The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1895-05-22
General Butler Views.
No Danger of Negro Rule in
South Carolina.

WASHINGTON, May lex Senator
NJ. C. Butler, Of South Carolina, is in
the city on private business, but will
doubtless take an opportunity to drop
into the Supreme Court of the United
States as spectator Of the effort Of
Attorney General Barber to induce
the court to take up the habeas corpus
case involving the fate of the dispen-
sary in that State. Asked to-day
if there was much excitement in South
Carolina over the decisions Of United
States Judges Golf AID Simouton in
the registration and Dispeusary laws,
ex-senator Butler replied:
"No, not that I know Of. When |
left. people generally we're in quies-
cent state. I discovered no signs OF
revolution or war, except With Cover
nor Evans and a few Of his coterie.
He seems to be in a chronic state oi
eruption .
s.What is the cause of his outburs.
of excitement :" was asked.
81 cannot understand it. He seems
to regard United States court as a
foreign corporation aud United States
Circuit Court judge as public enemy.
Judge Gotf decided case brought be.
fore him in due form and, think, de.
cided it correctly and of course consci.
entiously. He passed upon . question,
the constitutionality of the reg.
istration laws. which was raised 10
. proper case before the State Su-
preme Cours last December and which
that court has failed to decide up to
this time. DR.. Sampson Pope, the
mover in that cause. failing to get =
decision in the State court. sought re-
dress in the United States Court be-
fore Judge Goff. That's all there is
in it"
sis it conceded that Judge Goff had
Jurisdiction !"
That is disputed question. In my
opinion be had. If Judge Goff is 10
error, be will be corrected by the
Uoi.ed States Supreme Court. If be is
right. be will be sustained" ]"
"Will the State authorities appeal in
that case p
"Ah. as to thas, / do not know. II
the State authorities are wise, they will
let the matter rest where it is, and 60
ahead and hold the Constitutional
convention under Judge COTS decis-
iop."
"But will they undertake to hold it
in defiance of that opinion p was asked
of Mr.. Butler.
II do not believe they will," he re-
Piled. "South Carolina has made two
attempts to 90 it slone-once in 1882
and again in 1861-5. l took part in
the last attempt, and judging from
what I know of those Who we're
with me in that experience. South
Carolina has had enough along that
line."
In response to the suggestion that
the Legislature and State officials in
their construction Of the registration
laws, had 10 view The permanent
disfranchisement of the negro and
in order to prevent negro supremacy.
Senator Butler said there was no
danger whatever Of that condition sris-
ing.
The negroes" he added. do mot
want to control affairs. They are sat-
is6ed from their experience in the re-
construction period that they are not
yet prepared to take charge of the
government. But they do want the op-
portuuity Of voting for white men in
whom they have confidence, and those
men are among the Conservatives. 1t
isn't negro supremacy that worries
these gentlemen half SO much as it is
the possible downfall of ring suprem-
acy.''