Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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rf? .-- I " I - upon yon of framing a Constitution' which will challenge the criticism and commendation of the most intelli* gent portion of the State. Believing, as I have snid to you, that, you havo assembled here with Vpro per motives; that the Constitution framed by you will be the law. under which tb? people of South Carolina will live for years to come, and oc? cupying the position of Chief Execu? tive of the State, I am here to give to the members of your body the benefit of whatever suggestions may occur to my mind, provided that I can do so without seeming to in? trude. My earnest desire is that this Convention shall adopt a Constitu? tion which shall meet with the cor? dial support and approval of the white as well as the black race. If it be jus?, wise and liberal, when the question comes upon its adoption, I snail cert ai nly recommend my friends to vote lor if; if unwise or unjust, I shall bo equally free to urge its re? jection. ?Alt is nrnrwir fo?ay b?ro, ttlfit in rr1 y judgment it was unfortunate that the election of delegates to this Conven? tion should have been influenced by the politics of the day. Members should have been chosen without re? ference to their opinions upon na? tional politics. It was .immaterial whother they were conservatives, ra? dicals or Democrats. The best men of each District, without reference to antecedents or to present politioal opinions, ought to have been select? ed for the purpose of framing a Con? stitution. This was my advice to the people of the State months ago. It was a matter of little consequence who was elected as representatives of the State in the Senate or House of Bepresentatiues of the United States, whether radical, moderate Republi? can or Democrat, as compared with the important duty of framing a Constitution for a people which was to last for years. The whites iu the State have abstained from going to the polls, and the blacks mainly have been controlled by the radical party. Although thus elected, let the mem? bers of the Convention remember that the Constitution which they adopt for the people of South Caro? lina may, in all probability, be the Constitution of the State for the next twenty years-when radical, Repub? lican and Democratic parties may have passed away and others have taken their place. Anything, there? fore, which savors of a partisan pur? pose, incorporated in tbe Constitu? tion, may, in a very few years, find that it has out-lived its purpose, its supporters, and its proteges. In framing a Constitution, many improvements may be made upon the existing laws of the bind, I beg very briefly to call your attention to some of them. If they are adopted, in my judgment, when ' the question is presented to the people of the State to ratify or reject the Constitu? tion, you will bo able to command ' in its favor a much larger vote than was polled in the election of delegates to tho Convention. First. Upon the question of tho elective franchise, I desire most ear? nestly to rcffommeud that you incor? porate no disability whatever in it; that you allow every mau in the State, even tbo.se who have been disfran? chised under the Constitutional Amendmout, to exercise the right of suffrage, und of holding office, with the restrictions that no one shall exer? cise tbat franchise unless be may be able to road and write, or has a pro? perty qualification such as you may determine. In voting upon tho ratification of the Constitution you may adopt, all registered voters will of course bo in- | eluded, which will of course securo its adoption. With the view of car? rying out fully tho views of the Con? vention, tho first Legislature to be elected under the Constitution may be clectod by all male voters over twenty-one years of age, but after that time, if not before, I urgently recommend that qualified suffrage, to all classes and races, be provided for in tho Constitution. A man who goes to the polls after January 1, 1870, whether he be white or black, who is not ablo to read or write, should be excluded from the privi? leges of a voter. Representing as you do, almost ex? clusively tbe colored element of South Carolina, you are not invisi? ble to tho fact, and to its legitimate results, that very many of the voters who havo sent you here have not that intelligence with reference to men and measures whioh should enti? tle thom to cast a vote. You know that thousands of them are utterly incompetent to exorcise this high prerogative. You may think that to perpetuate your power, and to preservo your or? ganization, it is necessary to continuo the franchise to this elass of persons, but eventually you will find that you have been sadly mistaken. Many of tho colored xnou o? tho Statu have an intelligence which entitles them, in their new relations, to the privileges of citizens; but vory many are in? competent to exerciso them with dis? cretion or judgment. Those will be? come tho prey of ovil, vicious and indisposed men. When an elect ion is to occur with such voters, tho bad will get their votes and not the good. In viow of the fact that the colored population have a large majority in this State, and that tho bulk of thom aro to bo controlled by those ovil in . fruenqes, what kind of judges, legis I at o rs and executive ofncera can yon hope for? Is vice and ignorance to elect your judges? Are the represen? tatives of vice and ignorance to elect your legislators? If io, what securi? ty-have you for the rights of life, liberty and propbrty? ? therefore, in- view of tho respo?sibility before us, and in all probability iu ^antago? nism to the sentiments of a very large majority of this body, recommend earnestly, that in framing that feature of the Constitution conferring the electivo franchise, yod establish an educational qualification for the voter, but-not being able to read or write--that yon establish a property qualification. v Second. If you desire that this Convention should commend itself to the favorable consideration of the people of the State, white and color? ed, I recommend that you adopt in the Constitution a provision for a liberal homestead law-that you make it applicable to nil those who now Own a homwitflndL and rirntanfc Mi Am against antecedent debts. The dis? asters resulting from the war, the abolition .of sfavery, and, thereby, the wiping out of the fortunes of very many of those who were wealthy prior to the war, os a matter of hu? manity, demands that you should Iiroteot them' sa to the past by a iberol homestead law, and securing that home to its owner in the future. Tho homestead law which guarantees to a family fifty dollars, or 100 acres in the country, and a town lot or house in the city, is not only hu? mane, but patriotic In the country, where the head of a family knows that his -homestead is protected, he goes to work to beautify and adorn the same. He plants his orchard and his vineyard. He erects his build? ings, decorates his dwelling, and makes all of his surroundings com? fortable, and invites happiness and content to his hearth. ' Perhaps one of the greatest trou? bles in American legislation has beet in not protecting the homestead. Ii bas i.' ade the American people almos' at gi eat wanderers os the Arabs When a father planted an orchard o: a vineyard, he had no assurance that five years thereafter, the result of hi care and labor would not pass int? the hands of strangers. Grant, there fore, a liberal homestead law, pro viding against past and future debts so that the white man who has hi home now, and the black man wb may seoure a homo by industry an? economy, hereafter, can feel that i is secured to him, and you will find not only an increase in the pros Seri ty and happiness of the State ut you will stimulate a patriotist which has not heretofore existec Wherever yon identify a man and hi household with the soil npon whic he lives, you make that mat if from no higher considerations c love of oonntry, a defender of th country when it is assailed, becaus the assault is upon his individui household. Third. I urge you to provide tt tho abolishment of imprisonment fe debt. I have always considered tt incarceration of a human being f< debt aa senseless and cruel, except i cases bf positive fraud. It is adv? cated that imprisonment for debt right, for the purpose of nssurir. creditors in their demands, and tb it curtails tho capacity of an ind vidual to secure- credit, whero th 1 right is denied. In these viows I c not concur. To be perfectly frat with you, I think that the univers credit extended to or claimed by community is a great misfortune that community, and if tho hom stead and exemiition law, and t' abolition of imprisonment for de will reduce tho temptation to men ask credit, and curtail the dispo?iti of those who hold funds or goods extend credit, it will be a blessing our people. To tho farming inter? especially, tho credit system is curse, and tho sooner that and other interests, except perhaps t mercantile interest, dispense with tho better will it be for the genei prosperity of the State. Fourth. It is very important tl this body should adopt some or nance to provide relief to debto prior to the war. The tempor? orders of the Military Commandi extond to debts contracted during I war. All dobts now existing, wh the consideration is for the purch of slaves, should bo absolutely wit out by tho Convention. If th debts are recognized, it is a recog tion of that institution, of its p Knot y, its justico and morah lost of the debts contracted prioi the war were upon tho faith and p session of property in slaves. T Eroperty has beon destroyed, an? boral provision should be made this body in reference to debtor the amount and time when they r. mnke payment of the same. Do 1 and you will commend your Con tutios, under thc most favorable i pices, to the consideration of t class in South Carolina who have participated in tho election of d gatos to this Convention. Fifth. Education is now tho gi desideratum of all the colored pee of South Carolina. For obvi reasons, it was tho policy of Stato, previous to emancipation oxcludo tho slave population from benefits and advantages of eduoati I will not discuss those reasons, tho relations of that population the SCat?nre now materially ohaugod. Hence, it is of tho utmost imp?rtanos that the largest intelligence possible shall be communicated to that Class. Mop. of intelligence have many more opportunities, through their reading and observation, of learning' and appreciating the moral law and its requirements. Profound ignorance almost universally couples with it crime and vice. Hence, the educa? tion of tho black population-and, I am sorry to say, of many of the white population of the State-should com? mand the earnest attention of this body. * " lu providing for it, I beg to guard you against attempting to levy taxes exclusively, upon property. There ia no taxation, which ia so universal, just and equitable, ns that upon the person or poll, for educational pur E' oses, since all are' interested in aving An intelligent and virtuous population. Sixth. With reference to the con? duct of the State, I have only to snj fo.Vr^n^ ^h?t the tsjftBSifey is empty. The tax bill adopted by the last Le? gislature has failed, by $300,000, tc produce the amount of taxes con templated. We have, therefore, beei compelled to rely upon what ar? known as the "bills receivable," is sued by authority of the Legislature to pay all officers and claims agains the State. The great depreciation o property, and the general impovor ishment of the State, has reduced tin amount of taxes anticipated by th Legislature very materially, and con sequently the financial condition o tho South is greatly embarrassed But it is very important that yoi should, (in your deliberations, b; ordinance or otherwise, declare-am nothing con more commend you body to the confidence of the peopl of the State, who represented it wealth-that all of the obligations o the State, all the bonds of the Shat created prior to the war, and all tb obligations of the State since the wai shall be fully and faithfully redeemoc Au ordinance announcing the val ? ity of the obligations of the Stab passed by you, will at once rapid! and largely appreciate the Talue < the bonds, now held at such lo figures. The great discount uno the State bonds in the markets, bei and elsewhere, grows out of a wai of confidence in the will and dete mination of the new Government I redeem them. This you should a at rest. And while you may wit propriety repudiate nil obligatio] contracted by the State for war pu poses, the oredit of tbe State f other obligations should not bc ta nished, either by repudiation or semblance of repudiation. In framing your Constitution, cannot too earnestly commend your favorable consideration the ii portance of removing the disabili from all of the white population this State. When you look to t judioiary, I am very sure yon c have no reasonable ground of coi plaint against their fairness or ii partiality. Undor the Constitutioi Amendment, most, or nearly all, c excluded from continuing in th position. Have you in the Sb members of tho bar who are couq tent to discharge these high und i portant trusts with thc ability or ev the satisfaction to yourselves of th< who would bo requirod to retire fri the public service, unless you inak modification rotaining them in th present position? Is tliero any r sonable ground of complaint ngai your Appeal Court, tho Judges 3'our Criminal Court, or your Ch collors? While, under tho Consti tiou, you mav vacato theso ofli and subject all of tho parties to ordeal of an election before Legislature, will it not bo emincr wise nnd prudent for you to place judiciary in a position where, if Legislature elected under your C stitution think it expedient, they r re-elect such of the Judges and Ch collors as, in their judgment, worthy to be continued in these si tiona, This brings me to say that in So Carolina, at least, there is no ren why any man, white or coloi should bo excluded from tho pi lego of voting or holding office, are aware that the disfranchisen in tho Reconstruction Acts of C gress, excludes the intelligence wealth of the State. In ono of Districts of tho State, I know thal colored people waited upon cor gentlemen and requested them tc como candidates for the Convent but they were constrained to dec! because they were disfranchised. ' is an illustration of the conditio affairs which exists in all tho Dist of South Carolina-the most int gent men being excluded. In s iug a now Government, all of tiri telligonce and experience should be ignored. The State cannot al to givo it up. Sbo is ontitled to counsels of such men and to t services. Tho doctrine of State right taught iu South Carolina, bas oxploded by tho war. Tho allogi of tho citizen, according to th suits of that controversy, is dr, the Government of the United St and not to tho Stato. I reoog this doctrine to the fullest ex and in my inaugural mcssago as vernor of the Stato, I announce) judgment, that hereafter tho si macy of tho United States Go ment over tho State, was undisi and indisputable. ? ara aware that many of my contemporaries deny the proposition, bot if I can properly comprehend the legitimate sequences Of war, no other result presents itself to my mind. Gentlemen of the Convention, I have merely out-lined some of the subjects which, in my judgment, should command your earnest atten? tion. As I haye indicated, your body herer is not the'representatives of the intelligence of the State. Your ac? tion, therefore, must be your pass? port to public favor, and while the great majority of the white popula? tion have failed to cast their Votes in electing delegates, it' will be your duty to adopt snob a Constitution as wilXcommond itself not only to the black people, but to tho whilo people of South Carolina. A* the .Executive of the State dur? ing the trying times through whioh we have passed, I have earnestly en? deavored to do equal and exact jus? tice to all of our citizens. In the Perfol ????LUJO yf my ?uti?a, x have known no distinction between race or color. When I have been called upon to exercise the high preroga? tive of Executive clemency in favoi of those who have violated the laws, the records of my omeo will show that I have made reasonable allow? ance for the frailty and ignorance ol the colored population, and that the commutations and pardons extended to them exceed those extended to thc white race, whose opportunities foi obtaining intelligence did not com mend them with the sa nc force tc my judgment and sympathies. As a citizen of South Carolina born and raised on her soil, and de siring to hy my bones in this homi of my fathers, I do not wish to see J Constitution adopted obnoxious t< our people, If the instrument whiol you may adopt, be wiso and just, as '. trust it will be, I shall feel it to bo i duty to recommend its adoption t( my people. But if, on the othe hand, it bears upon its face evidence of hostility to the truo interests o tho State, it will be calculated t< create antagonisms, the results o which will bo most deplorable, am I for one, will pull up my atakos, au? with my household, removo to som othor section of the country. I presumo that opposition will b made to those who favor this Con vention. There will be opposition t Sou and opposition to me, but I hav een too long in political life to b afraid of the small thunder whic may be directed against me by newt papers. I have reached a period c indifference upon that question. ] I know my own conscience, and : what I say is not true, I trust thc that over-ruling Providence whic guides and controls us, will smite m for the falsehood-I have this day n other or higher motive, I care nc whether it be public or private, n other political aspiration, than to pr? mote the interests of the people < South Carolina. I believe I said 1 some of my colored friends, son months ago, that I was tired of pol tics, and desired to embark in son busiuoss that would enable mo t support those who aro dependent c mo. I now go further and say to yoi I am disgusted with politics. I kno of no position, State or Federal, th; I would seek, if it cost mo tho pas ago of a singlo step. Let mo tell yo that a man who embarks in politic life, if he is honest, will bo poor : long us ho remains in it, and tl sooner ho gets out of it, tho better will be for his wife, children and sol I intend to do it. I wish to go in retirement, and there is no office th your recommendation or votes cou confer upon me, that I would accor I ask you, then, to have confideu in the statements that I havo mad In conclusion, I desire you to ado a liberal and wiso Constitution, und which the white and tho black mi can livo together; a Constitute which will protect tho great interef of tho State, and restore it to a degr of prosperity not heretofore enjoye a Constitution that will dispel tb distrust which unfortunately nc prevails. You have a groat proble to solve, such an ono as has rare been given to man; you aro to und? tako an experiment which has n thus far in the experience of mo kind boen successful. That oxpe ence shows that, when placed up terms of equality, the races havo E harmonized. It is for you to demc strate to the contrary. Being hopeful myself, I bebe that, with proper discretion and w dom, you may form such a CouBtii tion as will promoto harmony, pet and good will, and enlarge tho pr perity of our State. And in the . most sincerity, gout le mon of the Cc vention, I invoke the blessings Heavon upon your deliberations, a trust that an over-ruling Providoi may give yon such wisdom as T secure peace and concord to t people. The Methodist Church, for 18 reports 17,473 preachers, 1,140,( members, au increase of 1,275 proa' ers and 118,897 members ddnng 1 year. There aro, also, 11,121 Met! dist churches in the country, vail at $35,880,430, an increase dur tho year of 258 churches, and $G,2i 435 valuo. There aro 15,341 Sum schools, with 1,081,891 scholars, ? having 2,784,895 volumes in tl libraries. The collections for ben olont purposos during tho year w $2,784,895. COLUMBIA. Tuesday Morning, January 21.1868. Washington telegrams say tb st the feeling in tbafcclty is ..feverish." We do toot doubt lt. Tbe unscrupulous purtizans who have assumed political supremacy at the capital, now show an unmistakable determination to rale or rain. They have melted away all the fine gold of the Constitution in that misohievous crucible of theirs, and have given in return nothing bat dross and emptiness. In their deter? mination to retain political power, they have, it appears, become alto? gether reckless of consequences. Without counting the oost, they have determined to subdue the President, and Oran t's political aspirations seem to have made him their obedient ser? vant. The bill which they have re? ported for the further subjugation, hamiliatiou and Africanization of tbe South is, suggests the New Orleans Times, the last venture of desperate political gamblers, who, seeing that they have been condemned by their own constituents, undertake to steal the ace of spades from tho political pack and play it as a trump, whether it is one or not. It would appear that they really want to swap tho wbite man for a contraband, even as Esau bargained away his birth-right for a j miserable mess of pottage. The is j sue between these usurpers and tbo people can no longer be evaded, j Every interest is imperilled by the lawless course they have pursued. Capitalists are afraid to invest; gold has taken an upward rash; confi? dence everywhere is shaken. Eor this, there is but one remedy-a re? turn to the Constitution and tho laws -to the letter and spirit of represen? tative institutions. The long im? pending conflict between tho respect? ive departments of the Government is now upon us. THE COST OF THE FBEEDMEN'S BU? REAU.-Gen. Howard has written an official letter containing a statement of appropriations for the Freedmen's Bureau by Congress, for the fiscal year ending July 1, 1867, and July 1, 1868; the amount expended from these appropriations from July 1, 186C, to July 1, 1867; the miscella? neous funds from various sources and the disbursements thereby; also the total cost of the Bureau since its or? ganization, from which appears the following: Appropriated by Congress for the fiscal year ending July 1, 1867, 86,914,450;' appropriation for the fiscal year ending July 1, 1868, 83,836,300; total $10,780,750; amount in the treasury January 1, 1868, 85,736,981; amount in tho hands of the disbursing offioers, $645,911, which makes expended from the ap? propriations, 84,397,854. In tho above amount expended is included 8500,000 to relieve destitution, &c, ?Act approved March 30, 1867,) and ?50,000 transferred to tbe Agricul? tural Department by Congress to fur? nish seeds to the South. These sums deductive leave tho legitimate ex? penses of tho Bureau for eighteen months, $3,847,854. Amount of funds receivod from other sources by superintendents of negro affairs and agents of tho Bureau from May 1, 1865, to January 1, 1868, $1,598, 134.41; balance on band January!, 86,836,531; expended in three years, 81,561,602.62. Of the abovo amount, there has been expended for schools alone $392,526. The ourrent ex? penses of the Bureau were paid from this fund prior to July 1. 1866. On the organization of the Bureau, May 15, 1865, it was necessary to assumo the accounts of the Department of Negro Affairs from January 1, 1865. Therefore all expenditures for freed? men from that dato are included abovo. Hence from January 1,1865, to January 1, 1868, tho cost of the Bu? reau has been as follows: From ap? propriations by Congress, 84,397,854; from miscellaneous sources, 1,561,602. The Bureau hos also disbursed 825,000, appropriated April 17,1866, for the relief of destitute citizens of tho District of Columbia, and also 815,000 appropriated Maroh 16,1867, for the relief of destitute freedmen in the District. LEGISLATURES IN SESSION.-Tho following Stato Legislatures are now in session: California, politics, Democratic;* Iowa, radical; Kansas, radical; Ken? tucky, Democratic; Maine, radical; Maryland, Democratic; Massachu? setts, radical; Minnesota, radical; New Jersey, Democratic; New York, Democratio;* Ohio, Democratic; Pennsylvania, radical; Tennessee, radical; Wisconsin, radical. In West Virginia, tho Legislature, radical, mcots on tho 21st of January. Those States marked with a star (*) havo only a majority of Democrats in tho lower bouse. l?OOal XtOTTOLE?. GASH-PAY UP.-From and after January 1, 1868, the cash system will be strictly .enforced. Persons who are now indebted for subscriptions, and who wish their papers continued, will confer a favor by paying np at once. Those who fail will have their papers discontinued. Cash will also bo required for all advertisements. Persons forwarding advertisements from a distance, m as? Bend a remit? tance. Job work cash on delivery. Demoregt'8 Monthly Magazine, for> February, has just been received by Messrs. Duffle & Chapman. It is a complete "mirror of fashion." The schedule for tho departure of the night train over the South Caro? lin? Railroad, has been changed to half-past 5 o'clock-so that passen? gers from above eau go directly through without detention. See ad? vertisement. ALMOST A DUEL. --Au affair of honor was nipped in the bud, through tho perseverance of Chief Radcliffe. It appears that a night or two ago, ns we are informed, a remark relative to a lady, made by a young man, was misconstrued by another into an ex? pression of disrespect. Words fol? lowed, and then a challenge. The parties were on tho way to the duel? ing ground, yesterday morning, when they were arrested, and a stop put to further hostile proceedings. The affair caused considerable excitement. KEEP A SHARP LOOK-OUT.-It ia feared that the rush of unemployed freedmen to Columbia will materially increase the robberies of store-rooms and hen-roosts. Owing to tho in? ability of the planters to hire th? usual number of hands this yeai, e great many unfortunates were turned adrift, and they havo, during the pas: few days, been flocking into town. Accounts from all parts of the sur rounding country are to the effec that thieving is general. ARREST OF A YOUNO THIEF.-Chie Radcbffe succeeded, Saturday night in arresting a young freedman name Henry Smith, who has been commil ting depredations on various indivi duals in Columbia, for a length c time. He has been hauled up one or twice, but got off, as a genen thing, with light punishment, on n< count of his youth; but as it has bee pretty clearly proven that he belonf to a gang who are levying toll indi eliminately, it is hoped he will I sent to the penitentiary. The imm< diato offenco of this "Artful Dodger -for artful be certainly must be stealing a pair of boots from M Finnigan, and a pair of shoes froi Mr. Shelton. As Henry has bec very flush with money recently, it supposed that tho carrying off tl money drawers of Messrs. McKenz and Slonn, can safely bo placed to h credit. How TO KEEP MEAT FRESH.-Sir ply immerse it in buttermilk. Th will keop it for several days, wh( tho milk should be changed, ai fresh milk substituted. In this wa; beef, veal, &c., can be kept for sev ral weeks, and it will be sweot ai fresh at the end of that time as wk first put in. A butcher furnished t receipt. _ An exchange says that "a fortuna Englishman, at Leeds, somehow cai into possession of tho identical 1 of toggery which the baby Victoi wore when first ushered into t world." That's the first time < over heard of a baby hoing usher into tho world wearing "togger or anything else. MAU, ARRANGEMENTS.-The p office open dtrring the week from i a. m. to 6 p. m. On Sundays, fr \yi to 2% p. m. Tho Charleston and Western mi are open for delivery at 2 p. m., s close at 9 a. m. Northern- -Open for delivery 10'.j a. m., oloses at 1 p. m. Greenville-Open for delivory r p. m., closes at 8 p. m. NEW AOVERTIHEMKNTS.-Attention ia < ed to tho following advertisements, \> lishnd this morning for tho first time: Regular Meeting Columbia Lodge. Regular Meeting Iudepcudont Piro Ci Rooms to Rent on Taylor street. John A. Kay--Improved Rovorborato J. I. Bonnor-Duo West College C. H. Baldwin-U. 8. Internal Rovoni C. H. Baldwin & Co-Diamond Hmm J. &. T. H. Agnew-Iron and Steel. Pisher k Lowrance- Corn and Oat?. Jacob Levin-Auctiou.