Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1895-05-18
GOVERNOR EVANS
OF SOUTH CAROLINA
Urges BIood-S Shed.
ais OATH OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
TO THE WlNDS-APPEALS TO
RACE PREJUDICE De.
PIORkBLE CONDITION.

DOcumeuJ.
Fellow Citizens, In 1865, after the /
bloodiest struggle for principle in the /
history OF the world, South Carolinians /
laid down their arms and accepted in |
good faith the results Of the war. The |
statewas put under martial law, and
under the reconstruction act the ignor- |
ant slaves, whose fetters had just been |
broken, manipulated by carpet-baggers
from the four quarters Of the earth, |
were placed in entire control of our
State Government. After farce of an
election for delegates to a constitu-
tional convention, the Constitution
which has been our organic law since
1868 was adopted at the dictate Of Gen
eral Candy.
TALKS ABOUT THE PAST.
The conditions which followed, and
the results of placing ignorance and
vice in the control of the government
are known of all men. This condition
lasted until 1875, when the oppression
and misgovernment had rendered our
people SO desperate that with one i'm
pulse they asserted their manhood and
overthrow the despotism of the carpet
baggers, and resumed control of the
/ States affairs. While the constitution
| er questioned by us, because we were
| powerless to resist, the question of
| State sovereignty, within the limits
| prescribed in the Constitution, in ac-
( cordance with southern Interpretation,
has since been affirmed by repeated de-
| cisions OF the Supreme Court of the
| United States. That court even as
serted that the States had never been
out Of the Union, thereby Indirectly
declaring invalid the acts OF Congress
readmitting them after reconstruction.
\ STATES RIGHTS AND THE WAR.
The right of State to manage and
direct its internal affairs, without ma
tional interference, is recognized
/ throughout the Union, and tits no pc
culiar or special claim on the part OF
| South Carolina to exercise that right
so long as her state officers and her
General assembly obey the Constitu-
tion OF the United States and the laws
OF Congress. This is so we'll recog.
! | nized that do not propose to discuss
, it further, but feel that we can safely
4 rely upon the integrity and patriotism
| OF the Supreme Court judges to reaf
: | firm and maintain it. The people o
South Carolina have always been Law
abiding, and respect the Constitution
. and courts OF the United States, bu
! when the judges of those courts wan
q tonly invade and trample under foo
y the recognized rights of our people
= guaranteed by the Federal Constitu
| ton, they have a right to assert them
selves and maintain their sovereignt
and independence. This they hav
Il ever done, and Will continue to do an
will resist with all means within thei
. power the usurpatiOn and tyranny {
q partisan politicians in high places
m who disgrace the judicial ermine. w
# cannot, nor have we the desire to resOl
If to arms to resist their unjust decree
n but we can and will expect the unite
- efforts of liberty-loving people to 70
q other conspiratOrs who are plottingst
a. overthrow our civilization. In tn
otl struggle we confidently rely on ii
5t sympathy and moral support of love
Te Of good government and States righ
81 throughout the Union. The sovereil
40 ty of the States within their prop
Ii | spheres is as dear to Massachuset
and Ohie as it is to South Carolin
and the principle cannot be stru,
down here without receiving a mort
blow elsewhere.
he THREATENS REVOLUTIONS.
n 1t is unfortunate that the passio
he and preludices excited during the W
IL in regard to the Negro should infiuen
)r- the opinions and feelings of judges
Id dealing with this vital principle, but
81 will follow that, if the principle is on
lid destroyed this country will be convI
his ed with revolution for the restoratl
Or of the liberties of white men that "
re- far eclipe that other fatal struggle
all the emancipation Of the blacks.
vas "The restoration of white supren
the cy in 1875 placed in Office and in
his leadership of the affairs OF the ST
tee Wade Hampton, as Governor, and
not terwards as United States Senator, &
her NJ. G. Butler as United States Senat
ent Charles II. Simonton, Chairman of
Judiciary Committee and leader Of
House of Representatives, later
trict and Circuit Judge of the Uni
ade States Court. and John c. Sheppa
ion Speaker of the sHouse of RepreseI
tev. tives, Lieutenant Governor, and aft
F' wards Governor. In 1882, under
the leadership of these men, the Legi
ued ture passed the laws known as
election land registration acts
hell signed to preserve white suprem,
the and awhile mans government. III
and laws worked admirably, and up to
pro- proceeding no complaint has ever b
jon- heard of their injustice, oppression
criminality. The citizen who d'
raise his voice against them was
the | nounced as an enemy Of his ST
this. / Those who were too young to hold
f r. fee and take part in such affairs
y at tanght to respect these men as p'
70. OTIS, and their handiwOrk as the p
dunn of our liberties.
THE ELECTION OP TILLMAN.
trial "This regime, becoming AFRO
and distasteful to a majority of
, ago people and repugnant to the polio
g in our institutions, was overthrowD,
that the people in 1890, by the electio
high y. r. Tillman as Governor, decl
2 her that was not their intention to cl
the an oligarchy when in 1875 they {
my off the yoke of the Negro and the
nter- pet bagger Two attempts have
made to reverse this verdict OF
rs. J people, butt has been sustained