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THE SUMTER WATCHMAN, Established April, ,i s 5o. "Be Just and Fear not-Let all the Ends thou Aims't at, be thy Country's, thy God's and Truth's'' THE TRUE SO?TSROK, Established jaae. 136(5 Consolidated Aug. 2,1881. SUMTER, S. C.. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1895. New .Series-Yoi. XIV. Xo. 29. Published Every Wednesday, -BY * 3>J\ O. Osteen, SUMTER, S. C. TERMS : Two Dollars per annum-io advance. ADVERTISEMENT: One Square first insertion.SI 00 Every subsequent insertion. 50 Contracts for three months, or longer will be made at reduced rates. All communications which subserve private interests will be charged foras advertisements. Obituaries and tributes of respect will be charged for. The Old Issue Revived. Republican, alias Negro, Con? vention Held in Columbia. Plans Adopted for Organizing the Negroes, so that They May De? cide What White Men Shall be Elected to the Coming Constitutional Con? vention Columbia State, February 7. COLUMBIA, Febroary 6.-Ellery M. Braytoo's Convention came together to-day. It is a small affair. About 100 delegates were present when it convened, of whom four-fifths were negroes. Among the prominent white mea attending were B. O. Do?ean, of Newberry; W. W. Russell, of Ander? son; R. W. Memminger, of Charles? ton ; D. V. Clayton and Lawson D. Melton, of Colombia. Coogresman Murray, Prof. Morris, of Columbia, j and Smith, of Aiken, were some of the chored leaders. Tom Miller was not in evidence, though be is said to sym? pathize with the movement, and of course none of the Websterites leant to the assemblage the light or shade of j their countenances. The convention was to meet at noon, j bot it was not until eight minutes of 1 o'clock that E. M. Brayton called it to order. The hall had not been heated, (the delegates couldn't afford the ex? pense, it was said,} and it was any? thing but comfortable. Mr. Brayton then read the call and announced tbe convention ready for business. J. W. Morris nomitated Brayton for temporary chairman, and no other nomination being made, Bray? ton was elected. BRAYTON's OPENING SPEECH. Brayton thanked the convention for the compliment and promised to preside with fairness : "We have assembled/* he said, "at a crisis in thc politics of the State. We are not here in a factional spirit. We are here under a cai! broad enough to include everybody --now in or out of the party. The Republican party stands in need of activet%ijrnest. energetic workers. For many years, crushed as we have been, the party bas been able to do nothing. The party has been under duress and -subjected to oppression, but this oppres? sion bas reached the climax now, and we must seek to prevent the threatened disaster. Under the conditions in this State we have reached the point that numbers do not count in elections. "We cannot by ourselves prevent the constitutional convention being controlled by the spirit which is threat? ened by those who have called lt. We ?an hope for assistance from others who have the real good of th? State at heart. We must show that we are willing, to join in good faith with those who desire a new constitution which will subserve the interests of all classes of people in the State. For twelve yearn the Democratic party has been io power, and it is not until lately that the constitution has been complained of. "This was a most unfortunate time to bold such a convention, lt is a sorry contrast wheo it is compared with other constitutional conventions. When another faction had control no one was disfranchised anJ no welfare disregard? ed. The prosperity of the whole State was regarded. We are here for a practical purpose, to devise means in this dire extremity so as to secure a constitution such as every man should demand. We ask in the first place that it should not be final until acted upon by the people. We want it referred back to the people. We want a non? partisan constitution. We want all parties to have a fair chance in all elections. We wish here to act so that we can appeal to all broad-minded and liberal-minded men. During the ten days io March there has been giveo a boon to the voters of the State, that of additional registration. "It will be observed that the colored ministers have been called upon to use their influence to awaken the people, and to impress them with the need of registration. They alone can accom? plish this result in the limited time 1 that h lett. %This is no partisan matter, but a question that affects the j life and death of citizenship. If we ; can do nothing, then th^re will be ' disfranchisement by the tens of thou? sands. There could be nothing nearer THE SUMTER WATCHMAN, Established April, ,i s 5o. "Be Just and Fear not-Let all the Ends thou Aims't at, be thy Country's, thy God's and Truth's'' THE TRUE SO?TSROK, Established jaae. 136(5 Consolidated Aug. 2,1881. SUMTER, S. C.. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1895. New .Series-Yoi. XIV. Xo. 29. that the tuen, DOW prominent in t Republican party passed through tl: time of temptation and debauchery i tainted. In palliation of the sins of the ne" we may submit the testimony of wh Democrr?t5 regarding their own Govet merits. Governor TillmaD has inform us that the Governments of white Den crate to the year 1890 were marked I corruption, bribery, political lepro and iuability. On the other hand ve serious charges of very much the sar nature have been broughc against I Government by Democrats of opposii factions. The people of the State a agreed that the taxes of so-call .'Radical'' times were not as hard pay as those now levied. We ba' Governor Tillman's evidence that f more pounds of cotton and meat ai bushels of corn are needed now to ps taxes than at any period of "Radie government." Nobody can claim th the peopie are as prosperous now : they were then. Notwithstanding these things tl Republicans and the negroes of tl State have for eighteen years submi ted quietly to the rule of the minorit with wonderful patience, with a docil ty *and faithfulness and hope which mu challenge the admiration and enlist tl sympathy of the world. They hat yielded everything with hardly a mu mur. They have seen all the promis* made them by the white Democrats i 1876 broken and contemptuously ig nored. They have been banished troi the jury boxes and the ballot boxes an discriminated against consistently an remorselessly. With all this they hav gone on paying their share of taxes, tb masses of them faithfully, honestl and humbly striving to do their part i building up the State and to mak themselves better citizens and Cbrii tians. Now they are called on to meet proposition boldly, publicly and uo blushingly announced that a conven tion be held for the declared and es pressed purpose of disfranchising tber. forever and leaving then entirely help less at the mercy of men who bav shown every disposition to invade thei rights, to blast their hopes and to crus all their modest aspirations. Agains this cruel, unprovoked and unnecessar outrage we appeal to the people of th country of all parts, an? especially t those of South Carolina. Representiu] and speaking for the Republican part; we do solemnly declare that we are no acting for the restoration of Republicai rule io the State or for the destructioi or impairment of white supremacy We are asking simply that Republican and negroes be spared the right to exis as citizens and be not put ou the leve with convicts who have forfeited all civ il rights. It is not only for the Rt?pub Heans and the negroes, but for al interests of the State that we appeal. Under the constitution of the Unitec States no law can be framed to dis franchise the negroes which will noi disfranchise thousands of white men except by the adoption of what is knowi as thc "Mississippi plan," which leave: in the hands of three or ?7e men it each county, appointed by the Admin? istration absolute power in deciding tht right to vote. This has never beer passed on by the United States COUTH and is io all probability illegal. Wbe ther it bc so or not every iostinct ol every free mao and the reason of everj thinking mau must revolt against s system so contrary to every principle ot Republican form of government, and 90 inevitably leading to tyranny and corruption. Whatever may be the de? sign or the pretext, such a system must bring thc extermination of all parties and factions, save the Administration which may happen to be io power, leaving it unrestrained by any fear of ! responsibility to them. I We cali ou the Republicans of the State to organize and register to a man that they may be in position to co-oper? ate in electing a constitutional conven? tion which will be responsible to and will represent the people, and will pro? tect the rights and interests of all. We reccomend that wherever men of that kind are suggested they be voted for by all Republicans regardless of their party or factional alliances, and that our votes be given to men whom we can trust and men the masses of the people can trust, and who will feel that we are citizens of South Carolina, hav? ing rights and interests to be guarded by tbe fundamental law of the State. We invite ?ll patriotic and thinking people of all parties and classes to join in this patriotic effort. Let the Republicans begin imme? diately the work of organizing. It is their duty and privilege now to do a great work for the State which bas been io so oiaoy respects a hard mother to them, and wo do not believe they will flinch. Let them rally and do their part like men, trusting to the sense of justice and the intelligent, self-interest uf the people to make their final appear effective. The Democratic party has been repudiated by the country and by those in this State who have claimed tt> represent ir. Its record in New \ <u!{ and ? Isewhere and the charges against its Administration brought from respon- ; si tile sources here estop it from claim? ing to bc the representative aud guar? dian of political purity. ft The cries of "white supremacy" at negro rule arc simply exhausted bug boos which will frighten no man wi thinks, and are used only by shallo partisans for purposes of deceit. Tl l?epub?can masses of South Carol it will rally once more for the liberti and the rights of the people, the safe of the State aod the maintenance Republican principles and free goveri ment. G-. W. Murray was recognized. Ii said that already the same old game registration officers delaying appiican for registration by useless questions ha begun. He thought that the platfor: should warn the people that a concerte plan had already been agreed upon t carry the constitutional convention b all means, fair or foul. Morris moved the previous questio and the address was unanimously adop ed. The following paltform wa9 the read : THE REPUBLICAN! PLATFORM. We, Republicans of South Carolins in Convention assembled for the pu pose of organizing the Republican part of the State on a broader, more liber; and more progressive basis, do declar our principles as follows: On national questions, we declare ac berence to the essential principles c the National Republican party as sc forth in its platform of principles a Minneapolis in June, 1892. that is t say we are in favor of moderate an reasonable protection for American la bor and American capital against th cheaper labor and cheaper capital c other countries. We are in favor of sound, fall-vain money, whether of gold or silver, pape or currency, for all classes of people for "bread winner" as well as for th capitalist, for the poor laborer in hi hut as well as for the millionaire ii his palace. Weare in favor of a governmen service based on merit and capacity, ic stead of on the corrupt and debasinj Jacksonian system, "To the victors be long the spoils/' We are in favor of a free and fai ballot in all public elections, and ai honest count of votes cast for all classe of citizens, whether native or foreigi born, whether white or colored. Thes we regard as fundamental principles o the National Republican paaty, and w believe they are in no sense sectional and in no way hostile or inimical to thi best interests of ibe South or of ou owe State. But in local State affair our position is peculiar, and we ar< under the necessity of accommodating ourselves to the situation. We havi for years been deprived of any voice ii our State Government by unjust elec lion laws, and by fraud and tricker] openly practiced at elections. We hav< quietly submitted to the wrong, booing for the return of a more liberal and jus sentiment among our Democratic fellov citizens. We are glad to observe tba this long hoped for change of sentimen seems to be taking place among manj of our very best and most trustworthy people, and we would by no act of our: mar or check its progress. On the contrary we would promote and encour j age its development in every wax I possible. This, then, is the situ tion with which we find ourselves a? Republicans confronted, and from nc fault of ours, for we have done nothing whatever to provoke it. The question we are now called upon to decide, shall we hold our bands and quietly submii to seeing ourselves disfranchised, ont most sacred rights as citizens taken away from us, and even the means of educating our chiidreu cut off by the repeal of the public school tax I if we do this we furnish to the world the strongest possible evidence of our utter incapacity and unfitness for citizenship. If on the contrary we proceed to care? fully organize our forces all over the State, in every town and county, and manifest our readiness to co-operate heartily with liberal-minded and justice loving white citizens and under their leadership, we will show the world that we are not unworthy of citizenship ; we will encourage liberal and fair minded Democrats to organize and take I a bold stand against the injustice and tyranny of the dominant faction, and we'll shew to that faction itself that we constitute a faction to be respected. But we should make it clearly and distinctly understood that we do not prop?e to act on the aggres? sive, but purely on the defensive, that we do not propose to make any effort to control the constitutional con? vention, but only to assist as far as we can in electing to it fair-minded men and justice loving citizens of such standing and character that they may with safety be trusted to frame a fair and impartial and conservative constitu? tion, just alike to all classes and citi? zens. To make it clearly understood what in our opinion ought to be the course of the coming convention, we may announce the following fundamen? tal principles which will be satisfactory to us as Republicans, and which we think ought to bc acceptable to all fair- : minded, conservative citizens : 1 No Constitution should bc put ; in loree until it leis been submitted lo and ratified by the legal voters of the State 2. The constitution should make no discrimination, civil or political, against any class of citizens on ac? count of race or color. 3. It si) o ii ld provide for thc equal participation of the two leading po? litical parties in the management and control of elections. .i. It should make no reduction of the present special tax for public school purposes, but rather the contrary, nor should it increase the poll tax, that being discrimination against the poor man, be he white or black. The foregoing are expressive in brief of the principles and ideas on which we propose to organize and make the contest purely and simply in defence of our rights as Republi? cans and as citizens ; and we most earnestly urge upon every Republi? can entitled to vote to spare no pains to procure a registration certificate j in order to be able to vote on eiec- j tion day. In conclusion we would earnestly appeal to all honest and patriotic cit? izens who are opposed to our present arbitrary and tyrannical ring rule to organize promptly and to assume the leadership against the present domi? nant faction, for the purpose of re? storing to our poor unfortunate State a Government fair, just and impartial to all classes of her citizens, a Gov? ernment of the people, by the people and for the people. The following is the sectiou reflect? ing upon the Tillmanites, which, after debate was stricken out : But while this more just sentiment has been slowly gaining ground on the one hand, on the other an extreme 1 faction has suddenly sprung into ex- j istence, and by worse than dubious methods has gained full possession of all branches of our State (government -the executive, the legislative and, worst of all, the judiciary. This ' now dominant, exultant and utterly ; unscrupulous faction proposes, for the purpose of perpetuating its own power, to permanently disfranchise the m?ss of Republican voters by a change in the fundamental law of tho I State. Not content with temporary ? disfranchisement, by means of unjust election laws, partisan management of elections and fradulent count of votes, it proposes to make this dis? franchisement permanent by a change in our State constitution. Its pur? pose in this respect is not left in doubt, butis open and avowed during the last campaign, from every political stump in the ?tate by the "bosses'' of the faction. With this in view a faction? al Legislature provided for a Consti? tutional convention and factional managers of elections "counted it ? in" by the grossest kind of frauds at ? the November elections, in spite of an unquestionable popular majority I against it ORGANIZING THE CAMPAIGN. Thea there was another dolsy over ? the manner of organizing- The Con- ? vention finally agreed on the follow- j ing plan of organization : That as there is no organization of the Republican party now in this State, this committee recommends and urges that this body, composed of representatives of the Republican i party of the State, do reorganize the j Republican party. They recommend further, first, that the rules for the government of the Republican party of South Carolina, adopted by the State Convention on September 13, 1882. and amended May 1, 1888, be reaffirmed and adopted and ratified by this conven? tion as the rules governing the party j as it shall be reorganized. The committee recommends the election of a State executive commit? tee, and chairman and vice chairman of each Congressional district, and any other officers or organizers as this convention may deem necessary. ? Rev. A. M. Williams, of the Westley Monumental church, .ook for his sub-f jeot to night " The. Theology Taught ! Through Trilby." He did not see any- I thing immoral in the novel, but his j opinion was that itattacked a fundamen- ! tal principle of the Christian religion, which is faith.- Savannah News. The Valdosta pork packing establish? ment bas bargained for 3,000 fat bogs to be delivered next season. They will be supplied by farmers within a radius of eight miles The price to be paid is 3 to 4 cents gross. The Valdosta Times esti? mates that the 3,000 hogs will average 200 pounds each, aod that at 3J cents a pound they will bring the farmers in money not less than $21,000. The raising of the hogs will involve very little additional expense on the part of the farmers, so that the cash they re? ceive for them will be so much extra money put into circulation in the neighborhood.-Sa va n n a h Ne ws Down in a Deep Tunnel Hundreds of Dollars Worth of Whiskey is Found. ? Columbia Stale. Feh ruar j 8. Slick moonshiners who have for years been making a study of ingen iou8 methods to evade the United States Revenue laws are simply not in it with the South Carolina Dispen? sary, law evaders. But they are not so liable to have their ingenuity out? done by "informers" as the Carolina liquor man is. His way is a hare, one. When he feels sa'fe and secure, down comes the constables, knowing where to look for the lair cf the tiger, and forsooth he is ousted. Yesterday a lair was unearthed right in the heart of Carolina's Capi? ta!, which was almost in the bowels of the earth-a lair which rivals that of North Carolina moonshiners, who dived through a river's waters to reach the mouth of their underground distillery. It was a way down under the cellar of the store of Messrs. Platt, Hook & Shull. and the whole construction of the underground tunnel, particularly the manner cf concealing the way of entrance, was a masterpiece of ingenuity. It is safe to say that it would never have been discovered had not some in? former needed the 20 cent a gallon reward offered by the State. As a result the owners of the liquor-who? ever they are-have about ?1,300 less than they had yesterday morn? ing, for between 300 arid 400 galloi s of good liquor was found and confis? cated. The search of the place was made by Liquor Constables Speed Dav's and Beach, Trial Justice Constables Cooper and Haitin, and Sergeant Morehead and officer Sheppard and Strickland of the police force. They swept down on the place in the fore? noon, and Mr. Ed. Shull was so abusive, so Constable Speed says, that he ordered him locked up in the stationhouse. Officer Sheppard took him away. The owners of the store refused to allow the officei9 to go into the store, but opened up the cellar. The building is a very long oue, and the cellar the officers were ushered into runs only about half way. At the rear end was solid earth and plenty of it. The officers knew what they were doing, however, for they sent for shovels and spades and began to dis: into the wall nf earth. After dijrsriuor forward about six feet, their instruments stuck air and they so ."ni got into the rest cf the cellar Th ev went in and seat ched all around. On on?' side, next to the brick wall, was what appealed to be the so id foundation of a large chimney, run? ning on up through the building. On this their attention centered. Pretty soon they began to cut into the brick, and in a short time they gazed through, and, by the flickering light of a candle, they could ?ee that the chimney was a false one : that inside a ladder ran upwards and there was a neat little bar with ail necessaries inside. They cut the hole larger and got inside They could see the bottom of au ingenious trap door in the floor, which could not be detected above, as it was cover? ed by shelving. But the liquor had not been found, and the real ingenuity of the hiding place was yet to be seen. The constables Io ik? ed around the inside walls of .he chimney, and towards the outer wall they finally discovered a door about four feet high They broke this down and stood at the mouth of a large tunnel running back into the "bowels of the earth.'' A man could almost stand erect in the neatly constructed tunnel. Then the exploration of this tunnel began The constables went on and on until they struck a point where the tunnel divided and branched in opposite directions, and then the liquor was in sight. There was about forty feet of tunneling, ind the earth taken out of it had been used to make the false back to the ceilar. lt took the constables until about 4 p. m to get out all the liquor stored in the tunnel. And there waa lots of it In all the constables esti? mate they got nearly 400 gallons. There ?vere 22 five gallon jugs. 20 five gallon demijohns. 18 boxes, formerly containing ' Octagon soiip.*' but found to contain 32 pint bottles each ; and 15 or 20 five gallon kegs. The liquor was all hauled to the State Dispensary during the after? noon.- Thc State. Day Books, Ledgers, Journals, both s np?e and double entry. Record books, Letter Copy? ing Books etc , at H. G. Osuen & Co's. THE SUMTER WATCHMAN, Established April, ,i s 5o. "Be Just and Fear not-Let all the Ends thou Aims't at, be thy Country's, thy God's and Truth's'' THE TRUE SO?TSROK, Established jaae. 136(5 Consolidated Aug. 2,1881. SUMTER, S. C.. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1895. New .Series-Yoi. XIV. Xo. 29.