The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-02-28
THE CONVENTION,
CONVENTION HELD BY AUTHORITY OF THE
RECONSTRUCTION LAWS OF CONGRESS,
TO FRAME A STATE CONSTITUTION
FOR SOUTH CAROLINA.
rHIRTY-sEyENTH DAY.

shape in which it was originally pupilsheu III
THE NEWS. District and Probate Courts have
been obliterated. The Supreme Court Is TO
consist of chief Justice and two associate
iustices. any two of whcm shall constitute
quorum. They are to he elected by a joint vote
of the General Assembly for term OF Blk
wears. and to be 80 classified that one OF the
judges shall go out Of Office every two years.
The President announced that he had receiy-
ed a communication from Senator Howard, to
whom an invitation to address the convention
was extended, acknowledging the receipt Of the
same. He says that the present condition o
affairs in Washington makes it his duty to re-
main at the capital for the present, but nc
trusts the necessity will soon be removed, anc
he will then take pleasure in visiting Charles
ton, and addressing the convention.
The Committee on Petitions gave the key
note Of the future political action Of the Re-
publican party by reporting in favor OF one
=. Thomas Owens, of Laurens District, who
prayed that his disability, resultingS from
felony, might be removed. The committee lite E
and therefore recommend that his prayer be
granted. The report was adopted.
The same committee had under consld-
Grafton resolution, offered by Mr. jerks.
of Berkeley, to petition Congress to take no
action looking to the reduction or repeal OF the
present import duty on rice, but recommended
that the subject be laid upon the table.
MIR. jerks took the floor a i made strong
practical speech, setting forth the following
facts: That an attempt was about to be made
in Washington to repeal the duty on rce, for
the purpose OF introducing Rangoon or India
I1ce and thus compete with our own home pro-
ductions; that If this were done, it would bring
into market an inferior article, produced by an
oppressive system of labor, which would drive
our own rice out Of the market, and
make its culture Improbable. Finally, that
the rice planters Of the South required all the
protection which it was possible to secure for
them, or their land must be sacrificed aud sold
at ruinous prices. Slave labor only could Guilt
yste rice and enable it to compete successfully
with the imported article, and therefore Con-
gress owed it to the people OF South Carolina,
ana to the freedmen working in their new re-
lations upon rice plantations, to afford them
every possible means of encouragement. The
whole question, he said, was in nut she'll
namely, whether the free labor Of the South
should be compelled to compete with the de-
graded labor of other countries.
On motion Of ]. j. wright, the resolution
was made special order for Monday next, at
4 o'clock.
L. 8. Langley offered resolution, request
ing Congress to turn over to the Commissioner
OF the State the proceeds of the sale OF lands
under tax executions, for the benefit OF the
school fund Of the State. Referred to the
Committee en- Education
The same delegate offered the following:
Resolced, That this convention tender to the
Congress Of the United States, and to the Gen.
eral commanding the army, the sincere and
heartfelt thanks Of the loyal people OF South
Carolina, for their noble devotion to the prin-
oiples Of constitutional law and civil liberty.
E. W. NJ. Mackey moved to amend by lnclud-
ing the Secretary Of War.
The amendment was agreed to.
B. Byas (colored), opposed the resolution on
the ground that the work Of Congress was only
half done. He did not propose to pay for labor
that was yet incomplete, and preferred to wait
q while to see the upshot of the movements in
Washington.
The question then being taken, the resolu-
tion was agreed to.
F. J. Moses, Jr., and R. C. DeLarge wished
their names recorded on the journal as voting
s.No."
BIO. Duncan, from special committee of
eight, reported the following ordinance, which
was read the first time, ordered to be printed,
and made tho special order for Monday at
HM.:
The special committee Of eight, 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
b
Congressional districts, have investigated the
matter, and beg leave to report as follows:
After the census of 1860 new apportionment
Of Representatives was made among the States
South Carolina then being entitled to repre-
sentation for only three-hfths of her slave
population, was entitled under this apportion-
Inent of Congress to only four Representatives. |
This act OF apportionment is still in force, 80 |
that We are in reality entitled by act Of Con- |
gress 10 only four members IN the lower house |
Of Congress. But our entire population, for |
which we sbo-ld now be represented, entities
US to six representatives. As, however, it is
doubtful ii we will be granted larger number
than the act OF apportionment gives us, your
commlttee 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 Caro-
lima, by our delegates IN convention assembled, |
do ordain: -
l. That the State Of South Carolina shall be-
and the same is hereby divided into four Con-
gressiona Districts, as follows First Con-
counties Of Lancaster, Chesterfield, Marlbo- |
rough, Darlington, Marion, Horny, George
town, WILLIAMSBURG, Sumter, Clarendon and
Kershawj Second Congressional District, to be !
composed Of the couuties Of Charleston, Col
Teton, Beaufort and Barnwell; Third Congress
SlOnRl OlSCrlCt, TO Do composer or the counties |
Of Olangeburg, Lexington, Richland, Newber-
ry, Edgeheld, Abbeville and Anderson; and The
Fourth Congressional District, to be composed |
OF the counties OF Oconee, Pickens, Greenyille.
Laurens, Spartanburg, Union, York, Chester
and Fairfield.
2. That until the next spportionment be
made by the Congress Of the United States, |
each of the said Congressional Districts shall |
be entitled to elect one member to represent |
this State in the Congress Of the United States.
After such new apportionment by Congress,
the legislature shall divide the State into as
many Congressional Districts as we are ell
titled to members in the House of Represent
atives.
8. At the first election under this constitu-
ton, two representatives shall be elected Mt
large on the State ticket, to represent tho over-
plus OF our population. Should thew obtain |
seats, they shall continue to be 80 elected mil
the new apportionment after the census of 1870. |
The convention proceeded to the considera.
ton Of the judiciary department Of the const.
tuition.
Many amendments were offered and voted
down, so that with but little alteration the ar
ticle is the same as heretofore published.
Section s. providing that Judges Of the Su-