Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-02-27

frauds. DR.. Sampson Pope, Independent
candidate for Governor, taking the stand.
DR.. Pope characterized as fraud the
constitutional convention, and reviewed
at length the circumstances attending II.
Uneasy for fear that the conservative
element of the State would join the Re-
publicans and form a just Constitution.
he said. the Democratic leaders-Senator
Tillman and others-entered into a most
outrageous agreement. The scheme TO
which they bound themselves and their
followers provided, among other things,
that no white man should be disfran-
chised except for crime, that the whites
should be insured supremacy, and that
the Constitution, when adopted, should
not again be submitted TO the people. He
had gone into the courts and endeavored
TO stop the election OF delegates TO tne
convention, but had been unsuccessfui.
South Carolina, he held, was out In
the cold. as far az representation in
Congress was concerned. IL was aa-
mitted to the Union. provided II did
not change the Constitution or 1913.
which was approved by Congress. Inc
LEGISLATURE of the State had broken faith
long ago, and, as a matter OF fact' no
senator or representative. Democrat OF
Republican. had right TO sit In the
National Legislature.
Further. after the present Constitution
had been adopted. IL was never SUD-
mitted TO the people for ratification, those
framing It never took the oath, ana
number OF them held other oinces un-
der the State Government. The provi-
sions OF the Constitution were violated
i'm each instance The result was that
thousands were debarred from suffrage
These were fects, and II the commit
tee would go TO Sou-S Carolina and take
testimony, or send for persons ana
papers 1t could easily get at the facts IL
was an important matter, and one which
Congress should look into.
Mr.. Corliss Republcan), OF Michigan
said that the memorials. presented oy
Representative Murray, and which were
the subject of the hearing, were ADDRESS
ed ITO the Congress OF the United
States" and asked Mr.. Pope II he
thought. under the circumstances. the
inquiry should not be joint, the Senate
participating.
Mr.. Pope replied that he thought a
Joint inquiry would have been better
Mr.. Curtis Republican,. of New York,
chairman of the committee. said that
this was an important question ana ma
would like Mr.. Pope to submit his views
on 1t fully.
Replying. Mr. Pope said that each house
was the judge of the election OF IT'S own
members The Constitution guaranteed
a republican form Of government TO eacn
State. II South Carolina did not have
such a form Of government, II had no
right to representation. The House COM
mittee, he thought, could act indepehd-
emily. but. individually, he favored a
ioint investigation. The question. as tar
as he knew. had never been advanced
before. The committee should not look
for precedents. but should blaze away
for itself
Reference was made to the fact that
Massachusetts had an educational pro-
vision regarding the right Of suffrage IN
its Constitution.
Mr.. Pope said that this was 50, but
II applied TO those coming OF age and
those entering the State, and not TO those
entitled to vote when 1t was enacted'
The right of suffrage, once given pe-
came a vested right. and citizen could
not be dlvested Of such a right, except
for crime. This I'm itself was an I'M
nortant matter TO be considered In con-
nection with the new Constitution OF
South Carolina. ~ n,
Replying to a question from Mr.. TAI
bert OemocraD as to the part he TOOK ~
certain legislation In the Senate ne saiu
that II was enacted before ne became
member of the Legislature. lie auusu
that the scales had fallen from his eyes
he was now a protectionist and an Out
suoken Republican. and he only regretted
that he had not Joined this party t"e'Fe
wears ago. He was I'm it now 10 stay, ana
would work 10 convert the people or MS
State He even hoped TO convert MS
friend, Mr. Talbert
Mr.. Smalls said the Democratic govern
ment and not the Legislature had decided
that the Constitution should not be SUD-
mtted 10 the people.
Mr.. Wilson replied that the old law ulu
not declare that new constitution should
be sumitted to the people IT only pro-
vided that amendments to the Constitu-
ton should be submitted.
DIR. Pope. in the course OF the hearing,
secured from Mr.. Wilson an admission
that he Popc) had a right TO contest the
election. and then declared that he had
been unable to prevail upon any mem
Der of the Legislature to present his con-
test. and when the Speaker had been In
duced to submit it, the Assembly had
voted IT down.
The committee then went into execu-
tive session, and decided 10 submit the
facts gathered by them TO the House.
with the recommendation that the whole
matter be referred to the next Congress.
In view of its Importance, IL was deemed
unwise at this late day of the session TO
undertake the inquiry.