The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-12-18

after the divorce. the Supreme court
Of South Carolina has stated in their
opinion that they are illegitimatc and
cannot inherit the property Of the
parent. That, | say, may seem to
some of you hardship; but, my
friends, 1t is far better that i'm few
instances some good woman may suf-
fer or some man may he caused to
suffer, thar 10 lay down law which
would bring. and which is bringing
today, in disrepute the solemn bonds
OF matrimony. which only under any
conditions or any circumstances
sheuld be contracted for love, sane
toned by Divine power
Mr.. President and brother Gov
crnors, We do not apply to your
states anything wrong. 1t is your
way Of looking at the proposition we
do not mean for moment to con
denim you. nor would South Carolina
or South Carolinians for moment
set Itself up as the only or the prop
American nation; but we a.e glad of
the distinction that we hold: we are
proud that it Is written in our fun
damental law. so that no Legislature.
elected possibly by a wave of excite
ment or from other causes, can
change it, it is So written that it is
impossible to change, and of that We
are proud.
Now we cannot follow this rule of
desertion all the way through. but in
South Carolina when a white man de-
serts his wife and children, or if he
deserts his wife and they are without
children, It is a criminal offense to fail
to support that wife. or to fail to sup
port the children. if there be such
Consequently the wife can go into a
court of justice and prosecute her hus-
band for non-suppprt of herself and
for nOn-support of her children. and
We punish him as a criminal for fail
ing to do his duty to that woman, to
those children, to society and to his
state. Therefore. we have but little
trouble on this score. Sometimes we
have a citizen who drifts to Reno
sometimes we have a citizen that
crossed to Augusta. only going across
the savannah River: but when he
realizes that when he comes back in
To- the state that a criminal prosecu-
tion will hans over his head for the
desertion of that woman, who has
sworn, not only before man, not on,y
for her love for him. not only for the
devotion which she has for her state
and her nation. but for her belief in
the hereafter and in the God that gave
her life. that she would stand by him
in health and in sickness, old South
Carolina says to- him. AS she stands
by you, YOU have got to stand by her
We are proud of it, we love the dis
tinction.
Now. there is race of people in
my section of the country--and | am
painted To the world sometimes as
their enemy, but l am not. and if the
GovernOrship OF South Carolina de-
pended upon an election next Tuesday
anG they would leave it entirely 10
the negro vote, DISTINGUISHING for the
time the white vote. | could receive
without trouble 10 to go per cent of
the negro vote of the State to be their
Governor, and notwithstanding that.
stand alone i'm this Conference and
in other places Of this great nation.
not as Governor of South Carolina,
but i'm my individual capacity, believ-
ing there is but one punishment. and
that must be speedy. when that negro
lays his hand upon the person of a
white woman. Such thing as hap
pened a few days ago i'm certain
state can't happen i'm South Carolina
the boast"d hero of the black race
" no claims To- be the superior OF the
white marin the prize ring could not
disgrace south Carolina by having
him ELF united to Il white woman
within its borders. thank God. and if
II did happen the law provides
punishment for him and a punishment
for her. and the only reason that the
law would be called To protect them
would hc the location Of the place in
the state In which the crime might
have been committed. Otherwise
there might hc no need for a grand
jury To present a true bill. MIR Chair
man, of that We are proud.
"pi cOulsc. We cannot apply that to