Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1868-01-23
condition, and will speedily rehabitate the State
as Constituent part of the great atnatonal confede

ration. ..--
With this expression of my sentiments, which
will not however, control me in the important ad
ministration of the duties of the oceto which 20,
have assigned me, | am now prepared to take m!
place as your presiding officer, at the same time in
voking your indulgence for any unintentional er
rors that may commit, and your earnest eoope
ration in preserving the dignity and decorum O
the body.
W. 6. Whipper, colored, of Beaufort, Offered
the following resolution:
Resolued, That pending the appointment and re-
port of the Committee on Rules, the convention
adopt and be guided by the rules Of the House o.
Representatives for its government. .
The resolution was agreed to.
Onmotion of R. c. DeLarge, colored, the thanks
of the convention were returned to Col I. J. Rob
ertson, for the dignity and impartiality with which
he presided over the deliberations of the body.
r. G. Holmes. white, of Beaufort, moved thai
the convention proceed to the election of secreta
y by ballot.
The President announced that having adopt
ed the rules of the House of Representatives as
their guide, the secretary must be elected viuo
roce, unless the rules were temporarily suspended
On motion of B. F. Whittemore, the rules were
suspended, and Carlos j. Stallbrand was unani
mously, by acclamation, elected secretary. ..
The new secretary, as the reporter was inform
ed, formerly occupied the position Of chief Of ar
tillery under General Sherman, and was himself a
major general in the Federal army.
n. g. Parker moved that the convention pro-
ceed in the same manner to the election OF assis-
tant secretary, sergeant assistant sergeant
alarms, door-keeper, assistant door-keeper and
r! j. Moses, Jr, of Sumter, said that he was
opposed in toto to that part othe resolution which
looked to the election of chaplain. As tar as ne
was individually concerned he was opposed to the
services of any chaplain, and opposed to having
these proceeding opened with prayer. That truth
been of late so prosttuted in all legislative bodies,
that there was great probability it would be pros
ttuted here, and instead of prayerswe should have
simply political harangues in the guise of a sacred
invocation.
Furthermore, he held it to be incumbent upon
the delegates to have some respect for the Treasu-
y of the State. The people werepoor, and where
there were so many chaplains on the Hoor' = ne
thought it unwise and injudicions to add to the
expenditure to be entailed upon nths State by rea-
son of these deliberations =,
B. F. Randolph, colored, of 0rsngeburg, said
he was strongly in favor of the election OF chap
lain because it was the custom in Congress- IN the
legislature, and as far as he was informed In other
conventions which had been held
No one on this floor could possibly more respect
the Treasury of the State than himself, but he
COulQ QOC respect IL 50 Wucu rs W lSHOiC icASion
and overlook God.
L. S. Langley, colored, of Beaufort agreed with
the delegate from Sumter that there were clergy
men enough in the convention to open the proceed
ings with prayer, without taxing unnecessarily the
treasury of the State and he hoped. that they
would be patriotic enough to discharge this duty
to the convention and the State, without drawing
eight dollars day for their services
T. Hurley, white, moved tostrike from the reso-
luton the word Select" and insert the words
''shall be appointed by the chair" -.
The amendment was agreed 10, and the question
occurring on the resolution as amended it was a.
dopted -.
The President laid before the convention COM
munication from F. A. Sawyer lwhite), delegate
from Charleston, resigning disposition The re-
sgnation was accepted .iS.,-
N. G. Parker moved that tie convention pro-
ceed to elect reading and engrossing clerk, and
an additional doorkeeper, and that three messen-
gers be appointed by the chair.
R. c. DeLarge (colored) opposed the idea Of
having so many hangers on" and digging 50
deeply into the treasury as their appointment would
necessitate. IF they kept on, they would soon
have as many attendants as delegates.
JJ. Wright (colored) agreed with DeLarge.
'Most of u.s. he said, 'hays beepsaseds dsto. Watt
ing on ourselves, and think we can do 1t yet y
Laughter. nv, >,
R. G. Delarge moved that the number three
be substituted by ''two."
The amendment was adopted, and the motion
then agreed to.
On motion of B. F. Whittemore, Paul NJ. Poin-
sett Ia coored man was elected assistant secretary,
and on the motion of colored delegate, VIM. K.
Mitchell (also colored MANI was elected engross-
ing clerk.
The latter, it was stated, formerly held a clerk
ship in the Provost Marshals Office under General
Gilmore. ..-
The convention then took recess until o'clock,
P. NJ. r'. -.
THE EVENING SESSION was consumed in ram
bling discussions and ballotings for officers E. Con-
way was elected Sergeant-atarms; Peter Miller,
assistant Sergeant-atarms Sam Dickson, door
keeper and John Etzsimmons assistant door
keeper-all colored.
r. G. DeLarge (colored) notified the convention
that he would tomorrow move for reconsdera.
sergeant alarms, it having been proclaimed that
the person aforesaid was incompetent to discharge
the duties Of the Office
At II o'clock, the convention adjourned to meet
at 10 o'clock, A. NJ, tomorrow.
THIRD DAY.
THURSDAY, January l6.-The convention as
sembcd at 10 oclock, and after calling the roll, the
Secretary read the journals of yesterdays proceed
ings. ,
Some discussion ensued with reference to the
election of sergeant-at-arms, it having come to the
knowledge of delegates that they had chosen col
ored man wholly incompetent to discharge the duties
of the Office.
The several motions on this subject were with
drawn to permit of prayer, and at the request o'
the President, B. F. Whittemore, white dele.
gate from Darlington, oficiated
On motion of B. Odell Duncan, of Newbery
(white), the resolution referring to chaplains a
dopted yesterday, was reconsdered, and on further
motion of the same delegate, the President was
empowered to appoint some member of the con
vention each morning to open the proceedings with
prayer.
On motion of the same delegate, the doorkeepel
was instructed not to admit any one who has no
credentials as member, or is privileged as re-
porter or invited guest.
The convention proceeded to the election O
messengers, which resulted in the choice of w. 5
Elliott (colored) and j. D. Bryce, (white).
An effort was made to secure the appointment
of three pages, but after discussion the whole mat
ter was laid on the table.
J. j. Wright, (colored), of Beaufort Il wish II
offer as motion that this convention do all it cal
to sustain THE Charleston Daily Neaes and Cour7e
for the correctness and impartiality with whicl
they have thus far reported the proceedings Of tn
convention, and 60 as far as becomes gentlemen tt
cause the Mercury to ''evaporate."
This produced an animated discussion, and wa
finally disposed Of by laying the whole matter Of
the table.
IL