The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-02-29
THE RECONSTRUCTION CONVENTION.
We extract from. the Charleston Neus


We extract from, the Charleston Ners
the following summary, cs .h!:s pro-
ceedings of the thirty-seYenth day:
The; Convention yesterday made
good time. Seventeen sections of
the Judiciary article of the Constitu-
tion were passed to their third read
ing. There was much discussion.
but little. amendment. District and
Probate Courts have been obliterated.
The Supreme Court is to consist of
chief justice and two associate JUS
tices, any two of whom shall consti-
tute quorum. They are to be elected
by joint vote of the General AS
sembly, for term of six years, and
to be so classified that one of the
judges shall go out of Office every
two years.
The Committee on Petitions gave
the keynote of the future political
action of the Republican party, by
reporting in favor of one Thomas
Owens, of Laurens District, who
prayed that his disability, resulting
from felony, might be removed. The
Committee state that they are 'satis-
fed of his loyalty" and therefore
recommend that his prayer be grant
ed. The report was adopted.
l.. S. Langley offered resolution,
requesting Congress to turn over to
the Commissioner of the State the
proceeds of tho sale of lands under
tax executions, for the benefit of the
school fund of the State. Referred
to the Committee on Education. The
same delegate offered the following:
ResolUed, That this Convention
tender to the Congress of the United
States. aud to the General command
ing the army, the sincere and heart
felt thanks of the loyal people of
South Carolipa, for their noble devo-
ton to the principles of constitution
al law and civil liberty.
E. w. NJ. Mnckey moved to amend
by including the Secretary of War;
which WAS agreed to.
B. O. Duncan, from q Special
Committee of Eight, reported the
following ordinance, which was read
the first time, ordered to be printed,
and made the special order for Mon
day, at IL m.:
to whom was referred the duty of
learning how many Representatives
South Carolina is entitled to in the
Congress of the United States, and
of reporting suitable division of
the State into Congressional Dis
tricts, have investigated the matter,
and beg leave to report:
After the census of 1850, new
apportionment of Representatives
was made among the States. South
Carolina then being entitled to rep
resentation for only three-ffths of
her slave population, .was entitled
under this apportionment of Congress
to only four Representatives. This
Act of apportionment is still in force,
so that we are in reality entitled by
Act of Congress to only four mem
bers in the lower house of Congress-
But our entire population, for which
we should now be represented, enti-
ties us to six Representatives. AS,
however, it is doubtful if we will be
granted larger number than the Act
of apportiopment gives us, your
Committee recommend the following
ordinance. to be called can Ordi-
nance to Divide the State into Four
Congressional Districts"
That the State of South Carolina
shall be, and the same is hereby,
divided into four Congressional Dis
tricts, rs follows: First Congress
sional District, to be composed of
the Counties of Lancaster, Chester
field, Marlborough, Darlington. Ma
rion, Horny, Georgetown, Williams
burg, Sumter, Clarendon and Ker-
shaw; Second Congressional District,
to be composed of the Counties of
Charleston, Colleton, Beaufort and
Barnwell; Third Congressional Dis
trict, to be composed of the Counties
of Orangeburg, Lexington, Rich