The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-06-18
REFORM CONVENTION.
4 FULL AND INTERESTING REPORT.
THE SPEECHES OF MEssRs. SHANNON, KER.
SHAW, THOMAS, BIRD, sIMoNs, BUTLER
AND OTHERS.
THE KEYNOTE OF THE MOVEMENT.

THE KEYNOTE OF THE MOVEMENT.
Second Days Proceedings.
REPORTED SPECIALLY FOR THE NEws.l
COLUMBIA, June l6.
The Convention again met at 10 o'clock, at
South Carolina Hall, and was called to order
by the president, Colonel ". NJ Shannon.
= Mr.. B. K. Kinloch, of Charleston, offered the
following resolutions:
Reso,ued, That, with view to the proper
seating of the delegates, the secretary call the
counties alphabetically as represented IN Son-
veation, and that as each county IS caAeo lts
delegates take their seats together
Which was adopted.
On motion of Mr.. B. O'Neill, of Charleston,
the vice-presidents were requested to take
their seats on the platform.
The secretary proceeded to call the counties
in accordance with the resolution Of Mr. Kin
loch, and the different delegations took their
seats together.
General N. c. Butler, in behalf of the Com
mittee on Platform, submitted their report, as
follows
This Convention, representing citizens Of
South Carolina, irrespective OF party, assem-
bled to organize the good people OF the State
in an effort to reform the present lncompe-
tent, ext1avagant, prejudlced and corrupt ad-
ministratbon of the State Government ana TO
establish instead thereof just and equal laws,
order and harmony, economy IN pnonc e1pen-
ditures, astrict accountability Of office holders,
and the election to Office only OF men OF
known honesty and integrity, doth declare
and announce the following principles upon
which men Of all parties may unite for the
purposes aforesaid:
First. The fifteenth amendment Of the Con-
stitution of the United States having been, by
the proper authorities, proclaimed ratlhed oy
the requisite number Of States, and having
been received and acquiesced In as law IN all
the States of the Union, ought to be fairly ad-
ministered and faithfully obeyed as fundamen-
tai law.
Second. The vast changes in our system OF
government, wrought by the international war
between the two sections Of the States, and
following in Its train, are SO far incorporated
into the constitutions and laws Of the States,
and of the United States, as to require that
they be regarded as verities, having the force
and obligation of law.
Third. This solemn and complete recogni-
ton of the existing laws brings the people OF
South Carolina into entire harmony upon an
questions of civil and political right, and should
unite all honest men In an earnest and deter
mined effort to, establish just, equal and
faithful administration Of the government, IN
the interest Of no class or clique, but for the
benefit of united people.
The committee also recommended the adop-
ton of the following resolution: a-,
a. Resolved, That this organization be known
rs the aUnion Reform Party ofSsouth Caro-
Ina
General Butler, from the Committee on
Platform, submitted report in reference to
the communication Of General John A. Wage
ner, and recommended that the same be laid
on the table and be printed with the proceed
ings Of the Convention, which was adopted
Mr. W. seibels, from the Committee on
Resolutions, announced that the committee
had no resolutions to report.
Mr.w. T. Gary, from the committee to whom
was referred the question of the manner in
which the vote Of the Convention shall be
taken, and all matters coming before 1t, re-
ported the following as its recommendation:
l. That all questions shall be determined by
q t,iva voce vote, unless seven members Of the
Convention shall desire vote by counties.
2. That in voting by counties, each county
shall be entitled to the number OF votes equal
to Its representation in the lower House OF the
General Assembly.
H3. That the chairman Of each delegation on
the call Of his county announce the vote OF his
delegation.
The report was adopted.
Mr.. e. S. Keitt, of Newberry, moved that the
report of the Committee on Platform be taken
from the table, which was carried.
The president announced as the pending
question before the Convention, the report Of
the Committee on Platform.
REMARKS BIZ MR.. KRTrT.
Mr.. Keitt referred to theIsolemnity of the oc-
casion on which they had convened, and
which alone had impsXed him to speak. He
did not like the platform which had been re-
. ported 1t contained within itself only re-
cognition of the past, and was confined to the
limits of this State. He referred to the history
Of the past, and drew an analogy between the
position of our forefathers hundred years
since and the colored people prior to the war:
By the revolution our forefathers secured
ffeedom, which they did not concede to their
slaves. Though they had eyes and ears, tney
neither saw nor heard that which was de,
nanded in justice to an oppressed race And
as the Almighty had heard their prayers, so,
nearly a hundred years later, He heard the
prayers Of the enslaved black people, and tney
were given freedom Wn1cn nau Deen VoucE-
sated to the white race through the war of the
Revolution. The speaker compared the
slavery of the colored race to the bondage OF
the Israelite in Egypt, and President Lincoln
to Moses, both of whom, when they had led
the enslaved people out OF bondage, had been
. gathered to the homes Of their fathers before
the fruition Of their hopes was realized.
AT the request OF Mr.. Y. J. Pope, Of New
berry, the report Of the Co%mltfee on IlaI-
form was again read.
IN sustaining the report, General J. B, Ker-
shaw, said;
REMARKS OF GENERAL KERsHAw.
Mr.. President-I desire, and think it pro
ner. to saw something explanatory of the view
and unrpose entertained by the movers IN the
matter Of the platform, and the precise ldea
which they ondeavored 10 express, and to DEM
onstrate. ii can, that they have, in the result
of their labors, embodied that idea. You, Mr.
President, and all the gentlemen OF this Con-
yention, are wen aware that it is peculiar
and difficult thing which we propose to accom-
nlish In this platform. UP to this time, there
have been two peoples in South Carolina whose
interests are identical, whose feelings and
sympathies upon almost all subjects are lden-
tical. but who have been brought Into direct
and even angry antagonism upon pohtlcal
subjects. And that antagonism has oeen
wrought, not upon any sound or truthful
basis, but By the artful interposition OF