Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1868-02-27

y
power to remove the Secretary of War and desIg-
nate any other officer to perform the duties OF tne
Office ad interim. ,,
Copies Of the resolution were ordered to be de-
liyered to the President and Stanton
LETTER FROM CHARLESTON.
As we are unable to send our usual contribution
from Chester by reason Of our absence, we send
instead, few lines from this city, where our busi-
ness has called US -. II = =
The Convention is the great object of interest
here, at this time, to strangers. The natives seem
to ignore its existence utterly. They rarely speak
of it and never visit it, imagining that some odour,
not of sanctity, would render the atmosphere dele
terious to white people. Not having any such
scruples, we have attended two sittings OF the
body, and must confess considerable surprise at
finding it so well behaved, and parliamentary forms
and usages so generally and strictly observed. The
colored element decidedly predominates, and gives
the Convention the air of negro assemblage. The
delegates all sit together-no separation Of races
being attempted-the white members seeming on
terms Of great familiarity with their colored breth.
rem '" '''-t a~'.- On
The President, A G. Mackey, Esq, is q very
good presiding officer. Some of the secretaries
and the door keepers are negroes the latter having
the appearance Of "corn.fed hands"
There are few respectable white men in the
Convention, who are listened to with respectful at
tention. On the occasions when We were present,
the negroes certainly bore off the palm Of supe-
~
indeed. The debate, which was on the subject Of
treason to the State, was very spirited, and would
not have been considered inferior in most deGbera
tive assemblies - - ?, .s
Some of the colored speakers surprised us very
much by their good sense, ease Of manner and ia
miiarity with all the rules of order and courtcses
of debate. Among those most remarkable, were
Whipper, Wright and Langley, from Beaufort
all black; Cardoza, DeIarge, and few others,
spoke well They, however, are bright mulattoes,
and have more white than negro blood From all
that we saw, we think Whipper one Of the ablest
and best tempered men in the body. Altogether,
we believe the colored element there superior to the
white. With very few exceptions, there are no
white men in the body Of any character, though it
is not such q grotesque assemblage as it has been
represented by some. %'"59. '-',sSS .'2n' # 3,'
The great object in view IS the formation. ofa
State Government, which will be thoroughly in
harmony with the Black Republican party in the
North. IF this object can be; accomplished, we
think there is disposition to frame Constitution
which will be accepted by the majority Of the peo-
pie of the State. The Reputation of contracts;
based upon negro property, is bid for popular ac-
ceptance. 4'-,t t.''. u" ..'a3'.
A liberal homestead provision viii, in all proba-
bility, be part of the Constitution, and WILL it is
thought, make the new Government popular with
those who, by reason Of their debts, would be
stripped Of all their property if the old regime con-
tinues '-1 -. '"'t ~ .'1.-..''l - 80
q OF course, they will make suffrage universal
No disfranchisement of whites will be incorporated
in the Constitution at present proposed. i1H -
There is great opposition to the Judiciary sys:
tenn, as proposed by the Committee Very mate
rial notifications will, in all probability, be made
before it is adopted There seems disposition
now, to erect respectable system, and some infu-
ences are at work to produce those changes in the
plan proposed, which will remove its most objee-
tionable features. At one time, it was thought
that the Convention would continue in Office all
of theold Judges and Chancellors but there seems
little hope of that now A few of the Judges are
very obnoxious to the Convention Judge Ward:
law is particularly Objectionable to the negroes on
account of his alleged paternity of the old "Blsck
Code, " framed in 1866. Judge Inglis is notliked,
because it is alleged that he drew the ordinance Of
secession. Judge Adrich, because Of his conflict
with Candy. With these exceptions, the Conven-
ton might be disposed to retain all of the other
Judges, were it not that they are afraid that their
reputation and homestead schemes, would be de-
clared unconstitutional by the Courts On this
account, they viii endeavor to have the Judiciary
entirely in harmony with the principles of the
Radical party.
The Convention will probably nominate all the
State Officers before it adjourns Thos. j. Rob
ertson, Of Columbia, is an avowed candidate for
Governor, without opposition as yet He has
bad record as hard, cruel master, in the days Of
slavery, and many ugly stories are told of him.
He attempts to neutralize all Of these faults by
viperous hatred Of everything that is noble and
generous in our State and her institutions. His
money viii probably secure the nomination here.
A. g. Mackey and Mr. Rutland, are the candi-
dates for U.S. Senator Whitemore win proba-
bly, be in the field, Mackey viii, III all probabli-
ty be one of the Senators. The other is not de-
cided on. We think ifvithin the limits Of posi-
bility, and not improbable, that Gov. Orr viii be
the otherU. S.Senasof. BE is said to be in en-
tire harmony with the Convention. g lati 'aI.
B Allen, of Geenvills; Goss, of Union and Nea-
0|e nf York ara candidates FIR Copgrpss forn the