The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-01-17
The decentralization Convention.
SECOND DAY.

| n
The Co1sention was opened with
prayer BY B. f. Randolph. delegate
from OrangebuTg, = s.
The roll of delegates being called.
100 responded to their names-seven-
teen more being present than enethe
preceding day.
| After some discussion as to men,
bers not having certificates of iden-
tification, the hall-keeper was ap-
pointed, door-keeper until pefnia-
nent organization, s.Al ATa
The body then went into an In
formal ballot for President. gs1
| A recess of fifteen minutes was
moved and carried, to allow the dele
gates to prepare their ballots. At
the close of the recess, the ballots
were cast, and on being counted the
result was as follows: A. Ct. Mackey,
white, delegate from Charleston,
"a votes; B. F. Whittemore, delegate
from Darlington, 81 votes; Thomas
J. Robertson. white, dciosaa.s fz-ol
Richlnnd, and temporary chairman,
/ vote; James M. Rutland, white,
delegate from Fairfield, vote. Not
single colored man received vote
for the Office of President.
After the tellers had made their re-
port, the temporary chairman an
nounced that A. Ct. Mackey, having
received a majority of the votes cast,
was duly elected permanent chair
man of the Convention.
This was ON error of which he was
Immediately reminded by several
delegates, who stated, Simultaneous
ly, or nearly 80, that the ballot was
simply an informal one.
This being the fact, and the chair
man withdrawing the announcement,
white delegate moved that the cleo
ton of A. G. Mackey be declared
unanimous.
At the request of b. F. White
more, white, the motion was with
drawn. and Whittemore, in short
speech, withdrew in favor of Mackey.
On motion of Gilbert Pillsbury,
white, delegate from Charleston, the
election of Mackey was declared
unanimous.
z. J. Ransier, light colored dele
gate from Charleston, then moved
that committee of three be appoint
ed to wait on the newly elected chair
man, and invite him to take his seat
as President of the Convention. The
motion being adopted by tue house,
the temporary chairman appointed
E. J.. Ransier, light colored delegate
from Charleston; B. F. Whittemore,
white Yankee delegate from Darling
ton, and r. G. DeLarge, light color
ed delegate from Charleston, q com
mittee of three to wait on A. G.
Mackey, the newly elected permanent
chairman, and introduce him to the
Convention.
In assuming the duties of his office,
DR.. Mackey addressed the body as
follows:
GENTLEMEN OF THE CONVENTION
While return you my thanks fol
the honor that you have conferred on
me, by selecting me to preside over
your deliberations, l confess that ]
assume the Chair with great diff
dence as to my capability to discharge
it's duties. [ can, however, safely
promise determination to perform
the important task with the strictes,
impartiality, and with all the judg
ment in my power.
The position in which your kind
ness has placed me will necessarily
preclude me from a general partici.
patton in the debates of tho house,
and will condemn me to silence on
many questions, on which, if 1 were
on the floor, I would wish to be
heard. You will, perhaps, therefore,
pardon me, if 1 take the present oc
casion, once for all, to define my
position and to express my senti
ments on some of the great topics
which are now ngitating our country.
The Convention in which we are
now sitting is marked by two pecll.
liarities, which have distinguished n c
other Convention that has preceded
it in South Carolina-peculiarities
which demand for it the commendn.
ton of every lover of liberty and
respecter of human rights.
Convened, as L contend it has
been-for else I had not been here
by competent legal authority, it is
the first Constitutional Convention
in this State, in the selection oi
whose members the ballot-box. the
true palladium of national liberty.
has been made accessible to every