Year: 1865

OF thirteen or fourteen States. wv. .n -, o.. .


The basis OF in the Senate Of this STATE
you know Is entirely arbitrary and founded on no
just prime pies OF property or population A. sne ne y
adopted-more than seventy Ave years ago-t was,
NO doubt fair and equal But since that time the entire
relative condition Of election districts mas chaheed
eonsuen SpReu IN iTo was but newly
settled had sparse population and very little wealth.
But since that time this portion OF the state mas
increased in wealth numbers In much greater ratio
than the lower country Hence 1t rs that the parish
representation in the Senate 10 unequal and unjust
Twenty or thirty votes In one OF the parishes, whose
population and taxation combined enttle it only
member Of the House Of Representatives. have the same


ars Esseed district WHOSE population and taxation
ent tie t 20 six members In the House. This is
rary W all republican principles of political justice and


In the early history of south Carolina the represents


on in the parishes was repeatedly changed TO equalze
II among the respective election Districts But all such
changes have been obstnaey refused during the last
seventy i've years. Now that slavery is abolished,
reformation in this respect is imperative, and must be
adopt the basis Of representation in the House Of Rep
resentatives, which Is founded population and
taxation Each judicial district in the State should, how
ever have one Senator and the city of Charleston two
in addition TO one from the district OF Charleston The
other Senators IL the present number be retained may
be given TO the largest districts In population and taxa
ton fractions are now represented in the House Of
representatives The two great elements Of represent
alive governments are wealth and population and they
not gislate to the injury Of the other


In considering the question Of population II Is proper





men in the lower country and also in the upper country
In less proportion should in some way and 70 some
where there such large ursponderance Of that class
persons The federal basis Of representation In Congress-
counting threeafths Of the negroes, would seem to bs
just and right It was the compromise agreed ON by the
trainers OF the federal constitution, and no doubt
founded In wisdom.


The question of suffrage and who shall exercise the
right Of voting in South Carolina is OF grave impor
tanc,, and must be settled by you your consttu
ton In 1870 the State constitution declared that no one
ho A., ,vofa puIo ha
taxpayer and free white OF the age of twenty
years In 1910 the right OF suffrage extended to all
dents OF the years and the election district
six months previous to voting The qualification OF
freehold or the OF tax was no longer required
man who had TO In the militia do patrol duty work
on the roads, and defend his country IN time Of war;
ana other officers Of the state without the ownership Of
freehold the payment OF taxes To extend this uni
versal Suffrage TO the freedmen in their present guo
rant and degraded condition, would be little less than
folly and Madness II would be giving TO the Of wealth
and large landed possessions In the State most undue
influence in all elections He would be enabled to march
TO the polls with his two or three hundred freedmen
employees voting he directed and control all eec
tions The poor white men in the Election Districts
would have no influence or their influence would be
overpowcred by one man OF large landed estate. In
Connecticut Ohio lndiana Illinois and several other
nonsavehoding States at the North, free negroes and
c0lorcd persons entirely excluded from voting In
most Of the Northern States there Isl property qualica
tion required Of all voters which excludes them II the
New York qualifications Of freehold for n person o.
color voting adopted in south Carolina very few
o. the freedmen in this State would ever be able to exer
csc the right Of suffrage In North Carolina Tennessee
and perhaps other slaveholdng Sates free negroes
mery were entitled TO vote but is understood that


The radical republican party North looking with
great interest the Of the Southern States In
s and % while r snsy ssas
property qualification In order 70 vote yet they contend
that there should be distinction between voters
account OF color They forget that this Is white mans
government, and intended for white men only; and
that the Supreme Court Of the United States has decided
federal constitution That each and every State the
Union has tho unQuestoned right Of deciding for her
self who shall exercise the right Of suffrage beyond
interest and honor Of tho State donand.


south Carolina the only stale in the Union whore
should longer be the case It is fundamental princi
pie Of the republican creed that the people, In whom all
sOversgnty inherent should select their own rulers
and representatives Thoee powers only are delegated
which cannot be properly exercised BY the people.
y is snnnenty wiss snd proper that the Governor
ton immediately ffom The sovereign power OF the
state. The people should elect their chief magis-
the Isg,sIssure. Having done this the minor ofnoss
might be nlled by appointment and the pccpc relieved
Of The trouble, loss or time and Generalization in max
Ing these petty elect0na When the Governor has been
elected BY the people he might safely bc entrusted with
more power than he has exercised In South Caro-
lima He should be made re- eeiisibe or elected for
longer term than two years He sh0Ild be required 10
live at thu seat Of government and should receive
salary sufficient to defny all his necessary expenses
Inc General Assembly OF s0uth Carohn. ~ an eiecroM
coiege ior tne state as wen as logslave pody ihey
@ nsvc 'pe eiec.on o. dcvenor electors Oh eMcens anu
vice President, Lieutenant Governor, Cnited States
senators Judges and Chencelors all State officers Mag
stntss commissioners OF Roads and Bridges Poor ana
Free schools commissioners and Masters In Equity, ana
vsnous otnel omcem Inis emoarrssees legislation, oc-
cupes great deal OF the time OF members and Is pro-
auctve 9i evi oonseqt The most Of those elec-
tons and appointments should be taken from tho Legs-
iasnre


election OF Presidential electors by the Legislature
Cieary usurpation on the part OF that body, and
which no other state in the Union toerates At the
present time The federal constitution declares that
each state shall appoint In such manner an the Legs-


sol snereof may Direct electors OF President and Vice
rresdent" The State and not the Legislature, is
nppolnt electors The Legislature Is 70 'dIrecto the


manner OF appointing only The people are the State
and should 'appolnL" No one win contend that the
legislature, which represents the State s the State
se This gross error will no doubt be corrected by
the nrst legislature which assemblies under your new
constitution, and II may be well for you 10 express .
wisn Tor It's correction.


Inc appointment Of the State ohccrs might be given
70 toe Governor, with the advice and consent OF the
SENATE He might also with great propriety be empow
ored 70 mako the appointment OF many Of the district
omcers and thereby relieve the people Of fruitful