The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1871-05-17

GU.
The Convention then proceeded
to the election Of officers. Gen.
ChcSnut was nominated and de-
clincd, and nominated Mr. ". D.
Porter, Of Charleston.
Gen Butler nominated Gen. NJ.
W. Gary, who declined III favor Of
Mr.. Porter.
The following officers were elect
cd: PrcSiclent-W. ID. Porter
Vice Prcsidcnts-M. G. Butler, e.
". Dudley, D. II. Chamberlain,
Gabriel Cannon.
observation-disclosures. ". N. Con-
nor and Myron II. Fox.
President Porter was then con-
ductcd to the chair, and addressed
the Convention substantially as
follows:
GENTLEMEN OF TIE CONVENTION:
I thank you for the honor con-
fcrred upon me. l am glad to see
around me so many OF the gooI
men and true, to whom South
Carolina in her better days was
clad to contidc her honor, and
who arc now as faithful Us they
ever have been. My only regret
is, that the occasion is not moro
happy and pleasant. To rebukc
corruption in high places, and to
be obliged to take measures to
save ourselves from irrctrlcvablc
ruin, is q duty by no means pleas
ant. AS it has been placed upon
us, let us discharge it maniully
aad with fidelity. The fundamcn-
tai law Of the State and the United
States secures to the people the
right to assemble peaceably, and
to seek by all lawful means redress
for their grievances. We are us
scmb!cd in such q manner and for
such IL purpose. 1t is admitted
by fair. minded men Of all parties
that .hcre arc great public gricv-
anccs, and that by their presence:
there has been called into exist
cnce such 4 Convention as this-a
Convention unprecedented in all
the history Of the Statc-a Con-
vention to secure to ourselves q
proper share in representative
| government. We have no lcgis-
Iative power; we are simply an
advisory body; but We can inquire
and investigate; VIC can collect
and cmbody investigation; we can
recommend to the people, who
have conferred upon us this trust,
such measures rs we deem neccs'
sary for their security in the tu.
turc. Let there be fairness and
justice. If we "nothing cxtcnu'
atc," let us set down naught III
malice. The first great wrong is
the increase in the public debt
an extraordinary increase, as is
admitted on all hands. The pco,
pie Of the State arc entitled TO
know and must know the amount
of that debt. They must know
what is the actual as we'll as the
contingent liability Of tho State OF
South Carolina. That the appli,
cation of the public moneys have
been cxtravaSant. wild and profit.
gate. admits Of no doubt, it is with
cut question and, perhaps, never
in the history Of Il people was
there nj instance where this recll.
lcssncSs and rrofisacy was more
shamclcssly apparent. Corruption
vaunts itself il the light Of day,
and assumes to itself the garb OF
honesty. If fthesc things arc not
checked and rcUukcd, they will rc,
suit not only in decentralization,
but in bankruptcy and ruin. The
credit Of the State is dcarcr to
none than it is to us. 1t has been
our traditional policy 10 keep and
hold the public credit, not Only
un0ucStioMcd, but unSuSpccted.-
We mean not rcpudiation, but we
DO mean openly and in the most
solemn manner, to give notice that
the public credit Of South Carolina
has been strained to the most eN-
trcmc point, and that whatever
obligations tinancierS take, they
must take them ut their own peril.
Let me admonish you to be pru
dent and Wise; to avoid party
politics. For every i;,ir-mlndcd
man who is willing TO put his seal
Of di<approval on corruption, or Is
willing to go with us in correcting
abuses, VIC have 4 welcoming hand.
Those men are our friends, and
should be welcomed to our ranks.
The late war left this people al
most impoverished. Upon the is
sue Of the war, one OF the most
valuable species CT property-more
than onc-ha!f OF what was left to
the pcop!c-was stricken out at a
blow. Never We're there people
on the face ofthe earth who were
more entitled to sympathy than
the people Of South Carolina. In
the name Of that people, much
abused, almost ruined, call upon
you to bring TO your aid your no.
bIrSt efforts at this time.
Colonel Richard Lathcrs then
addressed the Convention. Refer.
ring to the Sterling Fund bill. with
which his name had been connect
ed, he said, referring to his visit
to Columbia during the session OF
! hr | I,rislntIrp | came to COium.