The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-03-09

cure o full and fair vote upon the constltu
lion and ordinances and the election Of o1
ficers.
SEC. s. In case of the death, resignation, o
inability to servo of any member or member
of said Board of Commissioners, the Preslden
of this Convention shall have power to Fl
such vacancy.
SEC 6. That should the said Board of Com
missioners deem it necessary or expedient
thew are hereby authorized to extend IN all,
county or counties, election precinct or pre-
cincts, the number Of days during which th
election aforesaid is to be- held from three tt
fv".
SEQ. 7. That within thirty days after the rat
tifcation of this constitution, an election shal
be held in and for each county, at such time
and places and und such regulations as ma.
he prescribed by said Board OF Commissioner
for the election Of all county officers required
by this constitution to be elected by the peo
Die, And the said Board shall also have au
tholity to call elections Tor oil municipal OH
GERS, at present elected by the people,, Gt tue
same time, and subject to such regulations OF
the said Board may prescribe, notinconsisteu
with this constitution or the charters Of sucl
municipal bodies, And at such elections
every Qualified elector under the provisions o.
this constitution may vote for all officers to be
elected.
SEQ. 8. That the commissioners herein ap
pointed shall receive for their service hye dol
lars Der day in United States currency, or its
equivalent IN bills receivable Of this State.
SEC 9. That the President of this conyen.
I'tion, upon the requisitiOn Of said Board o1
Commissioners, shall have power to draw from
the Treasury OF the State all money necessary
to pay the expenses incurred under this ordl-
nance, and which The General commanding this
military district ID not authorized to assume.
SEC. 10, That the said Board OF Commission
ers, as soon as they have carried out the pro-
visions of tlis ordinance, shall mako to the
| General Assembly report Of their proceed.
ings, and statement Of the moneys exp -nded
by them.
In the debate which occurred on the reading
Of the ordinance,
Mr.. j. M. Rutland said it did not appear
clear to him that the ordinances passed were
the groundwork upon which to rest the consti-
tuition, and to submit them t the people with
the constitution requiring the same vote upon
both was inconsistent. he therefore begged
the convention to separate them. He was op-
posed to three or four CT the ordinances, be-
cause he did not believe they would be sus-
tanned in any court of law; nevertheless be
supposed under this Ret of tho convention he
would be obliged to vote for them all
Mr.. N. G. Parker believed it to be both in
discreet and unnecessary to submit tho ordi-
nances 70 the people. They would be nforced
blythe commanding general until the new gov
fysrnment came into power. Such was the legal
advice given him, and for that reason he would
move to strike out the word o4dinances and let
it stand that the constitution only shall be sub
mitted to the people.
MIR. g. P. Leslie thought it quite as
proper to submit the ordinances to. people
as the names Of candidates.
MIR. B. o. Duncan said il seemed to hi that
the whole thing was plan got up to q. eat
the ordinances, some Of which were not po.
lar in the convention, as for instance the oru.
nance annulling slave debts.
A. J. Ransier was unwilling to trust any or
dinance separately to the people; on the con-
trary, he was in favor of making every ordi-
nance passed part Of theconstitution. This
convention has no legislstsys powers. rts Pur
poaa ia sneorfo, naiictJ 20 name constitu-
tion, and under thata civil government. there
fore anything in the nature of q law passed by
the body ought to be incorporated in the con-
stitution. 1t had been done in Mississippi,
Missouri and elsewhere, and could properly be
done here.
Mr.. E. w. III. Mackey said the gentleman from
Barnwell, Mr.. Parker, could not deny that
there were grave doubts as to the validity Of
some Of these ordinances.
MIR. Parker explained that the only reason
why he would not send the ordinances to the
people was that he was afraid to submit them.
Mr.. Mackey. Don't the gentleman know
there are thousands Of people in the State who
are opposed to the constitution, yet, because
they owe money for the purchase Of slaves and
desire to be protected from paying it, would
vote for the constitution and all the ordinances
passed by the convontion.p therefore con-
tend that instead OF losing votes by submitting
the ordinances we shall gain four or five thou
sand. Moreover there are ordinances Of great
importance to the party which it is well should
be adopted, and it is essential that they should
be sustained by the same vote which ratifes
the constitution. Again, IF THERE IS DOUBT AS
TO TIE VALIDITY OF THE ORDINANCES IS IT MOI
BETTER TO SUBMIT THEM ALONG WITH THE con-
sr1TUTIoN AND FOREVER PLACE THEM BEYOND
DOUBT? If THE PEOPLE RAT1FY THESE ORDI-
NANcEs, NO COURT CAN DECIDE THAT THEY ARE
illegal
Considerable discussion took place on the 18th
Section, motion having been made by Hurley
to strike out the names Of the Board OF Com
missioners of Elections.
A. J. Ransier said his name was used with
out his knowledge or consent.
Z. w. ii. Mackey said the ordinance had fser
submitted to Gen. CInby and met with his ap
pi oval (; that the Board was simply advisory ir
character, and having an Office in the Citade
would be able to cooperate with the military
authorities.
The amendment Of T. Hurley failing ht
moved to strike out the entire section, on tht
ground that tn:re was no probability the com
missiouers would either die or resign. Tha
motion was not agreed to.
On Section debAto occurred as to the pro
priety Of reducing the salury to s3 day. j
NJ. Runion said he would bo very glad to board
al homo and get three dollars day, ant
thought r!enty Of people could be found to fl
the Office at that price.
C.P. Leslie was opposed to 80 much expen
sive II achinery. First, 1t was too permanent
secondly it was invested with too much power
third it was composed Of q mutual adm iratiol
society from Charleston-why couldn't the,