The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-01-15
THE CONVENTION.
CONVENTION HELD BY AUTHORITY OF THE
RECONSTRUCTION LAWS OF CONGRESS,
TO FRAME A STATE CONSTITUTION
FOR SOUTH CAROLINA.

The old citizen of Charleston who yesterday
lounged in the vicinity of what was once cele-
brated as the Charleston Club House, enjoyed
the luxury of q new sensation, for there must
have been brought home to his mind and heart
evidences Of the great change wrought by war,
more startling than any event that has yet oc-
Cured. With grief and misfortune ruined
homesteads and desolated fields-witha q people
once proud and happy, now suffering from a lack
of even the necessaries of hfe-with military
| domination, and the excesses Of population
invested with privileges the use Of which, so
far, has not been rightly learned-wlth all
these he was familiar; but for the first time in
his life, there came home to him yesterday
| the terrible truth that South Carolina-the
State of his birth and the home of his
fathers-has passed into other hands, and
that strangers have usurped the places Of her
statesmen.
THE PLACE OF MEETING.
The classic ediice where in times gone by 30
many were wont to assemble in the interchange
of that rare hospitality for which Charleston
was famous, the handsome grounds and orna-
mental shrubbery alone remain to remind us OF
the honored associations connected with the
spot. Hundreds of those who frequented its
spacious halls have ''gone down to graves In
bloody shrouds," and the trees on hundred
battlefelds sing their requiem. The building
itself has passed into other hands, and is now
owned by J. P. n. Epping, the United States
Marshal for the District Of South Carolina, by
whom it was rented to the military authorities
for the use of the convention for the sum of
one thousand dollars. To adapt it to the exi-
gencies Of the occasion, the large hall on the
second floor has been divided in twain by
wooden rail. Outside Of this, and connected
with the main entrance, are arranged benches
for the hoi popoi, capable dating say
two hundred and fifty spectators. Inside Of
the rail are comfortable chairs for the accom-
mediation OF the delegates. The platform is e
temporary structure say twelve feet square,
surmounted by plain pine desk, the whole
unpainted, and in unique contrast with broad
strip of dark blue cambria which hides the
SPACE between the platform and the floor. This
portion of the divided apartment is accessible
by a side door, to which delegates only are ad-
mitted. We should add that tables and proper
accommodations have been courteously provid-
ed for the press by the janitor Of the building.
TEE CROWD IN ATTENDANCE.
Fully an hour before the meeting OF the
convention, negroes began to gather from all
sections of the city, to look upon the novel
spectacle. They lined the sidewalk opposite,
loafing lazily in the sunshine. They rambled
idly through the handsome grounds, and talk
ed Of politics and equal rights. Finally they
thronged into the hall and packed the place
devoted to their convenience until it resembled
a gigantic box Of sardines. With not a little
interest did they criticse the delegates OF
both colors, as one by one these dropped in
preparatory to commencing the business OF
the day, and the amount Of respect bestowed
upon these representatives of their people,
especially such as were attired in the most
elegant style Of the tailors art, was not more
manifested by admiring looks than general
silence and good order in proper consonance
with the solemnity of the occasion. In this
motley crowd probably not more than half
dozen white men were to be seen.
THE PERSONNEL OF THE CONVENTION.
| or the one hundred and twenty delegates
elected, only ninety-two were present. good
| Iy proportion of these were whites; large
number mulattoes; many, pure negroes. And
it ia noteworthy fact, that, with but few e1-
ceptions, the intelligence indicated physiog-
nomically, was distributed quite as generously
among the colored representatives, as among
their pale-faced colleagues. All had evidently
been provided by the Union Leagues, or from
some other source with means to make pre-
sentable appearance, and in point OF raiment
the convention is respectable looking body
and, certainly, in striking contrast to the crowd
of spectators, who looked very much as If they
had been empt;ed from stupendous rag-bag.
The leaders Of the convention, that is to
say. the "talking" men-the politicians-those
who have been on the stump or in the Bu-
reau-the wire-pullers of the party-the ''pro-
gressive men" of the day, have been so often
referred to in the daily press that their names
are familiar to most Of it's readers. Brought
face to face with them, however, it is proper to
give a brief sketch Of their personal appear
ance, and introduce them to the public, whose
"obedient servants" they are at the present
moment.
DR.. A. G. Mackey.-As the Collector Of the
Port of Charleston, as prominent member OF
the Masonic Fraternity, and author OF many
valuable Masonic works, this gentleman is al
ready well known. He is said to possess o
better knowledge of the parliamentary law than
any person on the floor, and hence his name
has been brought prominently forward in COD
nection with the Office of President. He is
about ifty-ive years of age, TALL straight, and
would be picked out by phrenologist as one
of the shrewdest looking men in the conven-
tion.
BE-. Randolph, colored.-This is the some
what famous preacher and teacher from Buf-
falo, NY. He came to South Carolina as an
agent Of the Freedmen's Bureau, and has
travelled over the State more extensively than
any other man OF his class. He is ready
speaker, and since he has become more fa-
niliar with the wants and condition Of the col
ored race, his public addresses have improved
in their pacific tone and tendency. His great
hobby is the education of the negro.
B.F. Whittemore (white), now from Darling
ton, originally from Massachusetts.-A short,
| I.,t ,,on with q lono blnck beard little black