The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-02-03

patriotic loyalty. The Convention, however.
though pleased, ID not satisfied with the money
already obtained. and to-day resolution was
Rsned adding three members TO the Finance
committee and empowering that body to nego-
uate . loan Of $50, 900 or 100000 at as early
day as possible. / wish here to make . small
caicaiation OF what the Convention has cost so
i LAT. A. now precisely forty-eight days since J,
nle' anu INC expenses are about as iolows:-
100 delegates for IS days At 20 Der dsv each
~ omoers &C, At 80 per day each .......... $50
~'' ~'' '-'..................-..... Ao'.
Total cost 30 far ..-................. $50 600
Al will be seen the amount to be paid M to date
is $50 900, and AZ only $1,000 have been received
very large deficiency exists. 1t Was stated to-
that $40 900 would be forthcoming from taxes dur
ing the next six weeks, but 1t the end OF that
time il will require nearly 5000 900 to settle &C.
counts with. Besides, have not calculated the
mileage, which has been Axed at twenty-five
cents per mile, and will foot up an enormous ann
Somebody will have to lose money by this effort to
reconstruct Georgia. Should nobody lend tho
delegates will 60 home heavily IN debt. They arc
q very loyal and patriotic set Of men, but I ann
strongly convinced that they banker after the
flesh pots Of Egypt. One delegate stated this
morning that unless they got the money the Con-
vention would soon be without quorum Such an
event certainly would not disturb the equilibrium
of the whites of this State. So long as their credit
remains acceptable a majority of the delegates
viii remain; but "hope deferred maketh the heart
however
tainly are not worth much in the market to the
landlords
After the money question was ended the Conven-
ton resolved itself into Committee of the Whole,
and resumed the discussion OF the treason section
of the Bill Of Rights The great stumbling block
was the recommendation OF the committee that the
act OF passing an ordinance Of secession would be
treason. The SUPERFICIAL characters present
offered amendments, which construed treason to
mean an attempt at secession, the expression Of
an opinion adverse to the United States govern.
ment, or even the fact OF opposing the powers that
be. Even Bryant became alarmed at these propo--
sitions and in the most sensible speech that he
has yet made denounced the effort to revive the
dark years of Europe when Jeffreys sent hundreds
Of good men to the gallows. He thought that the
Convention was erecting scaffold on which the
delegates might themselves swing, and as he had
no desire to be hung by his own rope he would
offer substitute which did not contain the seees-
sion clause. srsaM
Several speakers followed In support of and in
opposition to the section as it STOOD and it il prob
able that Bryant's views and substitute would
have met with ignomini0us defeat had not Mr.. Ed
wards risen up and made . speech. This gentle
man is very radical in sentiment, but is man
He declared that no such clause as that relating ~
secession should go into the constitution, and
appealed to the colored delegates whether seces-
sion had not taken them from slavery. given them
their freedom and sent them here as legislators.
He didn't want any such clause, because il 1t was
passed some people might get into trouble He
continued in a somewhat leugthy speech adv0cat>
ing Bryant's amendment, and kept the Convention
in q continual roar of laughter until he closed.
The remarks Of Mr.. Edwards made converts OF
four negroes, and upon the vote being taken tho
substitute of Mr.. Bryant was adopted by IS yeas
to &C nays. The section therefore stands az fol-
lows:--
SECTION u.s. Treason against the State Of Georgia shall
consist in evyng against the Ssate against the
United States. adherng the enemies thereof and
giving them aid and comfort And person shall bo
convicted Of except upon testimony OF two
witnesses TO the same overt act upon confession In
open court.
A short time subsequently the Convention ad"
journed.