The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-04-23

| Pres osidGntial election, nothing should bl
done hero calculated to widen the
breach, nothing should be said in the
way Of harsh criticism OF those of the
other fuction. When the national con.
ventiOn meets and settles. us it will.
the differences that now exist, the two
wings must Hop together for the com,
mon good. Therefore, | trust tina,
members will he imbucd with such a
spirit here that, SO far as We are con.
cernod, when the verdict is reach ed
that this is tho recognized organization
that those who have gone away from
us may come back aud take their
places in the ranks OF the party with
out any feeling Of bitterness.
There arc many candidates for the
hlSh position OF l'rcsidcnt any one Of
whom will be acceptable to the Re-
publican party. The country will be
sale In any OF their hands, whether it
be the favored son Of Ohio, tho great
apostle Of protection. or he who pre-
sidcs over the United States House of
Representatives with such marked
rhiiity, or the able Governor of New
York who so recently presided over
tho United States Senate tC the salts
faction OF all, or the Chcvalicr Bayard
Of Iowa. All them are lovers of
liberty. true to the Constitution of the
| United States, and Jealous defenders
OF Il republican form of government.
am glad to say that they arc not of
that class OF designing politicians who
arc " waiting for light in the West"
In South Carolina we need change
OF affairs. We have witnessed with
sorrow and shame Il government OF the
people, by the people and for the pco-
pic subverted in tho interests Of Il few
! f.1n
akin to anarchy and ruin. We have
seen tho State, for political purposes,
made to enter into the business Of q
liquor dealer: not only SO, but We have
seen liquor forced upon the people in
six or seven counties heretofore free
from il dclcterious Influences. We
have seen constables and spies put
over the people searching their houses
ut the dead hour of night, frightening
women and children, and sometime 5
sncaking in stocking feet upon the
| roolS OF the houses vi private citi ZenS
in the night to peer in their bedrooms.
\ Ell, more, we have seen ladies trunks
broken open by these people at the
railroad depOts, their clothes thrown
| about in the insane desire Of these
|peoplc to find liquor. Worst Of all, we
| nave seen the Governor OF this State,
] at that time the candidate for the
United States Senate, give Instructions
W his miniOns to defeat and dcfraud
at the election. We have seen man
ayers OF elections cEsconccd behind
screens, in utter disregard Of the Con-
stitution, causing voters to cast their
ballots IN the wrong box, and in some
| Instances, when cast right, taken them
out Of the box and put others in their
places. We have seen managers OF
election, when the poll was known to
! he strong in favor OF the opposition
| candidate, absent themselves on the
| day OF election so that no election was
| held. We have seen the call for Il CON
stitutiOnal convention fraudulcntIy
made to carry. We have seen Gov
ernor and u United State natOr-elcct
meet with other men and make Il
trade as to representation in the con-
stltutlonal convention and as to qualih-
cations of voters, to be inserted in. the
| constitution, agreeing that "no white
man should be disfranchised except
for crime" which plainly meant that
all coiored men possible should be dis
franchiscd. We have seen that con-
vcntion meet and carry this out: and
We have seen q constitution formulated
by it adopted without being referred
back to the people.
We have seen the taxable property
Of the State increased and yet taxation
is higher thanu before. We have seen
the moral tone OF the pconlc lowered
under all these wrongs. How could it
be otherwise Z" for as you SOW SO shall
you reap"
We call on cvcry white man in this
State, white and black, to come and
help us rcctify these wrongs. We call
upon them to stand with lis for the,
good Of those now living and those
hereafter to come. 1t is the duty Of
every man who loves liberty and the
principles Of a'republican form of gov.
crnmcnt to stand together in this fight
Let the cry be IL republican form of
government and aS Il consequence,
honest elections : protection to Ameri-
can industries and to American labor,
and protection to every citizen Ofevery
right guaranteed by the Federal con-
stitutiOn. Add to this a sound currency,
sufficient in volume to meet the de-
mand OF trade. There arc thousands
Of white men in this State. not now
in the II republican party, who arc will.
ing to stand upon this platform. We
are all willing to stand upon it. We
nccd the help Of those white men,
There Is one thing in the way of our
getting that help: q fear of negro
domination. They need not fear it, for
the negro is willing, if tn. whites will
adopt Il proper platform of principle,
put ont Il ticket Of their very best men,
pledged to reform this government, to
support the ticket 80 put out. Our
| Republican brothers in Beaufort and
| George town have carried this out since
! 1876. Olly once did they fail. That
Is when Ben Tillman went down there
and fooled them out Of it. Great and
| long continued cheers.
| If this is done. if the white man ac-
cCptS this in good faith, the State will
be redeemed, and peace, prosperity
and happiness will sweep over this
land. All that you would claim would
be the national Republican ticket and
she members Of Congress. Now, this
is Il fair proposition on your part, and
if YOU make IL believe that it will be
accepted in good faith. If it should
! not be, then we must put out ticket
| from Governor t) Coroner
| have givcn y0u my views upon the
situation. Take them for what they
arc worth. Accept them if you think
them good : reject them If they do not
|