Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1870-06-24
&92f From the Southern Guardian.A B
Proceedings Of the Reform Convention.

z
fs On account of the inconyenienc attending
the use Of TIC hall In the Columbia Hotoi
the convention met in Car0lita Hall ut 10
a m., yesterday, President Shannon in tho
chair.
On motion of Mr.. K,ulJch, of Charleston,
tho Secretary was directed to call the roll of
delegates alphabetically, and the delegates
were seated in accordance herewith.
On motion Of Mr.. O'Noill; of Charcstoh
tho Vice.P Presidents occupied tlielf proper
places
Mr.. Butler, of Edgcfeld, for the Committee
oil Platform, recommended that tho letter of
General john A. Wugoncr, of Charleston, be
printed With the proceedings of the conven
ton, and that 1t bo,lrid upon the table for
tho present Agreed to-
Mr.. ScibeIs, Of Richland, for the Commit,
tee on Resolutions, reported that the commit
tee had nothing before thcm for considcra
tiOIi.
Mr.. Gary, Of Edgofcld, for the tommittco
on the manncr of taking votes, recommended
that all votes be taken uiOn vocc, unless seven
mem bers object and call for vote by counties,
in which case each county shall cast the mum
Der of votes edual to Its numbcr of reprcscn.
tativcs in both branches of the General
Assembly, and that tho Chairman shall do.
clare the vote Of his delegation Agreed to.
On motion, Secretary Aldrich read the
proceedings Of yesterdays meeting
Mr.. Butler, of Edgcfald, fir tic Commit-
tee.on Platform, reported as follows:
The Committee Oh Platform beg leave to
submit the following report:
This convention, representing citizens of
South Carolina, irrespective of party, ASSEM-
blcd to organize the good people of the State
in an effort to reform the present incompetent,
cxtravagant, p;cjudiced and corrurt admins
traoh of the State government, and TO estab.
lish ir:stcai thereof Just and equal laws, order
and ndharmony economy in public expenditures,
a strict accountability Of Office holders, and
the election to Office only of men of known
honesty and integrity, doth declare and an.
nouucc tho following principles upon wh;cl,
men of all parties may unite for the parposcs
aforesaid
!. The ifieenth Gmerdmens of the consti.
tuition Of the United States having been, by
the proper ej:thoritics, proclaimed ratified by
the requisite number of States, and having
been received and asquicsccd in as law in all
the States of the Union, ought to be fairly
administered and faithfully obcycd as funda
mentnl law.
2. The vas: changes in our system Of GOV.
crnmcnt wrought by tho international var
between the two sections of the States. and
following in its train, are so far incorporated
into the constitutions aud laws of the States
and of tho United States as to- require that
they be regarded accomplished facts, having
the force ard obligation of law.
This SoInrnrI and oomul roSotfpi finn
of the existing laws brings the people of South
Carolina into entire harmony upon all oues.
tions of civil and political right, an6 should
mined effort to establish Il iust, euual and
the interest of no GLASS or clique, but for the
beneft OF united people.
The conmittcc also recomn!cnG tho adop.
tion of the following resolution:
Rsolcc0, That this organization be known
as the Union Reform Party of South Carolina.
Respectfully submitted, I
NJ. G. BUTLER, Clairman
On motion of Mr.. Ellso, S. Keitt, the re.
port Of the Co,nnfittce on Platform was taken
up for discussion.
Mr.. Keitt then delivered a spirited ha-
ranguc, endorsing In full the principles set
forth in the platform MS reported, but claiming
that they were rot sufficiently broad and com.
prchcnsivc; that they had reference only to
the psst, and were in their nature applicable
only to our own State.
Mr. j. j. Kcrshaw arose, az the close of
Mr.. Keitt's remarks, and Icliverad most
able, interesting and eloquent speech in sup.
port and' in explanation of the principle set
forth in the platform. The work before the
people Of South Carolna-to harmonizc and
bring abprt proper feeling httwecn thc two
races, iii order to rid Che State of its present
oppressive rule-was no child's play We
were two pcoslcs here iT the State, OF Che
same interests, one III sentiment aud feeling,
but upon political matters alone an antngon
ism had been brought about by the artrul in.
sinnhtipns of men who arc aliens to South
Carolina /; between Esau und Jacob, tlcy had
so~n the seeds Of discard to advance their
own Infamous private ends. Every effort al
reconciliation is by them held up to thecoor.
ed people as nothing buta serpent in Disguise
Therefore, there is needed an open, frank and
distinct declaration on the part Of tho whit,
citizens to convince ouf coIorca brethren O.
our sincerity and our honest intention to ae
cure to them their rights while we Battle fo,
our own. In framing the piatforin,, the con
vcntion must also carefully guard against mis-
conception on tho part of tho white people o
the State, and not offer an insult 10 the scnti
! ments Of tho old sons of the soif a4
Mr.. kershaw was repeatedly aud enShusas
tically checrcd throughout the course of hi
speech
| Mr. Ncitt then arose again, in order t.,
| dcyclCb more fully the views nrnviouslv od