The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1895-02-13
The Old Issue Revived.
Republican, alias Negro, Con
Vention Held in Columbia.
Plans Adopted for Organizing the
Negroes, so that They May De-
eide What White Men Shall
be Elected to the Coming
Constitutional Con-
vent1on-
Columbia State. February Z.

Columbia State, February 7.
COLUMBIA. February 6.-Ellery NJ.
Braytou's Convention came together
to-day. 1t is small affair. About
100 delegates were present when it
convened. of whom four-6fths were
negroes. Among the prominent white
men attending were B. o. Duncan. of
Newberry; W. w. Russell, of Ander-
son; r. w. Memminger, of Charles
ton; D. V. Clayton and Lawson D.
Melton, Of Columbia. Congressman
Murray, Prof. Morris, of olumbia,
and Smith, of Aiken, were some of the
co'ored leaders. Tom Miller was not
in evidence, though he is said to SYM
pathize with the movement, and of
course none Of the Websterites leant to
the assemblage the light or shade of
their counteDances.
The convention was to meet at noon,
but it was not until eight minutes of /
o'clock that E. NJ. Brayton called it to
order. The hall had not been heated
(the delegates coulda't afford the ex-
pepse. it was said, aud it was any-
thing but comfortable.
Mr.. Brayton then read the call aud
anDounced the convention ready for
business. J. w. Morris nominated
Brayton for temporary chairman. and
no other nomination being made. Bray
ton vas elected.
BRAYToN's OPENING SPEECH.
Brayton thanked the convention for
the compliment and promised to preside
with fairness 1--WE have assemb bled, :"
he said, "at crisis in the politics Of
the State. We are not here in a
factional spirit. We are here under a
call broad enough to include everybody
BOW in or out of the party. The
Republican party stands iu need of
active. .-nest. energetic workers. For
many years, crushed as we have been,
the party has been able to do nothing.
The party has been under euress and
subjected to oppression. but this oppres-
sion has reached the climax now, and We
must seek to prevent the threatened
disaster. Under the conditions in
this State We have reached the point
that uumbers do not count in elections.
1--WE cannot by ourselves prevent
the constitutional convention being
controlled by the spirit which is threat
ered by those who have called It, We
can hope for assistance FROM others who
have the real good of the State at
heart. We must show that we are
williog,to join iu good faith with those
who desire a new constitution which
will subserve the interests of all
classes of people 10 the State. For
twelve years the Democratic party has
been 10 power. and it is not until
lately that the constitution has been
complained Of.
'.This was most unfortunate time
to hold such a convention. 1t is
sorry contrast when it is compared with
other constitutional conventions. When
another faction bad control no one was
disfrauchiscd and no welfare disregard
ed. The prosperity Of the whole
State Was regarded. We are here for
a practical purpose. to devise means in
this dire extremity 80 as to secure
constitution such as every man should
demand. We ask in the first place that
it should not be final ustil acted upon
By the people. We want it referred
back to the people. We want a non-
partisan constitution. We want all
parties to have q fair chance 10 all
elections. We wish here to act SO that
We can appeal to all broad-minded and
liberal-minded men During the ten
days in March there has been given
boon to the voters of the State, that of
additional registration.
at will be observed that the colored
ministers have been called upon to use
their influence to awaken the people,
and to impress them with the need of
registration They alone can accom-
plisb this result in the limited time
that il lett. This is no partisan
matter. but question that affects the
life and death of citizenship. If we
can do nothing. then there will be
disfranchisemeut by the tens of thou
sands. There could be nothing nearer