The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-05-11

Convention was to be in power for two
years whether there was to be any plat
form.
Gen. Hagood said that minute organ
ization was not necessary for the white
people of South Carolina. 1t was only
necessary to sound the bugle and beat the
drum, and they would come out. The
duty now was to elect the delegates and
State Executive Committee, to which
committee the rest could be safely left.
Gen. Gary said he thought that the
questions asked by Mr.. Lipscomb could
be best answered in caucus.
Mr.. Tilman, of Edgefeld, made long
speech, arguing that State Convention
should not have been called to elect dele
gates to the National Convention, and
that delegates should have been elected
by the Congressional districts, as in
Georgia. He hoped that a State Con-
vention would never again assemble,
except to make nominations of officers
and erect a platform for the party.
Mr.. Lipscomb moved to go into secret
session on the resolutions.
Gen. Butler moved that committee OF
fifteen be appointed, to be known as
"The Committee on Business" whose
duty it shall be to propose plan of ac-
ton for this Convention, and that the
committee report at 10 a. m. tomorrow,
to which time the Convention stands ad-
iourned, and that the pending resolutions
and all others be referred, without de-
bate, to this committee.
Gen. Gary was in favor of having a
secret session. Our plans should not be
known. Not that we wanted to plot
treason or new rebellion, but to do
what may be necessary to complete the
organization of the party and ensure sue
cess. If there is any division of senti-
ment, or if two policies obtain favor in
the State, this should be kept to ourselves
and not to be heralded to the world. He
was, therefore, in favor of Gen. Hagood's
resolutions.
Gen. Butler thought that the resolu-
tions and all Others should be referred to
a committee, which could-as the Con-
vention as whole could not-frame 8
thorough plan of organization. He pro-
posed this only in order that the Conven-
ton might act advisedly on Gen. Ha'
goods resolutions.
Gen. Kennedy moved as an amend
ment that the committee on business con.
sist of three from each Congressional dis.
trict. The amendment was accepted.
Mr.. Tilman said he was opposed to
secret session, and likewise to Gen. But
ler's substitute. The Hagood resolutions
covered the whole ground of what should
be done tonight. He coucurred in what
the chairman had said, that wise gener-
al will not expose his plans until the
enemy show theirs. Organization, and
nothing but organization, is what should
be done now. When we re-assemble to
nominate State officers, we can decide
whether we shall have q straight-out
Democratic ticket or cooperation tick.
ct; and am confident that the minority
will cheerfully bow to the decision of the
majority. This, therefore, is not the time
to discuss principles or measures. Not
because he feared the encounter, for he
had reason for the faith that was in him,
but because discussion now would dc
harm. He did not approve of the secret
session, which would only end in giving
additional publicity to the proceedings
Col. Aiken said that this Convention
had no right to shape the policy of the
Democratic party in South Carolina
The business OF the Convention is to elect
delegates and an executive committee,
and then go home. Loud applause.
Even if a most discreet committee on
business were appointed, it might concoct
business enough to detain the Convention
so long as to make it worthy the name Of
Centennial Convention" He had
come here instructed to vote for delegates
to st. Louis, who should see that the
State suffered no harm, and to elect an
executive committee of true and tried
men. On everything else he would vote
no, except on resolution that he would
introduce to allow no delegate to speak
more than once on the same subject, and
to limit all speeches to five minutes each.
Gen. Butler contended that the people
needed more than this. If the campaign
before us is worth making, it is worth
preparing for. To 60 home, as suggested,
without completing an organization,
would be child's play. 1t is most impor-
tant we shall not commit ourselves one
way or the other to our enemy; but it is
equally important to consider whether a
plan Of further organization should moi
be framed and adopted. If a discreet
committee be appointed they can No
doubt submit business acceptable to the
whole Convention. The Hagood resolu-
tions were not acceptable to him, and he
would be compelled to oppose them.
Mr.. Hammond, of Aiken, spoke earn
estly in favor of Gen. Hagcod's resolu-
tion.
Mr.. Lipscomb, of Newberry, desired to
have the sense of the Convention whether
the powers of the Convention were linn
tied to the election of delegates and an
executive committee. His constituents
expected more than that. They expected
this Convention to lay down a platform
for the party. There are two sets OF
opinions in the State. Many men in his
county had refused to come in until they
knew what they were committed to-
They said they had gone to meetings
before, and had only been tied to some
thing that was not Democracy at all.
Now they would not come in until they
knew what was expected of them and
whether it suited them. He wanted the
Convention to say what should be done,
and to elect an executive committee to do
it. He would not be willing to entrust
the powers of this Convention to any
thirteen men in South Carolina; and il
the powers of the Convention were re-
stricted within narrow limits, as suggest
ed, he wanted the Convention to say so.
He believed this Convention was sent
here to take entire charge of the affairs
of the Democratic party for two years.
The Convention had not done anything
yet, and his impression was that the Con-
vention was afraid to do anything.
Mr.. O'Connor explained the character
and purpose of the Hagood resolutions,
and suggested that the first two of Ha-
goods resolutions be adopted, and that
Buffers resolution be adopted as sub
atitute fnr the third resolution.