Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1868-01-22

lnuuSnC6 VI lUC JUliliSll etos eoSo
prevailed. 1t was but consistent that those
who deemed oae.half,of the;r fellow. citizens
to be cha,tels, should forget or.oyerlook- the
manhood Of the Other ,half 81
But We, wbo,in thsSe days, when the rising
beams of political truth, promise, after 50.
much storm, . brighter sky for the Republic ),
we who4are emerging from 5that.cloud offalse
opinion, into tIesfaiP sunshine Of thatStrnth,
know and CLAIM, ourselves to be only there.
pressnta!ivesof the people. We arrogantly
assume no filal action, no irresponsible pow
er recognizing the rights of all men, Of all
races, the poor as.'well as the rich, the Igno'
rant as we'll as the wisc-of all men who
make the State their home and identity then
selves with its interests. We dare not present
TO them an organic law for their government,
! as something with which they have nothing
to do but TO hear it and. obey. Our work
here is not to be: conside,el as completed un-
iii the people shall have reviewed It and rat
if ID it. Not we, ourselves, but they who
sent US here are to say whether we deserve
the reward Of ,"weil done, good and faith
full servants" For the first time in the his
tory cf South Carolina, wild the people be
recognized as the true trainers of their own
organic law. OF such Convention organic :,
ed on the great acknowledged principles Of
Democratic Republicanism, am proud to be
member far more proud to Sit. here be-
meath the folds of that beloved fay which is
this day floating from ourroof, than d5should
have been to have been in that other body
which met III this city in 1850, with no such
loya. symbolic protectit, but which rather
sought to tear its stripes to tatters and to
dash its stars to the earth. 49, = = = .tN
Yielding 10 none in sentiments OF devotion
for tLat flag of my fathers, aud IN adherence
of every sent tinlens of disloyalty and treason
to that Government, to which o%e2a para
mount allegiance, yet have no vindictire
feelings towards those of my 5fellowcitizsns
who were led by the abstracticns of, their po-
itical leaders, to entertainrdiiferentand op'
posing entimcnts-sentmeut which deem
ed errors, but which they believed to be truths.
| grant to them that liberty of thought which
demand for myself Hence, profess myself
to be moderate man. L aul opposed to all
confscaticns of property, because the contis-
cation Of all the lands of rebel owners in the
State can have no, effect in, promotlug the
welfare Of tac State, in eletating its political
condition or advancing its commercial and
agricultural prosperity. 1 am opposed to any
general dsfranchisement Of the masses OF TIE
people It's too late now to disfranchise as
punishment for treason. Punishment should
be inflicted for the sake of reform. To in.
flict it nov would be only to crafty revenge.
want no more disfranchisement either as to
number of persons, or as to duration of time,
tan is absolutely necessary to Sccuye the safe
ty of the nation, and il that can be secured by
none at ali, then would favor a general am.
nesty. a. 81. .',!tt
call God to witness, tlati taking my
seat in. this august body, do so only because
desire to contribute what little abilities or
influence may have to the restoration CT
peace and harmony. and for the -;:.bshment
ni such Il Constitution or form Of government
Tor Iny native State as will secure to every man
III the Commonwealth eQu.lshare of poiit-
ical rights, will protect Us in the future from
the errors which have led to our present I'm.
happy condition, and will speedily rehabi itatc
the Stale az constituent. part OF the great
national confederation. Gl
With this expression of my sentiments,
which w!lnot, however, control ME in the
important administration OF the duties of the
office 10 which You have assigned me, am
now prepared to take my place as your pre-
siding officer. at the same iiAe Invoking your
indulgence for any unintentional errors that
may commit; and your earnest cooperation
in preserving the dignity and dccorum Of the
body. ID
w. J. Whipper moved the appointment Of
Committee on Rules, aud that pending the
report of that Committee the Convention
IL L.. .,,1a, ,f tba of
tives of the United States for its government.
The motion was adopted.
|, Mr.. Carlos j. StolbrsAd was elected per.
manent. Secretary of the Convention by ac-
cismation. i9c
Mr. Parker moved that they proceed at
once to the election OF an Assistant Secretary,
an Engrossing Clerk, a Sergeant at arms, an
Assistant Sergeant-atarlns, Doorkeepcr, an
Assistant Doorkeeper and Chaplain.
Mr.. F. j. Moses, Jr., opposed in toto the
election of regular chaplain for the Conven.
ton. He was opposed to having their pro-
ceedings opened with prayer, for the prac-
tice,; so sacred in times past, had lately been
so prostituted in nearly all legislative bodies
tba. it might be.prostituted here, and Instead
of prayers they would be aptto hear politi.
cal protestations. But it ws.s not on that
ground alone he objected. 1t was incumbent
upon them to have as much respect for the
treasury of the State as possible, and get
along as cheaply as possible. He disclaimed
any reference to any one in the Convention.
This was simply his individual opinioi. in ref
erence to the practice OF opening with prayer
They had gentlemen among them who no
doubt would be willing. to give their services
gratuitously if the proceedings arc to be
opened by prayer. % Hs:
B. F.. Rapdol ph rose to advocate The elec
,on ola Chaplain. 1t was customary, he
said, in all legislative bodies. The Congress
of the United States has chaplain our leg
islatures have chaplains and, 80 far as he
had observed the reports of the other South
ern Conventions, they all had chaplains, and it
would be passing strange if South Carolina
should assemble iuConpention and not elect
chaplain. aNobody'was more disposed than
he was to respect the treasury Of the State,
but at the same time he was not disposed to
ignore religion, and forget God, by leaving
one of the most important offices unnoticed
BY the Convention. He did not consider the
quota of officers complete without q chaplain.
Mr.. Moses said the member in his closing
remarks had made capital prayer, and was
an argument in favor of his position, that
they should not take so much money ont of
the treasury when they had members who
could perform the work so well without
charge. ' sG d'@ s:at I'd
L. S. Langley agreed with the gentleman
from Sumter, that the Convention should not
sacrifice or waste money belonging to the
State, but he believed they had members per-
fec,iy competent to act as Chaplain, and he
believed it would be better under the circum.
stances Of an impoverished State Treasury,
for the Chair to appoint some gentleman in