Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1868-03-05
THIRTY-sEvENTH DAY.

THURSDAY, February 27.-The Me,cs says with
reference to the days proceedings: Seventeen
sections of the judiciary article of the constitution
were passed to their third reading. There was
much discussion, but little amendment, and the ar
tice is nearly in the shape in which was originally
published. District and Probate Courts have been
obliterated. The Supreme Court is to consist of a
chief justice and two associate justices, any two of
whom shall constitute quorum. They are to be
term of six years, and to be so classified that one
of the judges shall 60 out Of Office every two years.
B. 0. Duncan, from a special committee OF
eight, reported the following ordinance, which was
read the first time, ordered to be printed, andmade
the special order for Monday at - NJ:
1.-THE special committee of eight, towhom wasre-
ferred the duty of learning how many Representa-
tives South Carolina is entitled to in the Congress
Of the United States and of reporting q suitable
division of the State into Congressional districts,
have investigated the matter, and beg leave to re-
port as follows:
After the census of 1860 new apportionment oi
Representatives wasmade amongthe States. South
Carolina then being entitled to representation fol
only three-ffths of her slave population, was en-.
titled under this apportionment of Congress to on
ly four Representatives. This act of apportion.
ment is still in force, so that we are in reality en-.
titled by act of Congress to only four members in
the lower house of Congress But our entire pop.
ulation, for which we should now be represented,
entities us to six representatives As, however, il
is doubtful if we will be granted large number
than the act of apportionment gives u.s. your com.
mittee recommend the following ordinance, to be
called
AN ORDINANCE TO DIVIDE THE STATE INTO FOUR
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS.
We, the people of the State of South Carolina
shall be, and the same is hereby divided into foul
Congressional Districts, as follows: First Congress;
Lancaster, Chesterfield, Marlboro, Darlington,
Marion, Horny, Georgetown, Williamsburg, Sum
ter, Clarendon and Kershaw Second Congression.
al District to be composed of the counties Of Char
lesion, Coleton, Beaufort and Barnwen; Third
Congressional District, to be composed Of thecoun
ties of Orangeburg, Lexington, Richland, Ncwber-
y, Edge6eld, Abbeville and Anderson and the
Fourth Congressional District, to be composed o1
the counties of Oconee, Pickens, Greenville, Lau
rens, Spartanburg, Union, York, Chester and Fair
field.
q That until the next apportionment be made
by the Congress of the United States, each of,the
said Congressional Districts shall be entitled tc
elect one member to represent this State in the
Congress of the United States. After such new
appOrtionment by Congress, the legislature shal
divide the State into as many Congressional Dis
tricts as we are entitled to members in the Hesse
of Representatives.
8. At the first election under this constitution
two representatives shall be elected at large the
State ticket, to represent the overpus of our pop
ulation. Should they obtain Seats they shall con
tinue to be so elected until the new apportionmen
after the census of 1870"
| The convention proceeded to the consid deratior
of the judiciary department of the constitution
Many amendments were offered and voted down
so that with but little alteration the article is the
same as heretofore published.
Section 5, providing that Judges of the Su
preme Court shall give their opinions on impor
tant questions of constitutional law was strickel
out; it being held that this was the duty of th'
Attorney General,
Section Is was amended by providing that Cir
cult Judges shall be elected by the joint ballot
the two Houses of the General Assembly, and no
as was proposed-''by the qualified electors o
the respective circuits.
A feature of section II was the provision tina
Courts of Common Please shall have exclusive ju
risdiction in all cases of divorce. An effort wa
made to strike this out, but Mr. B. F. Whittemor
and B. F. Randolph both argued from scripture
standpoint, as well as legal and moral standpoint
that divorces ought to be granted. The section
was accordingly passed without amendment.