Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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'pHE '..E OP.,,, 2 A _- TOLEORA L. VOL 5.--NO. 43. PICKENS, S. C., THURSDAY) NOVEMBER 7, &85- ONE DOLLAR A YEAR. THE GREAT THEME OF Tii HOUR. THE SUFFRAGI QUESTION. Ae Women 'Vill Not. Vote-ihe Main issue Gets Betore the Convention. Th-3 amendment offered by Mr. Clay ton to confer upon women the right te vote was defeated by 121 to 26. The closing discusion of woman suffragu was participated. in by W. J. Talbert, Geo. D. Tillman, Geo. E. Prince, John .1. McMahan, .). P. K. Bryan and others. At the conclusion of Mr. Bryan's speech a direct vote wai taken on Mr. Clayton's amendment, on which the ayes and noes were. called. result ing as follows : Yeas-Clayton, Cooper, Cunning ham, Dudley. 111erbe, W. 1). L'vans, eI phill, Wille Jones, Keitt, McMa han, Meares, Miller, J. 1). Montgom ery, Moore, Nicholson, Larler, Ros borough, Shuler, W. C. Smith, Stack house Taylor, G. D. Tillman, Timme-r man, Whipper, Wigg. Nays-Governor John Gary Evans, President, Aldrich, Alexanier, An derson, Ashe, Atkinson, Austin, Bar kor, Barton, Bates, Bohro, Dellinger, Bobo, 13owen, Bowman, Brad ham, Breazoaie, J. S. 3rice, T. W. Brice, Bryan, Buist. Burns, Cantey, Carver, Connor, DeHay, Dennis, Dent. Der ham, Douglass, Doyle, NI(rd. Farrow. OField, Fitch, Lioyd, L"raser, Gamble, Garris, Gary. Gilland, J. 1L. Glenn. J. P. Glenn, Gooding, Grahamra. Gray, Gunter, -Hamel, Harris, Harrison. Hay, Haynsworth, D. S. Henderson. Henry, Houoer, Hutson, Irby, Jervey, T. E. Johnston, George .lohistone, 1. B. Jones, E. J. Kennedy, .j. W. Kennedy, Klugh, Lee, Lawman Lybrand, McCalla, McCaslan, Mc Cown, McDermotte, McGowan, Mc Kagen, MeMakin, McWhite. Mat thews, Mitchell, Morrison, Mower, Murray, Nash, Otts, Parrott, Patter son, Patton, leake Perritte Prince, Ragsdale, J. H. Read, Ltedfeurn, T. R. Reed, Rowland, Rtussull, Sheppard, Singletary, Sligh, Sloan, Smalls, A. J. Smith, Jeremiah Smith, It. P. Smith, Smoak, Stokes, Stribling. Sullivah, Talbert, B. I. Tiliman, Vunliolnitz, Waters, Watson, Wharton, A. 11. White, S. l. White, Wiggins, Stan yarne Wilson, W. 13. \Vilson, Winkler, Woodward. Mr. Sligh introduced an amendment to the effect that the General Assent bly after January, 18118, may provide that female citizens of ohe State not otherwise disqualilied by this conti tution and who in addition pay taxes on $300 worth of property, may be granted the right of suffrage. flhis amendment was debated by Mr. Siigh, 1). S. Henderson and othors, and was laid on the table by a vote of 9 to 42. This brought down the queztion to the main section of the report from the suffrage committee, when Mr. Pat ton offered the following as a substi tute: 1. Every male citizen of the State of South Carolina of the age of twenty one years, not laboring under disabili ties named in this constitution, who shall have resided in the State two years, and in the county in which he offers to vote ninety days next prece ding any election, and who shall have paid all poll or other tax due by him to the State for the fiscal year preco ding that in which he shall offer to vote; and who, in addition thereto, (a) shall be able to read the constitu tion in English print and sign his name ; or (b) shall own in his own name and return for taxation property in this State to the amount of three hundred dollars ; or (c) shall have boon engaged in the active mnilita-y or naval service of tue iato Confederate States of America; or (d) shall be the law ful lineal descend ant of a person who was engaged in such service, and shall be alive at the time of the adoption of this constitu tion, Shall be a qualified elector of this State, and, when duly registered, -bali be entitled to vote for all oflicurs -' are now or may here'ift- r be ' d,,by the p iople, and tu sof ll ,,ions submit edi ton Line el2-tore, .~t ea lection. 2. The General Ass.embnly shn b "l nat /4just and eqiual la..ws fo' r ne accunrs~'e registry of the qu-i ,d ce-etors of this State, and they shll a11Uo es.tab lish convenient, fair ar., jimpnartial tribunals to pass upon arid deterine the qualIfications of pe'-~rsos olffe rng themselves for regi4trat)ion as quai- i tied electors. 3. A popular government e nnot ex ist without a p'ure baut ;t the General Assembly, therefore, shnall enact stringent laws for the "egulation of the registry and eletions of this State, with severe nenalties for the viola tion of the same. Any person whc shall willfully violate such laws shalt, upon conviction, in addition to suoi penalties as the Generat Assemba may impose, be forever disquarilliet from voting and debarred from hold ing public oflice in this State ; and th< disabilities imnpo.ed by this sectioii shall not be rmoved by the pardon o the Governor or by Act of the Genera Assembly. Mr. Patton made a long and abh speech in ad vocacy of his plan, in thu course of which lhe alled to the cor viction of Rober't Smalls for taking bribe In the days of Ltadicalism. Thiu part of the speech caused Mr. Smnalih to rise to a question of prIvilege, whet be spoke as folinws: Mr. President, and gentloemen of thin convention : I said a few (lays arg that I would1 content myself w ith th<c vote that I should cast, upon the re mainin g sections of this suifrage bill and I did( not, sir, Intend to do other wise, and wouldl not on thnis occasior' had not the gentleman from 1tichlant gave as one of his reasons why thh amendment of hIs should pass, and a: a proof of the unfitness of the negroes t< vote "'as the canoe of the representa tives'sent hero from Beaufort County that if the people had examined the roe ord of the Rich land court, one of Beau fort's representatives (which is myself would not have been here. I regre that the gouatieman himself did no t - ' examine the record of the Richland Court, the record of the executive offico of this State .and the record of the United States Supremo Court. I would not rise now if I honestly be lieved that the majority of the good feeling gentlemen .of this convention tolerated or believed what ho states. Because if they did there would be but one thing to do, and that would be tp expel the two members to whom he refers, from this convention. I claim, sir, I am elected here by hon ost, legal votes, counted fairly and honorably. Mr. Patton : I have not disputed that. Mr. Smalls: (addressing M r. Patton) I am as honorable in overy particular as the gentleman from Richland. (Laug htur.) I stand here tonight as the gentleman from Richland, with nothing, sir, against me. I was tried in Richland court on a charge made by a thief-Josephus Woodruff, who acknowledged that he had robbed the State out of $225,000, and he was granted immunity by the State if he would convict Inc. He testilled that of twenty chocks which he had given to " cash " or to " bearer," one was given to Robert Smalla. Why so ? Simply because they found that I had deposited in the banking and trust company $5,000 on the 18th day of January, 1873. But when they went to examino the record they found that the cheek was drawn on the 19th of said inonth. On examining the calen dar they found that the 19th day of Janury was Sunday and that if the check was given me on that day I could not havo deposited It until the 20th. Tho ease wts appealed from court to court and was docketed in the United States Suprene Court under section 657. Withotl. my consent or knowr tdge the Governor sct mc a free par don to Beaufort. The Attorney Gen eral went to the Supreme Court and asked that the case be thrown out on account of it having been adjudicated in this State. I Lr.Id my best to get a hearing. Gentlemen just like this gentleman tonight (Mr. Patton) have caused more trouble in South Carolina than anything that has ever hap poned. Thoso kind of speeches, those inuendoes have caused today all the trouble we have had. It carried this State into t!e war. I tell him here that I have never since I was born t ver defrauded South Carolina out of a penny. M v. I l'atton I have never charged it. Mir. Suialls Yes. you did. I am to niight as clean a citizen as you are, for your own court gave up the case against me, but thank God for South Carouina you are like myself in this convention, for whatever you offer goes down (Great laughter.) Mr. HiLynsworth said it seemed that we are being fired on from two quar ters. First from Beaufort and then from Richi .nd. The gentleman from Beaufort chargocs that there is a fraud in thAis.bill. I hey wont read this hill section for section and say so. The gentleman from Richland reads it and roads between the lines and claims there would be fraud. The committee was actuated alone by South Carolina's good. Our object was to establish such a system of elections as would he a credit to her and at the same time secure white supmiacy. They who rule this land and bought it by blood were turned over just after the war to the keeping of their slaves. We had the supremacy of thieves and rogues, backed by black votes and yet we are told it was not negro supremacy. Years of bitter ex perionee has taught us a lesson that we will novor forget as long as the sun sitines. The negro forces can be marsijaied as long as matters stand now as they do and the only thing that stands between us and a repeti tion of the scenes of corruption was fraud and the shotgun. The commit tee did not want to sed hat perpetuat 0(d and our objct was to give the State a clean and pure election law. Speaking of the general scheme, he said it was the scheme to have a gen eral registration of those who can read or write or all who own $300 or more of property after 1898. The esee tions are to be op)en and fr-ee. A scheme more honest than this cannot, be devised. 'rho objection that white men will be rnegistered up to 1898 by fri~ud is not correct. it is only a diser-mina tion. Mr-. Patton's intent is thme same ab ours and If fraud is in the intent of one it is no freer from It than another. A man can be0 registerned if he under stands a clause in the constitution. It must not be all but only a clause. We can't obtain white supremacy by keeping our hands tied. The white illiterates must be taught to master a clause of the constitution and under this ho will be entlied to vote. T1he law is no subterfuge. It is plainly written. What are the objections to Mr-. Pat ton's plan? It is at variance with the genius of the American people. Not odiy is it dliscrimlination, but it is (1is crimina. ion that will bring down upon us the wrath of the Northern peoplpe, tuec very thing he seeks to avoid. It is class legislation It malces a class of those gentlemen. M r. I atton :'"Is the pension law MI r. H ay nsworth replied that the pen sion segislation was a rneward for ser vices. But this gives a classa of citi zens rights and privileges that other citizens (10 not on joy. M r. W igg : "What is the diTeonco between a man who steals a vote and one who steals a dollar ?" Mr. Haynsworth said that whatever of fraud was committeed in SoutLh Carolina was occassioned by the very i-ace to which Mr-. Wigg bolongeou. TLhey brought abiout a period of cor ruption and fraud ut. paralleledl in the h istory of thu e orld. Mr. Wigg: ;" We admiltour sins and pray the good laord to forgive us." (Laughter.) Mr. M iller said he thought the wh ite petople had selected a very extraor dlinary champion, when Mr. Patton said ho h ad becen asked to reply to the statements of the dlelegates from Beaufort. He had been charged witti slandering the State in his figures given relative to soldiers in the Roe - lutionary War. Hie got his figu rem ) fro thenan who stood Jeff Davis'm bond- Horace Groeley. He would noi I Intentionally slander his State or thE South, which needed defense rather than slander. Replying to Mr. Patton, he said in 1875 he was a member of the Legisla ture with Col. Sloan and called upon him to say whether the black phalanx In that body did not rally under Mom minger to establish financial reform. HI referred to the thirty negro mom bers of the Legislatu:'e in 1876, who came to the rescue of those white members benton financial reform, but who would have failed but for that negro vote. Miller went on tu laud the Republi can party, when Maj. Barker raised a point of order that the question at issue was not the relative merits oi the Republican party. The chair ruled that the point was well taken, but at Miller's earnest request he was in dulged to continu. LIe claimed finally that the negro was now fully com petent to exercise the right of saf frage and closed by denying that he had any intention whatever of slander log the State. The chair was about to put the vote on the substitute when Mr. Patton moved that further debate on it be adjourned. le said lie did this be cause a number of members had told him that they had not givon the bill that careful study that it deserved. because the amendment had never been printed except in the journal of the fifth day. Ile said thiat under the plan adopted by the convention of not printing these amendments in bill form the membeurs could not possibly give them that study and considera tion which they deserved. Ho thought members should be given an opportu nity to look into it before they voted. Senator Tillman said the coumnmittee can't be accused of being illiberal in giving every one a chance to speak and he announced his intention to call the Previous question to-morrow sonie time, and lie asked that all memubers who have a plan or any aniendirents or substitutes to offer, to oifor them to night so that they could he printed. Mr. W. 1). EIYans iaid hedidn't think the chairman ought to rail tlh e )rev i ous question. This was a most impor tant question anti debate should not be limited. The people of the State as well as members of the convention would demand that this subject should be debated as fully and as freely as other subjects. Senator Tillman replied that it was not his intention to cut olf debate, but to facilitato matters and keep the plan from being fought from -unexpected qluarters andt keep the deba~te up I a week or more. PATTON'S PLAN lDlEi'PEATIED. 0111 a Corporal's Guard lavoredl Slie Hubstit ute-Senlator 'Till1man le 11!ihtl (lie Smuffra1ge Coimmi ters Re por't. The debate on Mr. I'atton's silbsti tute for the main article on sutfrage was one of the strongest yet witnessed in the convention. Mr. McGowan got the floor at the outset and stated that in his opinion the attack on the report was uncalled for. The committeu had worked hard for three weeks and they had given it the most careful consideration. The Conservatives and Uefor'me's had all agreed and reported the matter unani mously. He proposed to show that the attack was unwarranted in overy re spect ; he wanted to show that Air. Patton was wrong in his facts and his law. I deny that the committee con telplates that the plan shall be fraud ulently enforced. Thu object was to enfranchisO illit erate white men. I don't care who' knows it ! And we can do it without, trouble. lie denied that it was the in tention of the commitntee to have the requirement enforced dishonestly. Mr. Patton had said nine-tenths of the poor white peop~le would be disfrani chised. I deny this ; i can say that they can understand. If they know so little that they can not understand, they are bordering on idiocyand lunacy'. This clause should andl will be admini iste red honestly. My friend based his entire argument on this "' impossibili ty to under'stand." I say that lie has built his argument on a false basis. His purpose is to get these men in who should not be disqualified. The State's old soldior's had been called otf to war when they should'have been learning top r'ead and write. The argumnent, or miy friend must fall to the grounid. It can not stand. Mr. P.attoni had no right to assume11 that the ( comm iIttee in tendled that the plan should he enforced dis honestly. 'This assliumption was not bor'ne out by the facts, so far as lie could ascertain, in 939 cases out of 100 the white man conl. under'stand, while the rmogro could naot. The white man associated with Other intelligent white people and became intelligent by contact. The negr'o, on the other hand. associatedl with thie miore igno rant class of his own race. Gover'nor' Sheppard said hut for this question of the negro this con ventioni would never' have been called. They were fr'ank in adlmittinig what they propos)0ed to do. '[hey ought not to find difliculty in displaying the most perfect good faith in the exer'cise of their' judgment. He wasm comnp1limen tary to the committee on Its painstak ing work. His objection to the comn ittec's articlo he COrld( state in brief. Hie would say that h'e would vote fo" any plani that will leave it, to a hoard or to any man to determine the (lual i fication of any man for' sullrage. have said invariably since I came here, andI hefore I camne he re, that I would never vote for any pr'ovision that wouild leave the rIght of voting to any ollicial. I bulieve that, the lan~i reported by the committee is constitu tional, and I belIevo that the plan pr'o posud b~y the substituito is also coniti tutional. The onily (uetioni~i is whIiichi plan Is to accom plish the pur iposo most in accordance with the law~s of the Un ited States. of this conivent,ionl to thu fact that there is no d iscriiination on account of race, color or preyvious coniition of servitudle. Both races were in the war ; both color's were in the war. As a matter of facet thei'e is no0 discrimina tion in it. Mr. F'arrow, oif C2harlehton, says that at that time a class of our peole were not citizons andi could not he. As, Mrin. P'resident, thiat Is ad diressedl to the substitute, 1 ask if it (10es not also addreas itself to the re nort of the committee as well . For at that time not 10 per cent. of the same ,peoplo could read or write. No, gon tlemen of the convention, do not b frightened from voting for this subst tuto because they claim that it is un constitutional, for they Can not SU! mit your authority for it. We desir to give the. right of sutyrago to m1e who h ve sacrificed tl:oir blood for it Jeffer onsaUd that am0n who ha fought for their country should hav the aight to vote. I am reminded of tale told by a Confederate sold ler whi lost his leg at Chickamauga Afte Mr. Cleveland presited his free trad iessage this gentleman, who hit( been at Democrat ever since the war went to the chairman of the Reopubli can club and told him to unroll hi name, that he could not stand this fre trade business. The next day he won to him and told him to take his MnM off of that club roll. The ehairmat asked him why, and the gentleaCI replied : " Because I had a drean last night. I dreamed that L visitoe the battlefield of Chickamauga, an as I stood upon the spot where I stoO that day, upon the spot where I sav ily old capttil stand to his post, an felt the touch of the elbow of nay coin rados on tle right and left, the spc w here I lost mny leg, and where I sav around me the bodies of my friend: and I was much distressed by the rc collection of that (lly ; as I Stood ther I saw a leg come hopping over' th field toward me. I saw that it was th leg I had left upon that field, traces o blood upon it, and I desired to ae away from those memories, and I lie and the leg pursued mue. I cane to fence and leatped over it, and the le followed tie, by one gig-antie elfo: clearing the fenice, and began kickin ilei, Mnd it kicked 1mle three miles bt cause I had gone back on the mem ries of my Conifederatte Iriends and coil rades." It was a stranp!oe u'4C.idence that tI speaker who took th" floor just aftc Governor Sieppatrd had concluded h. on-e' story was Nir. ilradiham, a Co feairate veteraa with only one art Lie spoke on the o.m1)Ilittee's bide. .I said inl su bsta lce : I am not a lawyer and do not kno tie constitutionality of this nor of a Sother measure, but I do know som thing of the people of mly county. I d know somet'h ing of tile Confederate se dier. If, as ny friend from lorry rt anurked, tile dead soldiers could art from the battlefields of Virginia, would meet them and with that greet ing that can only be understood b eoirades who have shed their bloo together in defenfce of their country, would say by the measure proposed b: the siltrage coiminittee every Conifed orate soldi r is )r'vided for. As ont a part of whose body is buried inI Vit ginia? I Would say tluat I would lose am other. arm befo.tr I wouild consent t disframtt. bi)e any one of them. " My first obij'ection to Mr. Patton' plan is thatt all white vLotrS who wet' too young to go into the war and whos fathers did not, and cannot read an' write, would be disfrittichised. " My seconid is that, the sons of 1111 who died before the war tand who wer too young theamsselves to ge into it. wil be denied the ballot. " My to ird objection is tiat thou whose fathers Were invalids anti coul not go int.o the wiar will be distran chised. " MY fourth is that those whust fathers wer too old to go into the wa and all good people who I. ave mUovo into tihe State since the wat' and cant not read aad write will be shult out. " Til better clement of negroes d( not want tno ignoratL and vicious ie gro to Vote. " I rem('aiber when a bo' in going t Ch.larlestoni witil a load of c-otton w passed a place w!ere a youtimr mau while rutinn ing a horse race. had beel: killed. H is tombstone was by the sidi of the road and oi it these lines: " c living mei ats ye1 jass by, As yOt aare ti'.w so ouuce was I As amu tnow, so youa wtill be; I 'rep~ ar for death and follow m11." " A afani who l wAats somnething of. wag, c?ae aioaag and alter looking a it, a whlile, wr'ote 'lTo follow y'ou I amtll0 'oten~t, Itnless I kntow thec road you wet. lFor they do fork amitl nal net~ an ell, Wh'letheryou'301 have gotne to he avent or hell " A nd thbat, isthe way w ith M r. Pal ton's plan ; we do0 not know where wvill lead tus." (Loud laughater.)3 Itilnedijately Upon tilt assemlniinl of the centtionl a', night, a vote oi the Pattun substitutte was taken. The yeas andil nays being called, th s.ubtittute waus reLjctedi by a vote c 117 to 20, ats follows : Yeas---Hates, 'T. W. Hri1ce, lur'n Keoitt,, K'iugh, Mecaermotte, WV. J1 M~onltgomery'3, l'arr'ott, Padtto~n, I '.. Jetretmi ah Sanitlh, Stack house, Snlliv ta andil Wigg. Nays-Goy. .1no. Gary~3 l'vanas, IPraesi detat, atnd Mlesstrs. Alexander', Andet 11on, Autstint, lalrker', Barton, Ihbre I ell inager, IHrr'y. Hobot, Ilowen, How mandt, IBrad hiamt, IHraeaze.ale, J1. 8. I rice I rayan, IoHuit, Cat cy, Ciarver, ('ennoau Coop~er, Cunn11l ingham, Dl lay, [Dennts IDoylhe, Dudle iy, l'lirad, Il'erbe 1(, W. L l'vans, iFarrowv, Fieldi, FitachI, iaoyd Fr~aaser, Gahge, Gamnble, G.arris, Giars' J1. L . Glenai, J1. I . Ghenn , Good ine Grlay, Gunlltea', [lamel, HIarrt'is, H arr son, I laty, Hiaynswo'rtlh, ilemphiil, L 8. leanderwm'n, HIency. Hou)11er, H-Iutsor 1rby . TI.. 1'0 .Johnson1, Geo~rge John11raLnt Lee~t, L .~).a an, Iby3 br'atd, Ml eca1i, M< (Casian, M1c:owna. Mceowana, Mlclager MctN~akill, Mil!iate, Mlatthert' Mlnares, M\ il1lear, M' i tehIell , .1. I. Alonl gotmery, Mioo)1, Moison11 I. MIowei~ NMutrraiy, Nash, Na,blans, Nichaolsjot borouagh, Shutler, Sinugletary, Sloar Sinalli, A. .J. Smni th . Je remiahal Sitjt i4 ". Sttmith , WV. C. Sanm ia,h.Smtotal Stokes, Stribliin ., Talbet., Taylor)1, 1 it. Tiillmuan, G. ID. iltlan 'V'oanolnita Whiippoer, A. ii. WVhaite, S. 10. WVhit WViggins, Stantytane WViiona, WV. I. Mir. Stanlyarne WVilsona noved t sta'ikeCIl ot, sectiona (e)I andi inaser't, tha following: "(c) Thel I person aplplyin ag for regi1 tratioan miuet be able1 to r'ead atnd wa'l aanyI sectionls of thais conlstitudmtion, must be poissessedl of sullleienat i toelligence to tund~erstand anad expla It when r'ead~ to hiam by the regiutr Lion lille'.r." Ma'. Wilson, in speatking oz. hi amendment, said the object of ever e body was to form a law which shall - not com1o in contliot with the constitu - tion. The comnittee has taken the Missisi))i plan as a basis, whieh, w with his amendment, would mako , their plan harmonizo with the four . teonth and liftoenth amendments. I Ur.less his amendment was adopted, there would he wrongs perptrated that we could not remedy. Under' any > other circumstances the passago of I r those amondments would have been t rIWonOUnced tie greatest cr11im1 against I civilization in the history of the world. I You can scai all the history of the I world and no crimo will compare with < s it-a crime alt which all in this en- t lightened age revolts. Men who I , were utterly incapable, who wero I just emeirging fiom barbarism and savagery, were given the ballot, and I by every right we are entitled to re i pudiate thi, crime whenever we can. 1 1, for one, will never admit that the l white people have been guilty of fraud. I We adopted the eight box law, and in his county lie knows no manager who I did not honestly enforce it. It is easy - to charge fraud, but he denied that t South Carolina has been controlled by V fraud. We have comle to the point where something must be done. The eight box law cannot last always. We L must make soimi, provision which does u not depend upon statutory provisions L for its enforcement. We are hore to if frame a law constitutional and to t render those amendments as harmless I as possible in this State. A great ai mass of Ilie colored peple are unin g telligent and not lit for sulfrage. t Ie will not be frightened from doing R his duty because thie North did not like what we aro going to do. The great Iart of the negro iraIce11 has been and for years will be unlit to exercise the suffrage. The committee, says un C loss a man cai read or write or 1111 d10(rstalnd a clause in the constitutiou or own $300 worth of property he can not vote. The idea is all right, but it - goes too far. We must look at, things U as wo see them. 'Tilree years from now, what will 1e the condition of the w negro ? They are beinig educated y every daly. They have great facilities. As idng as the races are the white o man will be superior in intellect. Why I- not, avail Ourselves of this superioritvy T Te negro can ,>ace himself on aln e equality with the white man by edluc-a I tion. His ameindmnent proposed to keep the condition forever ats God in tended the two races to stand. It is I bad policy to put thei onill aln eqa11111 I footing after'I '18S, for hat'A will have lie same facilities for educatlionl. We must do. ig lt to the white m1en of this State. *VC owe a debt of grati tude to the 1)0. man of t is State. With nothing to light for but princoi ple, tbey gave fivo ye Uars of ihiri lire to tho interests (if this State. If th is law was passed after 1898, 11111 a poor. illiterate white man sihould come and olfor to register, and he should be re fused, he (Mr. Vilson) would hang his head in shame. if he had any parta in fR aming any such law, I ngrat.itulde is sharier thaao a serpeOnt's tooth. L.I not this conventionL do antlythin g tlalt, looks like inigratitudo to these people. There is another period-- 1870. They braved the dalgers of proseetation, not for prloprt.y, but simply to (o their duty to the State. Shall one of those noble, grand, valiant men oR their descendants be denied the right, to vote alft'r 1818 because they (o. not t ow nV 11 $300 worth of property ? Try I( can't tll 1) registered 01 n11C1mulatle $300 Worth of property by 1898. They hlavo buit little chance for educati.ion ,l'h cy can't go to scoli.ol in the day time, nor at night, for there are nO schools then. [low canl youl exp4t thom to bo educated by 1898? You enntll count young men in 1898 by the hundreds wint) cannot read and wirite. anld hle defrthi the re will be~ no '.oitingl! for thos.' gooda ci t'zens, if thxis prOovi 1110n is aldt)d. As to the $300) property qu ialliiention. lie was (iIpo~sed to suien a quialilica Ition for manfhooid suITrag. It is noit necessary for a man~f to ho a goond citi zenR that, he must own pi operty. Ia there any reason whby a nian edulcated andc possessesSO $300) shtoulId vote w hilIe his nieighbor cannot, ? The poor'er lhe is, the gredalter' the -necessity of himn having his liberty tpreserved. I am, and always will be, (ippodsed to a property quillclaltion for suff Irage. il is amnendmlenlt, he he Ilieved , wouald meet all1 difliclenIties. Simpl~)y as a niatter (If conve'niee t~o1 3 the r'egist'rationl (111i00r hie wVold re0 ftaini theo reading and1( writing cliase' lie woualdI1) be iling to leave it to the , understandingR) clautse alone. Sie c3ould Rnot agree with Mr,. Patton -that the undherstatnding clause would - disfraneh iso .nany w hito amen. Many iv who can't, r'eado or wrvaite have suallcient 'intelligence Lto (d0 so. In his count~y there are' aboiut 1,000 whlo can't read. - Oif those, 1100 are sullieiently intellii - genit to undlerstandl. They often had Snoi opporiItunity to learn to reald and1 -wr'ite3, buit it was not from a lack oif in 'telligence. 'As to tihe e mfltitutional ity (If tihe l'.'aw, lie called the attention (If the con 'vention to the oin~ions of Coolhey and1( ' lny, who say that tile constitution ' muist not he interpiretod in a technical waly, b~ut in aI plai n and0 ordInarv nIe eepitation1. We( have a law whicoh hals as one oif its pri'Vi. ions a jur1y sy stemr bascd on the moral standainlg of the julror. ThatL is a1s uneritain ai s Lhe undi(erstand inRg claunse. He (lid not be Ilievc ally queilstiona would ov.er' be raised as5 to this section becing legal, lie saw no reason whby Lthis convention should( so far dlepalrt fr'oma the MIissis sii phIlanbl w ithiout good caluse. There 'are thiousanlds (if our' citizens who ar'e watching us and our1 worR{, a~nd hopinrg andl~ praying that, they w.illI never be put, on1 the level of those en franachaised byV the four'teenth amea~ndlment. Senator Ti lhnan Loiok the Iloior andl instanltly everybody thought, he w/as goi ng to mtalke the sph0h tile publi)c has buoni lodokingz for, but he only rose to answer Mr'. Wilson's arguiments. Senator Tillmnan miade a str'ong rdeply di t(o Mra. Wilson, contenidi ng that we 0 are held upi to tile scor'n of this nation by rea~son oif the pre'senit r'egistration 0- and1 elight box law. lIhe was readly to e (east the poisonled (cha0ilce from our r' lips, and( afterwards put elections on 11 i- hiigh phane. Tile committee proposes n two years mnore, and~ then gIve every - poor' boy an opportunity torq uali1fy hh1u self Lt) vote.. is The Wilson suhstitute was killed by v- a vote of 129 to 16. . I1BY MAKES HIS FIGHT, II OBJECTIONS TO THE SUF- . FRAGE' PLAN.' 'he1 Prinolples of the Re'ormn Move- t Ilnent. Are Violam-e11-Hc aklies At I Direct Attack Upon Senator 'l-il- I tian. 1 Senator Irby took part In toe suf rage debate on Thur:day, and hIs v vpeehb It iveni in full herewith U Mr. President:-l have boen sick j, or two weeks and have, therefore, a lad no opportunity to take part in this li lebate. Last night during my ab wnco from indisposition, I undor tand h0ro wero some slurs by MI' Wilson - nd others on this floor against my c 'inconsistency," accusing mo of op- e )osing tho moasuro I myself had pro- t Josed in caucuis. Mr. Wilson, not- v vithstanding tho fint that ho prahzot- ( Ahc report of the committee with this v %xception, suggested this very amend mlont in the coitiittee, and I only re-t ply In defOnsio of myself. Le suggOsteN Ahis amflenIndimlnt. I promply and - frankly told him that I would not vote for it, beautiso it contained the woi ds 1 SI'ead and write,' and that undor my 1 plledgo to tho )eoplte Of Lauin011s 1 County, and for that matter to the peo- I _IC of South Cartolina. I would stultify i myself and betray their cause, if I voted for any such discr'inination against tihe poor and illitorato in South Carolina. I say Iow, notwithstanding some slurs put upon ie in my absence, that I atim not tho ingrate who would atc cept tho highest ollie in South Caro lina from the poor and illiterate white I mon, and then tramp them beneathi my feot. They have been my frionds, si', and so help Inc God ! I intend to i he thoi' friond. and t-nIdeavo' to pro tout them from what I believe to be an iniquity politically. . say that, by way I (of proface. Pearirg to trust myself, I indisposed as I have heen, I have : written what 1 concoive to bo a pro- j test against the perpetration of this I outrage. I have to say. sir, that I ain k not governed by V hat otiher mie n may ( do. Thank God ! I think and aCtt for I myself, and I stand here to-day to tell the itmembers of this Convention that I t will votO with the negroes twhlien they t pr'opose to indeflili tely postpone th is, % bill. I f wo leave tho cond i tions of Sme- I. Lion 4 as thoy are, I shall vote atgai nst %q 40 whole report, if I aml the only i ,vhite man on thb 1loor who does so. I tb 'onstrue that to be ily dity, sir, and p) n sl)ito of anythinig to the contrarty, I . tiln Willing to do it befor the peoplo fi if South Carolina and theiri Verdict I p :an ab1)i(1 by. but I CiLi not be fright md, or ridiculed or driven from my )ositioni of hneIllesty OP g ratitude. be- h, uause tle inemIliers of ihisconvenition . link ot.lerwise. ilit, .\Mr. r'esident, with proper r'e- ; poet, for I ilcal 110 disrespet in any I ense, of thbe right of this eonvention, , ndividueal ly or colleoCLively, notwit.h- 14 tanding tlh is repud intion of this agreo- " nent by thu people, I am hero to day 0 tell you, sir, that ,Li is COnVentioni a a domiinatled by imen wivhose naics are I LtuClied to that writtn agreement. rle Governor of our State is nlow the :oliveltion's pr-esiding ollicer. The unior m11mIberl of 110 UiLoe States seniato is the chairmi an of the coi- I nittee of su lIrILge. The prescnt .I peakel' of tile horise of - ,ipresenta- I ives is at vice-I'esideit of Luis conven- I ion. \Iilibers from Abbeville and .irieenivulth Coiinitios are also immber,, * the sulfrago commitLee. A memb'i- a rojo CiaIleLton, It d.it ingih.lol I awi r'.r tlough not at party to 1li a re'eineanL,, k the ippoinitutl alorn'y 1 0 l'epr'eIt, t.e s rae cmu.0111111t , n this flotir ipw all eI-gail qutiustionst meinIlr)l' fron ~ i Cri-tun Is tiLe V Hair'miaU of the Coll, littaie 01] edtut- I '1n1. A mi wnher whlo lig id1t I profer 1)4. ItienLt <1l-at, eVen) .a nat it tienthi, befor'e- I woiled sl~ike tLhi waril man~i this crei'i blow. I wvilt give I Lii insatalco. , When01 tihe wari stat .d in 161, LI he. >1o ma' rltl 'unbled to thie oamiip ania tlhic nu Lstot' groundiiit to armus. Tlier'e was a svt to boy wvho llmJ iotlihing but, a I itronlg armli am114 the clotlibes hie wLre oin I lis back. ile was one of the fir'st, whio 1. /lutiLlete in the sericie of South 'ar'olinia. That, man we'nt, to Virginia tndt fought for four' years, wvithouit, aomning home to see hIs wife sand little a mnes. lie madte aL rocor.id, sir, oif wvh ich e lbe whlie ofI Laour'ens Ciouniity is proud, le made(1 iLS goitd it -oldier1 15 far' as h110 va ctoncernedi(1( 1as1 Goenerail Lee. To'(- I lay hie has soins who can iiot read and v rite. lie is not able to buiy thbu righlt, o vote, lie can not tell you wi vhat a hillr >f attindeir is, tor an.1 ex-po4st facto lawi I s, bit, he is a R -for'mar (If the deepest, lye, and yet he andt hIs sOnlS are to) gol low n beneath this ruiin and d ishionor'. ~ I need not lientionl Lbat tbu factions 1,ro closer together than thbey mllighit imagine. Somze saiy that thiis wvill, :019alify 40U,000( negroes-. Now, Mir. I 'residlenit, I say I regret, lthatthiIs0(1 covent ion is (Jlmited1( and1( 5 )ontl'olledl by the parLItis5 to) this agree mlut,, foi' thbu reason~ tlbat thney s igned t. in writing a pledge among tikhemsel ves -olloi's, ats malny of thbem were,0 of tle State governmen00t,-~-by thi i I)liii nen to otnforic wivteiL( supremiacy by n thi e iaoption of thi is conisti LIu tion w1 ii tlh - iut, t~lbo dIisfr'anchtiilent, of ia single i wh'Iiito manL~ except for cim 1e, whIi ch a wats iln chTeit e(iialentI it advertis inig, .I irnd thbey d1itd 11(vertise1 it, Lt) the world, I 111att niegroals whot wer 410n11frantisedl 15(1 uindei' Limo conistitution of the U Jni ted v S tates should(11) ( be d ial i Iied. 14 I say, sir, thbat, alonia is suflicient, to r uatiton tile valiit y (If the constitu- I nonl as mnadt by thii is covenltioni, anid whalitever we do, whlatever 1)lan1 of I ithitgo is atdopted by this body, is iale to be attacked in the United tates courlt on the~ gr'ou nd of at e'im siacy' to roib the neg I'o of hiis el ective fran~O i iI. hit;we ver thait may.3 be1, sirI, that is not what imueals mc toi say thata 1 can1 noit, and14 wVIll nott support, tile re. port oIf the0 t~l commi tt on sufratgo. Mr I. I 'Ptsidenlt, I (lare to say thatt no~t oneO-tenith of thlt lI eformors (of this convention coIuld have been olecetd if thbey hatd had this lanti and1( advocate~d it biefoe the peophle (on the stmnp. T1h is1 ma~iy lie at guide tto yout. Ask yourselves its honiest mten, co ulId you have beeni talected~ If you had frankly and boldly Loild the people tis was your schomno of suffrago. I tdare further to say, dir, that the convention ctultd have niot boon callod, and possibly I have a greater right to know th an any m. mbor upon thsa oor. If the poor and poverty stricken eople of this State, by whose votes ou are here today, had drempt that plan of this sort had been oncoted. 'hoy had Mr. Bryan for whom I have lie highest reitpeot, and of whom I ave been proud' since we were at cot 3e together and he was first honor ian, one of tne best lawyors in the tato. They had him behind a log 'ith his rl0 read to blow my brains tit. After the Conservatives bad on .yod themselves in defending Tillman id repudiating and killing Irby and is plan, Mr. 3raan was called out of hi bushes to complete the work. It i dione in the old way. It is the %trmo t-cheime always use*d when a case beWore a farmer's jury. An able twyor comes out and says " Unconsti utional." That is exactly what I ranted him to say. I had heard Hon. eoorgo Tilinan toll Senator Tillman ,nd Governor Evans he did not know wihether their sctieme was constitu ional or not. Tney know it is only tem iorary, that they are stepping from tone to stone across the stream. I am no lawyer, but I have always >olieved this " understanding " clause o be unconbtitutional. Mr. Bryan somes forward and says to me: "Your )lan is unconstituti..nal." Let us take ip his understanding clause and see vhat he says of it. And even iow, I dare say that they vould he ready to shout, as CromwelI lid to the houso of lords, "Get you rone and give place to honester men." Notwithstanding, sir, that it had )On urged under the whip and spur if the i.uforin leaders in-co 1890. with ,he greatest vigor and vehemence, the >cople, the poor people of the State ,wo weeks before the election stocked t and refused to vote it upon the tround that they might be diefran hisod-niany of whom broke party ines. unwilling to trust the leaders, Lud voted against the calling of a con titutional convention. By a slim ma ority of loss than 2,000 votes in the vhole Stato-so slim indeed that the mcinies of the Democratic party iarged manipulation and corruption, ho convention was called. Mr. Presidont, in view of all these hings, those pledgestothe peoplo upon he stump this spring, and the inter lows and circulars that swept over his Stato like a snow storm last fall, 'hatt is tlio situation ? We have, sir, a i1frago plan presonted to this convon on, composed of distinguishod men, a lan, sir, that instead of disfranchising !i man, will and can and must dis 'anchise many of the best and truest ople of 01 State. liut, Al r. 1rosident, it is all right to tialify the lawyers, your bankers,and mlr suholars and your educated peo le. You are perfectly willing to give iem a blanket that is full of wool; but, r, you are offering to the poor man a lian ket, of cotton to protect him from W cold, that will be, sir, set tside. von if it was not set aside, it ib not Lil to iako the discrimination. NI r. Patton in his argument the other ight saiid it was oithor to be honestly rdishonestly admInistered. He was ght. That is the only, way you can i',k at i t. If it is hones ly administer I itne-tenths of the Illiterate men in tis Stato will fall behind the dead line ml be disfranchisod, and there is no e for aniy intelligent man to deny it. puts it in the power of the supervis ,g oflliur, appointrod by the Governor tho SLato, to disfranchise any man, h ite or blatck, who is not able to in Wrwet overy section of the constitu MI. When the report says "any," it ri y einansi sir, any that the sup irvbror ay su fil, to propound. If the man nio presonts hilimiself belongs to the umio political faction that the super istmr does, when party lines are tightly rawi and partisan spirit runs high, 6 will miattir little whether he ex -in- mlt or not hie will get his c.-rt ii On the contrary, If lie is up~on the op Posi n.: side ho wmii be given a section :) the~ ~onstit1!t. that wyvujd st;;i von1 a lawye.j~r. and the supervisor could onestly say lie did not explain it and eiluse himi the right to register, be hn hiteo or black. No doubt about it. 'hIs has been (done; it can be done and will be done in South Carolina before wo years roll away as sure as the pariiks fly upward if the committee's lan is adopted. Ifit Is to be dishonest V admiinisteredl and the man who ean't xplain the section receives his certifl ate then, sir, you demand a commis ion of a crime by the supervisors of lection which sooner~ or later will re ect upon and disgrace South Caro Then wherec, sir, is the promise that ot. aL single white mnat shall be dis ranch ise.d ? Whore is the promise hat, has boon made to the white peo iio in this State, that not one of them hould be d isfranchised ? A gain, Mr. President,, I am gulty of 10 breach of confidence or impropriety v ben I toll you that the adoption of his plan, even If every white man in hiis State could explain every provl ion of the constitution, will mean the isfranchiisom mnt of 15.000 or 20,000 of lie pecople for another reason. Mr. Jmryan, a member of the committee and no oif the ahlest lawyers in the State, as said that we would not 'stand upon rock andl that our house was built pon sand1 until 1898, and when I pre intedl a proposition placing all men p)on an eqlual footing and requiring all acrties from the chief justIce to the uniblost man In the State to explain he constitution, he contended that this ras unconstitutional, and when asked b)out, the undlerstanding clause in the mmittee rep~ort spoke in a way as if 1e doubtedl it and called attention to hie fact that Louisiana refused to fol-. rw the load of Mississippi 1r0 this re poet because she regarded it as un onstitutional. TLhe provision of being able to read -nd write is intended for the protection >f that class who are educated. It is mneonstitutional beyond a doubt. If ou (jualify the 15,000 or 20,000 pbople n th is State w ho cannot read and write nder your understanding clause, hon ~stly or dishionesitly, your supervisor nay be enjoined, this question may be ~arriod before the Supreme Court of ho United States and will be and the supremo Court may strike it out as un .,onstitutional. Then where, sir, is the womise that not a single white man 'hould be disqualified ? It will be too late then, because this convention will dave adjourned. I don't thinkC the people of this State will ever have an (OONTNUD ON FOUt2TR PAGR.]