The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-03-04
THE CONVENTION.
FoRTy-F1Rsr DAY.


The convention assembled at 10 o'clock
PRAYER by Rev. B. F. Randolph. The journa
of Yesterday was read and approved.
B. F. Randolph, from the Committee on Mis-
cellaneous Affairs, presented the following re-
port. which was ordered ito be printed end
made the special order for Thursday st Il
o'clock NJ:
bly of the General Assembly of this State has
been convened since the COMMENCEMENT OF the
rebellion against the authority OF the Govern
ment Of the United States; and whereas the
body assembled from time TO time OF the capi-
tai of the State, since The 'commencemont OF
said rebellion, assuming 10 possess and exer-
else the powers of tine General Assembly of the
State, had no authority to pledge the faith and
credit OF the State for the benefit of any cor
porate body or private individual, and it's act
ions can be validated only by the conhrmatory
authority OF the legal government OF this State;
and whereas it is ,expedient that when the
credit Of the State is advanced or pledged for
the benefit Of public, enterprises. and works in
which the people of The State are Interested
that power should be lodged in the General
Assembly to exercise a.salutary control over
such public enterprises and works, to the end
that the commerce and industry of the Staye
should be adequately fostercd and promoted.
Therefore, be it
Ordained, That all acts or pretended acts OF
Legislation purporting, to have been passed by
the General Assembly of the State since the
Goth. day of December, A. D. 1860 plodging the
faith and credit of the State for the benefit Of
any corporate body or private individual, are
| hereby suspended aha declared imperative
until the General Assembly shall assemble and
ratify OF modify the same.
R. G. DeLarge, Chairman OF tho Committee
on Elections and Franchise, said his committee
would report tomorrow.
On motion of Mr.. N. G.. Parker. Chairman of
The Committee on Finance, the President was
the Treasury Of the State for s38, 900, to delray
the expenses OF the convention.
On motion of Mr. j. S. Craig, of Colleton.
the article on the militia was called up The
first section was PASSED. and pending the dis
cussion of section 2, the hour for the special
order Arrived.
Tie special order was substitute for Sec
ton 10 of the judiciary article of the constitu-
tion, and after an animated discussion, 1t was
rejected.
The question then occurred on the adoption
of the original section, which read as follows:
"The General Assembly shall provide by law
for the preservation. Of the records Of the
Courts OF Equity, and also for the transfer to
the Court of Common Pleas and Probate
Courts, for final decision OF oil causes that
may remain undetermined"
Mr. D. II: Chamberlain offered the following
amendment, which was adopted:
lit shall be tho duty OF the Judges of
the Supreme and Cilcuit Courts to file their
decisions within sixty days Of the last term of
She court IN which the causes wero heard"
The 18th section s-then passed to its third
reading.
F. L. Cardoza presented petition, without
signature, which recites substantially, as fol-
lows:
To the Hon. Senate and House Of Representa-.
tiues in Congress assembled:
Your petitioners. citizens Of the State OF |
South Carolina, respectfully represent that by
authority of an act of Congress, approved Feb
ruaEy G. 1863, entitled IAN act for the collection
of direct taxes in the insurreetionary districts
Of the United States, and for other purposes,
certain lands in South Carolina were, bid in by
the United States ut o public tax sale; and,
whereas, certain tracts havo not been sold by
the United States, but are now IN the hands OF
the tax commissioners, your petitioners hum
bly, pray that said lands may be allotted 10 such |
citizens as are destitutc1nd deserving, the me- |
by such msS ne such s RReRReaft5 @ t. he e determined
In offering the petition, +. l.. Cardoza said |
the matter was Of such extreme Importance as
to require immediate attention, aud that he
had been instructed by the proper autnorltles
to introduce it.
On motion of R. G. DeLarge, it was referred
to the Committee on Petitions, who were in
structed to report upon it at eleven o'clock to-
The consideration Of the special order was
resumed, namoly section OF the report OF
the article on education, which read US fol-
lows:
SEC. 4. 1t shall be tho duty OF the General
Assembly to providefor the compulsory attend
ance, at either public or private schools, OF all
children between the ages Of six and sixteen
yeurs, not physically or mentally disabled, lor
q term equivalent to twenLy-fOur months.
II. G. peLarge moved to st.lke out the word
compulsory"
out twenty -four months end piscrtlng thirty
months.
II. E. Hayno said he hoped tho word COM
pulsory would not bo stricken out. The lano-
rance and vice prevailing oil over the State
made it necessary that some clause should DE
embodied in the constitution compelling pa |
rents to send their children to school. The
system worked well i'll Massachusetts, in Ger
many, Prussia and elscwhcge, and tho beneii-
cial results were apparent among the people of
the localities named.
B. Byas favored tho amendment. If parents |
would not Of their own free will educate tlleir |
children, let those. children rise up and damn |
them and their memory forever. Lot US iayo
o Republican form Of government and not one
Of force. The convention had no moro right
to compel person in tho matter OF education |
than in the matter Of religion; and it could
with as much proprety send person TO hca-
ven or to hell. &1an was Il free moral agont,
especially good Ropubicau, and ought 10 bc
allowed to doas he ploascs.
r. G. DeLarge secured tho floor, and the
hour of one O'Clock having arrived the conven-
ton adjourned.
EVENING SESSION.
The convention assembled &C throo P. NJ.
and r. C. DeLarge proceeded with his arg,l-
ment. He opposed the idea Of compulsion IN
toto. Because Massachusetts or Germany chose |
to adopt certain law3re.ulatmg their people, ii
was no reason why South Carolina Should fol-
low the example, especially in the llow aud pc
cular circumstances OF her present situation.
Again, the idea Of compulsion WAS auti-republl-.
can and opposed to the spirit OF the age, aud if
carried out would tend to create antlSoIsm,
which it was most desirable 10 avoid III THIS
time. It was an encroachmcIt on tiio tb-
critics of the people, and an encroacnmcnt
upon the prerogatNes OF the General ASSEM-
bly,, who Should be left TO Regulate the matter
as they saw fit.
A. G. Richmond likewise opposed tho Sec
ton. II it meant anything, it meant that tho
children of all the parents in the State, ire
spective of race or color, should be compelled |
to go to school, and, taken in connection with
the eleventh section, that they shall go to
school together.
F. L. Cardoza said they did not intend to in
sist that white people should not have separate
schools, but SIMPLY that colorcd children who |
desire to go to White schools shall have the |
privilege of doing SO.