The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-11-06
THE RIGHT OF RIGHTS.
[CoNT1NUED FROM PAGE ONE. ]

the suffrage article, and they were al
most attentively heard.
The first matter handled was the
motion to postpone the committee re
port dispensing with the committee
clerks and allowing the chief clerk tc
appoint two or more assistants.
The roll call was demanded and re-
suited in the convention declining tc
indefinitely postpone the report as fol
lows: Yeas 81, nays 6S.
The report of the committee was
then laid on the table. So the clerks
were retained.
Miller of Beaufort caused much mer
riment by offering a resolution rals
ing the pay of the members to So 8
day. The motion was ruled out o1
order.
The question then recurring upon
section 4 of the suffrage article, Sena
tor Irby rose to speak. His speech
lasted considerably over two hours
He reviewed the course of things in
this State since the Reform movement
began, and came down to the calling
of the Convention. He stated his OWL
connection with the movement. Com
ing down to this matter of the suffrage
he said:
say now, Notwithstanding some
slurs cast upon me in my absence.
that am not an migrate that would
accept the highest Office in South
Carolina from the poor and illiterate
white men and then trample them
beneath my feet. They have been
my friends, sir, and so help me God,
! intend to be their friend, and en-.
deavor to protect them from what
believe to be an iniquity. say that
by way of preface: Fearing to trust
myself, indisposed as I have been.
have written what I conceive 10 be 9
protest against the perpetration of this
outrage. I have to say, sir, that l am
not governed by what other men may
do. Thank God I think and act fo1
myself, and stand here today to tell
the members of this convention that
will vote with the negroes when they
propose the indefinitely postpone
this bill if we leave the conditions OF
section as they are. 1 shall vote
against the whole report if I am the
only white man on the floor who does
so. conceive that to be my duty,
sir, and in spite of anything to the
contrary, am willing to 60 before
the people of South Carolina and
their verdict I will abide by, but ]
cannot be frightened or ridiculed or
driven from my position of honesty and
gratitude because the members of this
convention think otherwise.
Mr.. President, I dare to say not
one-tenth of the Reformers of this
convention could have been elected
if they had had this plan and advo-
Gated it before the people on the
stump. This may be a guide to you
Ask yourselves as honest men
Could you have been elected if you
had frankly and boldly told the peo-
pie this was your scheme of suffrage.
Mr.. Patton in his argument the
other night said it was either to be
honestly or dishonesty administered.
He was right. That is the only way you
can look at it. If it is honestly ad,
ministered, nine-tenths of the litter.
ate men in this State will fall behind
the dead line and be disfranchised,
and there is no use for any intelligent
man to deny it. 1t puts it in the pow
or of the supervising officer, appoint
ed by the governor of the State, to
disfranchise any man, white or black,
who is not able to interpret every
section of the Constitution. When
the report says ''any," it only means,
sir, any that the supervisor may see
fit to PROFOUND. If the man who
presents himself belongs to the same
political faction that the supervisor
does, when party lines are tightly
drawn aud partisan spirit runs high,
it will matter little whether he ex'
plains it or not he will get his certii'
cate.
a.. The provision of being able to read
and write is intended for the protec-
ton Of that class who are educated.
It is constitutional beyond a doubt.
If you qualify the $4,000 or 10000
neople In this State who cannot read
and write under your understanding
clause, honestly, or dishonesty, your
supervisor may be enjoined. This
question may be carried before the
supreme court of the United States,
and will be, and the supreme court
may strike it out as unconstitutional.
Then where, sir, is the promise that
not single white man should be dis.
quali6ed7 1t will be too late then,
because this convention will have ad.
journed. Idon't think the! people of
this State, will ever have another one
in the next 100 years.
demand for these lliterate people
the same protection to exercise the
right of the elective franchise, as far
as this Constitution is concerned, as
is given to the educated. 1t is not
right and you ought not to discrimi-
nate in this way against them. If you
are going to protect them and give
them this right, let it be Constitu-
tional right, or none at all.
For causes that I need not mention
the factions are closer together than
many of you imagine. Some say
that this plan will qualify $4,000 or
$4,000 negroes. frankly tell you
that if it does not enfranchise 10000
or 10000 the chances are good that
these 10000 may hold the balance OF
power in a very short time.
Now, Mr.. President, I warn both
factions in this convention; if you
strike down, humiliate or degrade
these humble but genuine heroes you
will not only do an ungrateful act,
but something you will regret as long