The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-02-17

and Edgefeld, and Berke1cy-they are all dis
| turbed by the same spiritual rappers, and
there is not o hilltop or valley in the State
| where its echo does not reach. The speaker
concluded by reviewing the whole ground OF
| areument over which he had passed, and by
urginc the convention to have nothing what
aver TO do with scheme SO utterly lmpracti-
| chble that it would result only in mortifying,
dishearteninp and demoralizlng the mass Of
coIored peopfe of the State, while it made the
political fortunes Of it's supporters at their ex-
pense.
The close of Mr.. Leslie's remarks was the
signal for general onslaught, and his antago-
| nists came on one by one. Personality, gross
| inuendoes, bitter prejudices, old memories,
hateful "reminiscences followed in quick sue
| cession, and The chair was repeatedly oblig d
| to call the members to order for transgresslng
| the rules Of decent debate.
Ransier spoke of him first as the gentleman
| self by calling him =" the delegate from
Barnwel
Pillsburv likened him To the world, the flesh
and the devil, especially the last named horned
monster.
him on all sides; gave one OF the Judges OF
Colleton ''bringer" for not payMg ms En- nanos
and wanted TO gee them all cut up Into small
farms: said the petition was intended to do
that same hing, and If it failed they would try
something else. ..,:. ..
hoped it would be adopted; wished 1T asked
for five millions instead Of one, and behev-
ed Congress would grant the. money. Said
the delegate from Barnwei haa ia oe , p 1a eecteo
by Charleston influence, and the only trouble
was. they had to send two men here to watch
| him.
w. G. Whipper was the only colored man
who opposed the measure. He said he believed
it was. .fraught with evil; it was calculated to
deceive, and for one he would be unwilling to go
back to bis constituents and attempt TO defend
himself should he be induced to cast his vote
in favor of it. June would decide the wisdom
| OF the course he had determined to pursue,
| and prove tha. terrible error was committed
whom the convention led the coloIed people OF
the State to- believe they were to obtain land
without labor. Admitting that tho loan could
be effected, million OF dollars olvidea among
tho people of the State would give to about ONE
fourth. and of this fourth TO each family OF
seven persons only five acres and oqe-seyenth
Just enough to starve to death upon. Ii
| members did not believe it let them go to Beau
fort, where the people have been furnished by
government with ten acres each, and,are to-day
in worso condition than If they had nothing
at oil.
The moment this'resouton passed and the
fact was published to the country that q petit
| ton had ne to Congress for o mllton OF dol
las, the ignorant colored people, knowing
nothing Of figures, believing implicitly in the
power of this body to do everything, whether
! reasonable or unreasonable, would abandon
their work, become possessed moTesnam an ever
hopeessy ruined. Ho would lend no hand In
the adoption of any such measure.
Rev. Abraham Middleton, O colored man
from Barnwell, who has not spoken before, in
referring to the manner OF election, told .some
tales out of school, concerning MIR. Leslie.
| the coored people waited upon HIM IN Dooy,
and requested him to be candidate. ,.,.
Middleton replied that, not being a pohtl-
clan, he couldn't answer; but, If his colleague,
being O. sinner, wanted to know how to escape
the wrath to come, ho could tell him that.
Mr.. Leslie didn't inquire.
L.. s. Langley rose to point OF order, and
said if the delegate from BarnWeil, VINO nau
intruded so much on the courtesy OF the con-
ventlon could not keep his seat he ought TO De
gagged. -. .est .,,o.
from Beaufort to order, and rorlnded MIN
that language Of that sort must not be uttered
upon the foor
Mr. Leslie suggested TO the delegate that he
had better attempt to perform that Interesting
ceremony out of doors.
r. b. Elliott (colorcd), from Charleston (but
representing Edgeield), described MIR. Leslie
as beng non conpOs ne7ltlS-said that ne
must be O lunatic, not 10 use stronger word.
The chair called the speaker to order.
Elliot said he was sorry parliamentary rules
lid not permit him to retort rs strongly as ne
desired. He proceeded thereupon to discuss
Mr. Leslie in the capacity OF an agent to dis
| tribute corn for the poor. -
Whpper called him to order for assalling
the private character of the gentleman. Ihe
chair sustained the point made. :,
Langley rose TO point OF order, ano ailegea
that Mr. Leslie had remarked lie woald not
believe certain member OF the convention
under oath.
Whipper replied that the remark was made
in private conversations; was not IN the pur--
view OF debate, and had been simply overheard
by Langley.
The chair stated he had nothing TO do with
matters not publicly discussed.
Cardoza (colored) said he was sorry so much
personality had become mixed up in debate.
1t reminded him OF the old proyerb that ut
takes losue TO catch rogue" lie thercuponi
proceeded to call the member from Barnwen
"a cast-off politician expressed his surprise
ut the ''treachery" of tho delegate from Beau
monty reported that he was tool OF rcpes. ,
| With mucn emotion lie opened his Vlas OF
wrath. and displayed spirit OF bitterness IN
discussin" tho question, which plainly demon
stratod lh:.L the war IL still going oil, and that
the punishment of tho wicked landholders is
one of the first things which ought, in his
opinion, seriously to be attended to. Consd-
oring that he is u minister of the Gospel, Rev.
+. l.. Cardoza, if he may be judged from tho
sound and sense of his speeches, ID the most
reyengeful man in the convention.
Mr.. N. G. Parker was the concluding
speaker of the day, and opposed the resolu-
ton. Ho said the people had already been de-
ceived nil over the South, and this measure
was only calculated to continue that deception.
1t was not q party measure, but strictly, class
legislation. The p eceding speaker had con-
fessed as much, aid but for the fact that some
OF the members had not backbone enough to
sustain by their votes their individual! belief IN
antagonism to the resolution, and did not dare
to lot the list of yeas and nays reveal thor ac-
lion in tho matter, thoy would be found on the
side of those who bclovo that the interests OF
the colorcd raco will bo serious damaged by
sending such petition to Congress.
Tho hour of adjournment being at hand, an
attempt was made TO suspend the rules for the
purpose Of proonging the discussion, put tn the
majority were evidently satlated with e!o-
ouenco, and ACCORDINGLY the convention dis
solved until Monday, A. N.