Violating the Federal Constitution
December 25, 1897
Summary
The “unconstitutional ‘constitutional’ convention in South Carolina” plans to formally disfranchise the black man at the start of the new year.
Transcription
The provisions of the acts of the unconstitutional “constitutional” convention in South Carolina will go into effect January 1, 1898. Only twelve thousand colored citizens out of a total of one hundred and twenty-eight thousand have registered under its provisions while ninety thousand white citizens are names as having complied with the requirements.
Some of our contemporaries of color are much wrought up over this condition of affairs and see dire disaster for us as a people so far as South Carolina is concerned.
We do not share in this opinion. We will be no worse off than we were before. These prejudiced bourbon democrats have simply put into the constitution that which they have been practicing without its authority. They have poisoned the fountain-head of the government itself and henceforth will flow therefrom corruption, which in due course of time will pollute not only the present generation, but those who are to follow after.
There are immutable laws, the violation of which brings punishment. Were this not so ethics would be falsehoods and the Bible a mockery.
Twelve thousand colored votes will be more potent in the present condition of affairs in shaping the destinies of South Carolina, than were the 128,000 before. White men will think that the Negro will “cut no figure” and will sooner or later divide; and so evenly that two thousand Negro votes will be effective in settling the contest one way or the other.
Under the present regime, unmarred so to speak by this unconstitutional “constitutional” enactment, Hon. G. W. Murray is making a fight for his seat in the halls of Congress.
The time will yet come when the unrest caused by this action will result in the discomfiture of the leading parties to the robbery.
When white men have no Negroes to disfranchise, they proceed to operate upon the weaker elements of their own people. Let us not be discouraged. Let us have hope, the Almighty has this matter in hand and fretting and impatient utterances should not cause us to forget that, – the “hand of God is in all history.”
Some of our contemporaries of color are much wrought up over this condition of affairs and see dire disaster for us as a people so far as South Carolina is concerned.
We do not share in this opinion. We will be no worse off than we were before. These prejudiced bourbon democrats have simply put into the constitution that which they have been practicing without its authority. They have poisoned the fountain-head of the government itself and henceforth will flow therefrom corruption, which in due course of time will pollute not only the present generation, but those who are to follow after.
There are immutable laws, the violation of which brings punishment. Were this not so ethics would be falsehoods and the Bible a mockery.
Twelve thousand colored votes will be more potent in the present condition of affairs in shaping the destinies of South Carolina, than were the 128,000 before. White men will think that the Negro will “cut no figure” and will sooner or later divide; and so evenly that two thousand Negro votes will be effective in settling the contest one way or the other.
Under the present regime, unmarred so to speak by this unconstitutional “constitutional” enactment, Hon. G. W. Murray is making a fight for his seat in the halls of Congress.
The time will yet come when the unrest caused by this action will result in the discomfiture of the leading parties to the robbery.
When white men have no Negroes to disfranchise, they proceed to operate upon the weaker elements of their own people. Let us not be discouraged. Let us have hope, the Almighty has this matter in hand and fretting and impatient utterances should not cause us to forget that, – the “hand of God is in all history.”
About this article
Source
Location on Page
Upper Left Quadrant
Topic
Contributed By
Brian Schrott
Citation
“Violating the Federal Constitution,” Black Virginia: The Richmond Planet, 1894-1909, accessed January 20, 2026, https://blackvirginia.richmond.edu/items/show/1225.