Year: 1868

i be communicated to that class. Men OF lntell
genee have many more opportunities, through
their reading and observation of learning and ap
preciating the moral law and its requirements
Profound Ignorance, almost universally couples ii
with crime and vice. Hence the education Of tho
of the white population of the State-should coin
mand the earnest attention of this body.


In providing for it, beg to guard you against
attempting to levy taxes exclusively upon property
There is no taxation which is so universal, jus
and equitable as that upon tho person or poll, fOl
educational purposes, since all are interested in
having an intelligent and virtuous population.


Sixth. With reference to the conduct of the
State, have only to say to you that the treasury
is empty. The tax bill adopted by the last legisla
ture has failed by $780, 900, to produce the amount
of taxes contemplated. We have, therefore, been
compelled to rely upon what are known as the


bills receivable" issued by authority of the egis
lature, to pay all officers and claims against the
State. The great depreciation of property, and
the general impoverishment of the State, has re
duced the amount of taxes anticipated by the leu
slature very materially, and consequently the inan
cial condition of the State is greatly embarrassed
But it is very important that you should, in yorl
deliberations, by ordinance or otherwise, declare
and nothing can more commend your body to the
confidence Of the people of the State, who repre-
sented its wealth-that all of the obligations Of the
State, all the bonds of the State created prior to
the war; and all the obligations of the State stnct
the war, shall be fully and faithfully redeemed
An ordinance announcing the validity of the obi
cations of the State, passed by you, will at once
rapidly and largely appreciate the value Of the
bonds now held at such low figures. The great
discount upon the State bondsin the markets, here
and elsewhere, grows out of a want Of confdanee
in the will and determination of the new govern,
ment to redeem them. This you should set Of
rest. And while you may with propriety repudi-
ate all obligations contracted by the State for war
purposes, the credit of the State for other obga-
tions should not be tarnishcd either by reputation
or semblance of reputation.


In framing your constitution, cannot too earn
estly commend to your favorable consideration the
importance of removing the disability from all OF
the white population of this State. When You
look to the Judiciary, am very sure you can hav,
no reasonable ground of complaint against their
fairness or impartialty Under the constitutional
amendment most, or nearly all, are excluded from
continuing in their position. Have you, in tho
State, members of the bar who are competent to
discharge these high and important trusts with the
ability, or even the satisfaction to yourselves, OF
those who would be required to retire from the
public service, unless you make modification re.
tanning them in their present position? Is there
any reasonable ground of complaint against your
Appeal Court, the Judges of your Criminal Court
or your Chancellors? While, under the constitr,
ton, you may vacate these Offices and subject all
of the parties to the ordeal of an election before the
Legislature, will it not be eminently wise and pru-
where, if the legislature elected under your consti
tuition think it expedent, they may re-elect such
of the Judges and Chancellors as in acknowledgment,
are worthy to be continued in these positions.


This brings me to say that in South Carolina,
at least, there is no reason why any man, white OF
colored, should be excluded from the privilege Of
voting or holding Office. You are aware that tn,
disfranchisement in the Reconstruction acts oil
Congress excludes the intelligence and wealth Of
the State. In one of the districts of the State
know that the colored people waited upon certain
gentlemen and requested them to become candi:
dates for the convention but they were constrained
to decline because they were disfranchised This
is an Illustration of the condition of affairs which
exists in all the districts of South Carolina-the
most intelligent men being excluded In starting
perience should not be ignored. The State cannot
afford to give it up She is entitled to the counsel
of such men and to their services.


The doctrine of State rights as taught in South
Carolina has been exploded by the war. The al:
egiance of the citizen, according to the results Of
that controversy, is due to the government of the
United States, and not to the State. I recognize
this doctrine to the fullest extent and in my inau-
gura message, as Governor of the State, announ-
ced my Judgment that hereafter the supremacy o.
the United States Government over the State was
undisputed and indisputable. am aware that
many of my contemporaries deny the proposition,
but if can properly comprehend the legitimate
sequences Of war, no other result presents itself to
my mind.


Gentlemen of the Convention-I have merely
outlined some of the subjects which, in my judg-
ment, should command your earnest attention. As


have indicated, your body is here, not the repre-
sentative of the intelligence of the State. Your
action, therefore, must be your passport to public
favor, and while the great majority OF the white
poruaton have failed to cast their votes in elect
ing delegates it will be your duty to- adopt such
constitution as will commend itself not only to the
black people but to the white people of South
Carolina.


As the Executive of the State during the trying
times through which we have passed, [ have earn
all of our citizens. In the performance of my du.
ties have known no distinction between race OF
color When l have been called upon to exercise
the high prerogative of Executive clemency in fa-
vor of those who have violated the laws, the re-
cords of my office will show that have made rea-
sonable allowance for the fraity and ignorance Of
the colored population, and that the commuta.
tions and pardons extended to them exceed those
extended to the white race whose opportunities
for obtaining intelligence did not commend them
with the same force to my judgment and sympa-
thies


AS a citizen of South Carolina, born and raised
on her soil, and desiring to lay my bones in this
home of my fathers, [ do not wish to see consti
tuition adopted obnoxious to our people If the in
strumcnt which you may adopt be wise and just
as trust it will be- shall feel it to be duty tc
recommend its adoption to my people But if, or
the other hand, it bears upon its face evidences O
hostility to the true interests of the State. it vii
be calculated to create antagonisms, the results Of
which will be most deplorable, and |, for one, will
pullup my stakes, and, with my household, remove
to some other section of the country.


/ presume that opposition will be made to those
who favor this convention. There will be oppo
stion to you and opposition to me, but have beer
too long in political life to be afraid of the small
thunder which may be directed against me by
newspapers. l have reached period of indifer
ence upon that question. If know my own con
science, and if what say is not true, trust tina
the overruling Providence which guides and controls


us will smite me for the falsehood-Ihave this day,
no other or higher motive, care not whether i
be public or private, no other political aspiration
than to promote the interests of the people o
!South Carolina. believe said to some Of m,