Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1855-12-19
uOusEoF REPRESENTATIVES,.

n IL
The House met at II o'clock a, m. pursuant
to adjournment. -s: .,>s.....
The Senate sent to the House a bin to secure
to married women separate estate in property
to which they may be entitled at the time of
their marriage, or TO which thsy may become
entitled to afterwards; rend the first time, and
ordered for consideration Tomorrow.
Mr. Boylston, from the Committee on the Ju-7
dietary, reported on bin nom the Senate to
increase the penalty for setting fire to the woods
also upon bills sent from the Senate to vest the
tit.e of the State In certain eseheated property
in certain persons therein named also upon
bill concerning the qualifications, Of jurors !;
which were ordered for consideration tomorrow.
Mr. MCGOWAN offered resolution, recon-
mending the Legislature TO subscribe for five
hundred copies of the Legislative Times, which
will contain the full proceedings and debates of
the present session, for distribution ordered for
consideration tomorrow. a. s'fsH - g.
Mr.. Middleton offered resolution sustaining
the action of his Excellsncy, the Governor, in
regard to the Massachusetts resolutions, and
rendering him the thanks of the House for go
acting; ordered for consideration tomorrow.
Mr. Mitchell, from: the Committee on the Ju-
dietary, reported favornby on a bill to grant to
dileIl WlQO"S Uo TfSSut W HOIu rear SSt~iso, ot-
dered for consideration and second reading to-
morrow. :.
Mr.. Cunningham called for the Special Order,
the bill to provide for the election of Electors
for President and Viee.President of the United
States. -. --s-
Mr.. Cunningham commenced by saying, that
ne had no intention of taking part in the dis
cussion upon this bill, until afteFthe debate had
commenced, and that probably he would have
not spoken at all, butfrom the fact that he had
introduced measure which constituted part
of the special orders. 1t was bilito alter and
amend the 10th section of the Ist article Of the
Constitutions, 10 as to convene the Legislature
on or before the frat Tuesday after the first
Monday in November. 49, '.-'s"'
He said he had two objects in view, by the
introduction Of the bill one was TO extend the
time of legislation, md allow the members to
deliberate more fully upon all questions that
were brought before them another object was to
cover the time now prescribed for holding the
election of Electors. That he had not introdu.
ced the bill as a compromise, for he was opposed
10 compromises. He was perfectly willing to
let the election for Electors remain as 1t was, if
other propositions aud advantages could be Of.
forded to the people.
Mr.. Cunningham said that the present system
was defective one, and presented several argu-
ments to prove that it was defective. He said
be was opposed to tho district system, and he
was glad to know that steps were about to be
taken to abandon it. It was not States, rights,
nor did it give unity to the vote nor 10 the
State councils. That the Constitution of the
United States did not contemplate that the cleo
ton of Electors should be made by the people
en- masse, but BY the people by States Tha.
the district system occasioned the present eau
cuses and conventions, increased corruption, and
turned parties into political recklessness.
He said that the present state of things in
South Carolina was such that they required to
be spoken of in plain terms; we were living un.
der. a yeign Of medriociLy and nepotism, and
lad no fine views, nor would we allow them to
be entertained that tho present intelligence
which represented the State 10 State and ;Feds-
raj Councils, wns beneath the Capacities Of 'the
people. He was opposed to the bill giving the
election of Electors to the House. Of Represen-
ta.ives alone, for he considered it death-bow
totbe parishes. =, -. -;
:. MIR. cunningham defended at length the bill
which he introduced. !.
Mr.. Hammond said he did not intend to enter
in full discussion upon the bills now before the
Committee; but as he had had the honor to in.
tsoduce bill to give the election of Goyernor
and Lieutenant Governor to the people, and
which was among the bills which composed the
Special Order, he thought it necessary to express
his views upon that bill.
He did not expect to geta two-thirds vote
upon the bill, but he simply wanted tho express
sion of the political sentiment of the House
upon the question, whether thepeople are CON-
petent or not to decide who shall be their rulers?
That if they were not competent, then they
should select those who are. He bad never
henrd the right of the people to vote for Cover
nor denied, nor that they had not the honesty,
patriotism and intelligence to make proper
choice.
It had been said that this was not question Of
right, but one Of expediency; but the question
had never been fully discussed before the people,
and that when it was discussed before them
they would demand the, change. He was one
of those who believed the people had intelli-
gence and patriotism sufficient to enable them
to elect fit and proper man fer Governor, and
had as much talent as tho Legislature; that the
property qualification entered into every election
made by the Legislature he did not believe the
rich man should possess, OF was entitled to,
more exclusive rights than the poor mon. >Ahad
also been said that the Office Of Governor was
sinecure; but he has the right 70 call ont the
militia of the State in case of invasion or to
suppress insurrection, and it was nothing more
than right that the people should know what
sort of acommander they are to have. They DO
Al