The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1896-04-14


the following resolution as subst
tute:
Whereas an issue has been raise,
questioning the loyalty OF the Demo
. cracy of South Cai olina to the nationa
Democratic party, and whereas a sug
/ gesti0n has been made that the dele
gates to the National Democratic Con
vention from this State should bolt tn,
National Democratic Convention OF
certain contingencies and whereas
J the State Executive Committee con
siders that it would be suicidal on tn,
part OF the Democracy of South Caro-
lima to sever it's connection with the
national Democracy; now, therefore
be it resolved that it is the sense o
this committee that no person shall be
eligible to membership in the Demo
cratic clubs who is not qualified voter
at the primaries of the party as pro
vided by the constitution of the party
and will not pledge himself to support
the nominees of the State ana national
Democracy.
General Gray commenced by show
ing the fallacy of the premises assum-
ed by Mr.. Sigh. He said an issue
had been made by the letter of Senator
Tillman to Mr. Reid. The chairman
of this committee had wisely and pa.
triotically called the committee to-
gether TO consider the issue raised by
Mr.. Tillman. The committee could
we'll afford to ignore the issue made by
private parties, but having been made
by public official, one of the acknowl-
edged leaders, IL not the most infuen-
tial, of the Democratic party in this
State. The eyes of the Democracy all
over the United States are watching
the action of this committee, who arc
the trustees and guardians of the De-
mocratic party in this State and as
such 1T became necessary for them to
act in such manner as to confirm in
the minds of all mon our loyalty to the
Democratic party. If bolt was
threatened, the Conservatives would
organize what would be the true Dem
|lcratic organization OF the State and
the delegates sent by them would be
seated by the national convention.
Capt. Blackwell, who was a substi
tute for Senator Williams, of Will
iia.msburg, made a short speech saying
that the people wouldn't vote for any
goldbugs.
Se@ator Irby then took the floor aud
made zone OF the greatest speeches of
his life. He talked clearly and vigor-
ously aSnd defined Democratic duty so
plainly that no one could mistake it.
He saidE
berry is cU.rrect in his assertion that
we have no duties or powers. We are
the guardians or trustees of the whole
Democracy of the State we are the
doorkeepers of tho Democratic party.
The constitution requires q password
the people expect that password to be
given before any man, white or black,
shall enter the conferences, councils
or organization of the party. We
might as well meet the issue face to
face. 1t is plain one. 1t is not be-
enemy, the Republican party, but be-
tween the Democracy and Populism.
We must either be Democrats or de
serters-not bolters, becau Sc nothing
has been done to justify bolt. We
should see that no man shall partici-
pate in the selection of delegates from
the clubs who is not a sirnon-pure,
genuine Democrat. Are you men the
representatives OF the party tha stood
by the people since '76, from political
cowardice going to allow Populists to
shape the policy and name the nomi-
nees OF the party? | admit that the
outlook for'success is,not promising, but
are we going to throw down our guns
and refuse to fight for our principles
What would the people have thought
Of you ola soldiers after the battle of
Gettysburg had you cried out: "WeJ
can't win the cause of the COnfeder-
acy and won't fight any more !" You
would have been deserters, and you
are deserters now to the Democratic
party If you refuse to defend her
against her enemies within and with
out the party Populists, Republicans
but If we lose, l shall go down with
the colors OF this State in my hand.
Ii you refuse to do your duty and bind
our voters to abide the result and
divide the white people of the State,
you alone must be responsible. l have
warned you, whether you heed it or
not. lnaction means destruction to
the organization Of the State. II we
refuse to discipline and organize as
the people expect us, the Conservatives
will organize on what they deem
Democratic lines. In '92, when you
hoped to control the May convention
and the primaries and to prevent the
Conservatives from boiling, this exc
cutive committee, many Of whom are
now members, passed the following
rule:
1.-THE applicant for membership, or
voter, shall be twenty-One years Of age
and be q white Democrat, or a negro
who voted for General Hampton in
| 10. Every member OF a subordinate
| club or voter in Democratic primary
shall pledge himself to abide the re-
suit of the primary and support the
nominees OF the party"
You were not satisfied with this
iron-clad pledge. You didn't believe
that the Conservatives would tell the
truth. You were willing to further
humiliate the white elector, Conserva-
tive and Reformer. You were very
careful to guard the door against
J mougrels. You imposed an oath and
I required all to swallow it, to wit
=" do solemnly swear that am duly
qualified to vote at this election &C.
! cording to the rules of the Democratic
| party, and that have not voted before
at this election"
Many Conservatives, over 10000
swallowed this oath and stood by it.
but now, when you are asked to binC
the participants in club meetings tt
take simple pledge not to bolt, many
of you object. 1t is not fair, it is no
honest, 1T is not honorable, to deal il
this way in politics, and we ought tt
send our representatives to Chicago
upon equal terms with others. Cal
this States Democracy ever forget th'
Democrats of the North when we ha,
dual government and were fightins
to throw off the negroes yoke, tina
the Northern Democrats came to Ou