The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1868-01-22
AFany Paper Devoted Art, inquiry Industry
WINNsBORO, S. G., WEDNESDAY MORNING, JANUAl

Whttemore 81; TJ Robertson /: James nj
Rutland /; total ll3.
Mr. Pillsbury moved that DR. a g Mack
ey be declared President unanimously.
Mr. Whittemoro begged The gentleman TO
withdraw the motion fcT rHoments, which
was complied with.
Mr. Whittcmorc then Sd lrcssd the Con-
vcntion as follows:
MIR President, understand that tho cleo
tion we have gone into thus far has simply
been an Informal election, and that the ex-
preston Of The Convention thus far has
been declared, rs far as the Two higher
candidates are conocrn.,s, as favornbly dis
posed towards Mr.. Maokcy and myself.
That, therefore, permanc cnt
organization may be at once effected, l DO
respectfully withdraw my namc from the
canvass, and move that lion A G Mickey
be unanimously declared as the choice Of
this Convention for President
} Moses moved TO declare a G Mackey
elected permanent President of this Conycli-
ton by reclamation.
Thc motion was adopted, and the Presi-
dent declared DR. A G Mackry unan imously
elected permanent President Of the Conven-
rion.
The President elect then addressed the
Convention as follows:
Gentlemen Of tie Convention :-Whlo
return you my thanks for the honor that
yom have conferred on me, by selecting me
to preside over your dch hberations, | con.
fess, that assume the Chair with great
ditid"ncc rs to my capnbility TO discharge
its duties can, however, safely promise
a determination to perform the important
tnSk with the sirictcst imparli tity, and
with alE the Judgment in my power.
rhn ,yh inl, L. inl hnc
placed me, will necessarily preclude me
from general participation in ;he debates
Of the house, and will condemn me to 81.
lcnce OH many questions, OH which, il |
were on the floor, | would wish to be heard.
You will perhaps, therefore, pardon lt,c, if
| take the present occnsioh. nnce for hG to
define my position and TO express my sen,-
ments on some of tho great topics, which
are now ng'ating our country
The Convention in which We are now sit
ting is marked by two peculiarities, which
have distinguished no other Convention that
has preceded it IN South Carolith-pecu-'
liariiics which demand for it the COM.
mcndation Of every lover of liberty and
rcspcoter Of hun,hn rights.
Convened, as rcontend it l,ns been-ior
else, had not been hereby competent le-
gal authority, it is the first Constitutional
whose members, The bailoi box. the truep PAL
l..linm OF ra,iocal liberty, bas been n,:rs
sibie to every man who W,-,od y thicd
D.; legal OF ro.iit scat crime u. al iur
tic five Sou,h Carolina on' n''hgt which
have preceded it ana wi:rh 20, nvit m
1875, il i777 i'll 1880 III loDr amin 1861
bn. ro,l!on oi III H"oEtr '"" rcrhiu cd,
20 exurci>e he c!GliNn | trun,"e. because
slavery, thai v,tc yciic OF haroar'Sm. had
tarowu its hlignung influence upon the
minrS Of rGe eupir, aud ior tho nrbl docs
trinn !hai governments were constituted for
the GOOD OF The whole. "a substituted thht
anti republican, one, tia they were intends
r'l only for the benefit o. one class NJ the
M nsc l., anniu"r But in tic call for
IN, body, every trur man vino could labor
Cor he suppnrj Dr light for the defence Of
ti.n Commonw wcalln has been invited to u
representation Manhood suffrage has for
the first time been invoked to convene
hody which is 10 make tho Fundamental law
for nll This is, then, trnly and emihatically
a peoples Conpta;ioR--a Convention by thr
representatives OF all who have minds to
think-anl 10 think for themselves, or mus
cl to work aud to work for themselves.
Again. In the five Constitutional Con-
ventions held in this State, to which | lnve
already alluded, the Fundamental law there
in framed was made Gnality. The people
were ignored as q pat of the body polilio
by tho Convention which declared itself as
possessed of despotic and irresponsible au-
thority and, in every instance, refused to
submit its p, ocecdings, and the Constitution
which it had framed, to the people for their
ratification. This was but anatural and ne
cessary result Of tho influence Of the politi-
cal sentiment that then prevailed. 1t was
,s,Io kl,ot ,l,o1
half ct thcir fellow citizens to be chattels.
should forget, or overlook tho manhood of
the other half.
But we, who in these days, when the ris-
ing beams Of political truth, promise, after
so much storm. n brighter sky for tho Re-
public; We who n'e emerging from that
cloud of false opinion, into tho full sunshine
of that truth, know and claim ourselves 10
be only the representatives of the people.
We arrogantly assume no fnah action, no ir-
responsible power, recognizing tho rights of
oil men, of oil races, the poor as we'll as
the rich, the ignorant as we'll az the wise =
Of all men who mako the State their home
aad identify themselves with its interests.
We dare not present to them an organic law
for their government, as something with
which they have nothing 10 do but 10 Hear
it and obey. Our worl. here Is not ID be con
sidered as completed until the people shall
have reviewed it and ratified it. Not we,
ourselves, h!.L they who sent us here are to
say whether we deserve the rewarl'. OF n
''well done, good aud faithful servants" For
the first time il the history Of South Caro-
linn, will the pct ole be recognized. es the
trno trainers Of thGir own organic Inv. Of
such e Convention organized on ne great
acknowledged priNcisles Of Democratic Re-
publicansm ] am proud TO be member;
tar more proud ID sit here bcnrath'tiis folds
OF that beloved flag which Is this dsy float
ing from our roof: than should have been
TO have been in HIT other body which met
in this oi,y in 1860, with no such loyal
eymbol to protect 1t, but which RATHER
sought TO tear it's Stripes to tatters and 90
dash Its stars to sht t'earth.
Yieldiag to- rohSin sentiments Of deSor Z
tion fer that aagses my fathers, and in alb.
horrenee OF every sentiment Of disloyalfy
and treason TO that Government, 10 mhicb
l owe q paramount allegiance, yet kaveno
vindictive feelings towards those Of my fell
low citizens who were led by the abStrac-
tions Of their political leaders, to entertain
different and opposing sentiments. sent,.
n,ents which 1eeuned errors, but which
they believed to be truths. Igrant 70 othem
that liberty Of thought which ! demand for
myself Hence, ] profess mysaft 70 BIO q