; and that
between notification and rebellion there
is but very narrow path. Il is not any
sort Of excuse for the proposed trick to re-
cite that once upon time lot of carpet
baggers and lot of native rascsls, and
another lot of ignorant blacks fresh from
the chains of South Carolina slavery,
made the administration of State Govern
ment in that commonwealth q farce, q
shame and by-word.
It is a simple fact that South Carolina
has frequently not been casting half her
normal vote OF late years, and why is
known to everyone. The proposition be-
fore the sitting constitutional co nven-
ton. in which only few blacks appear,
is 10 SO provide that a white minority
shall be secured lawfully" in political
domination, and yet mo one" be dis
franchised. In other words, as the
Charleston NeDs and Courier fatty puts
1t, negro suffrage is to be overthrown."
1t adds that not all negroes are to be shut
out, but enough to accomplish the end in
view. 1t says:
Nobody tries TO conceal it. nobody seeks TO
excuse it. 1t is not meant to disfranchise
every negro IN this StaJe-there are some of
them VINO are qualified by education and
property TO vote-butltis Is intended that every
colored voter who can be dlsfranchised with
out violating the higher law OF the United
States Constitution shall be deprived OF the
night TO vote On the other nand, IL is meant
TO dtsIranchise no white man except tor
crime IL any way can be found to do il with
out violating the United states Constitution.
The question is, Can South Carolina do
this2 VIII she be able to make the pas
sage and not strike the rocks on either
side?
IT is said that there is doubt about the
Cubans' desiring recognition as belliger-
snts, because such recognition gives ad-
vantage to the party numerically the
stronger where the war involves mara
time operations, as it enables the
stronger party to shut up his opponent in
port and TO drive him from the seas. We
can hardly accept this explanation. Op-
posed to this is the fact that the Cubans
have sent out commission to petition
for recognition of belliGerency. 1t is
very true that the Cubans have no fleets,
but recognition could not add to their
discontinue on that score. Their con-
test is peculiarly land one. The Spanish
occupy the ports of Cuba completely,
and recognition could not give them any
greater advantage than they now enjoy
in thai respect. The Cubans have not the
means to fit out navy, and there is no
sort of likelihood that they will have
them so long as the war continues. They
can manufacture gunpowder, but they
have no arms factory. For arms they
must rely upon such fugitive cargoes as
they can slip in between the Spanish
ships. OF late. however. it would seem
that they have been taking from the Roy
alists about all the arms and ammunition
they need. AS for the supplies OF life,
they can live upon the country indef
nitely. while the Spanish must import
very large proportion of their necessaries.
Latest dispatches report that agents of
the Revolutionists are in Europe endeav-
oring to purchase war supplies, and that
the European Governments are actively