The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1904-11-02
CONGRESSMAN LEVERS ADDRESS.
Te fae Democratic Voters of the 9Th Con.
gressionai District.

10 SHS D6NIUGE6llG tok5sS w tNo 1lu Go!-
gressionai District.
On Tuesday November Sth the peo-
pie of this country will be called upon
to decide what shall be The policy of
this Government for the next four
years, whether it shall be administer
ed by the party which has been in
power for decade, or by the party of
Jefferson, represented in the person of
Judge Parker.
An election at any time is a matter
Of great Importance to the people, for
in a republican form Of government,
deriving It's powers from the people,
each individual is sovereign in him
self, and the final referee Of every ma
tionaB State and local controversy.
To the people Of the South this cleo
ton is Of the most vital Importance.
Guided either by idealist, OF man
wrapped up in his own ambition. the
Republican party threatens the reduc-
ssion of Southern representation in
Congress, and would destroy white
suprmacy, If the danger of such action
was not SO great. I quote plank
from the platform of the Republican
party. We favor such congressional
action as shall determine whether by
special Determinations, the elective
franchise in any State has been un-
constitutionally limited, and if such
is the case, We demand that represen-
tation in Congress, and the Electoral
College shall be proportionally reduc
ed as directed by the Constitution of
the United States.n This plank is a
declaration Of the purpose of the Re
publican party, aud if it is successful
at the polls on November the 9Th.
Republican. Congressman and sena-
tors have from time to time in the
past, introduced bills looking to the
accomplishment OF this end, but not
until now, if my memory serves me
right, has the party, as such in con-
vention assembled, pledged itself in
this direction. They justify the adop-
tion of this plank in their platform
on the ground that the Southern
States, through the adoption Of suffer
age clauses in their Constitutions,
have abridged the right of the negro
to vote in violation of the I4th and
18th amendments os the National Con-
stitutioD. and they propose to punish
us for what we have a constitutional
right TO do.
Force is given to their claim on ac-
count of the very small vote cast in
the Southern States in the general
elections Congressional Districts
wllicn should caset twenty or thirty
Thousand votes, frequently cast no
more than four or FIVE thousand It
is asserted that suci vote is not re
preventative Of the will Of the people
IN such, districts; either that, or that
orr suffrage provisions deny the right
of suffrage to tie majority CT the pee
nle of the district. Hence this demand
for reduction in our representation.
20 the Dmocrats of this Congress
sioaal District, there is an additional
ano perhaps a stronger reason why a
full vote should be had For years
past, the seat if this District has been
contested by some Republican candi-
date, usually, a colorcd man. This
year, they have nominated a negro
preacher who seems to be making a
more active canvass than was made
G"O ySa1S oSO ~ Vic nSSiC 0dUtZtcC
What his total vote will be, or wheth-
er he will have the united support of
his party, am unable to say, yet the
very fact that he is a candidate, con-
vinces ME that he will institute the old
contest which has given so much
worry to myself and my predecessors.
In the former contest wes greatly
handicapped by the fact that only a
small vote was polled in the District
and it is to the interest OF every Dem
ocrat, and his solemn duty, and the
discharge of his solemn oath to sup
| port the person named in the primary,
that the full vote Of the District be
given on the 8th. 1t will greatly
strengthen our case before the com
mittee which may be hostile. A close
house makes the contest all the more
dangerous. 1 therefore, sincerely
and strongly urge that every man
qualified to vote under our Constitu-
tion, go to the polls and do so. No
more dangerous condition can posi-
bly, .overtake citizenship in gov
ernment pillared upon the vigilance
and intelligence of its people than
that of lethargy and carelessness in
| the exercises of the right of suffrage,
or inattention to their civic duties
May there be no cause for complaint