The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-05-11
AN ACT OF JUSTICE.
DEMOCRATIC STATE CONVENTION.
Full Representation ana Harmonious
Session.
COLUMBIA, Thursday, May 4


Executive Committee, the Democratic
State Convention assembled in the hall
of the House of Representatives at 7
o'clock. Nearly two hundred delegates
from the various counties were present.
The Convention was called to order by
Gen. M. G. Butler, upon whose motion
Col. D. Wyatt Aiken, Master of the
State Grange, was called to the chair as
the temporary presiding officer.
On motion of Gen. Butler, Mr.. T. G.
CASTOR, of Chester, was requested to act
as temporary Secretary.
On taking the chair, Col. Aiken
thanked the Convention for the honor
conferred upon him, and asked that the
proceedings be opened with prayer.
Rev. E. ]. Meynardie then offered up a
short prayer for wisdom and guidance in
the deliberations of the Convention.
On motion of Mr.. NJ. P. O'Conner, of
Charleston, the State Democratic Execu-
tive Committee were invited to partici-
pate in the proceedings, without the
privilege of voting. This courtesy was
also extended to the County Chairmen
of the party. j.,
The roll of delegates was called, and
all of the counties were represented, ex-
cept Lancaster and Marlboro.
Mr.. J. s. Richardson, of Sumter,
| offered a resolution that the convention
proceed to permanent organization by the
election of q President, six Vice Presi-
dents and two Secretaries; that the
nominations be made from the floor of
! the convention, and that the election be
by ballot.
Major Meetze, of Lexington, offered
an amendment to strike out "by ballot"
and insert "viva voce."
The amendment was adopted, and the
resolution agreed to.
MIR. Murray, of Anderson, moved that
the election Of permanent officers be post
poned until tomorrow; but the motion
! was laid on the table.
Mr.. Wilson, of Georgetown, moved
that each county have as many votes as
the county has representatives in the
lower house. This was temporarily with
drawn.
Gen. Gary, of Edgefeld, said that the
intention of the State Executive Com
mittee was to give to each county twice
as many votes as it had representatives in
| the House and Senate, and introduced q
resolution to that effect.
| Mr.. 'Connor, of Charleston, contend
ed that the intention was to give to each
county double its representation in the
lower house only. -
Gen. Butler, of Edgefeld, urged that
only one vote be allowed to each dele
gate, irrespective of county representa-
ton.
Gen. Wallace, of Richland, said he
understood. that the representation was
intended to4be twice that in the lower
| house only: 's-a
Mr.. Mullins, of Marion, got the floor
| and was proceeding to make somewhat
rambling speech, when point of order
was raised that he did not keep to the
question. The point was decided to be
we'll taken, and, on an appeal, the de-
cision of the chair was unanimously sus-
tanned. Mr.. Mullins then withdrew.
Gen. Gary having withdrawn his reso-
luton, an amendment was offered to the
original motion of Mr.. Richardson, that
| a majority of the votes cast be necessary
Il W q CuOlCC3 SilQ tAO uOt1OllJ % ohlOLkoO0j
was unanimously agreed to-.
MIR. Farrow, of Spartanburg, moved
that the vote be taken by counties. This
was ruled out of order.
1t was then agreed to proceed to nomi-
nate permanent officers.
Gen. Butler, of Edgefeld, nominated
Gen. Kershaw for permanent president.
There were no other nominations for the
position, and Gen. Kershaw was unani-
mously elected.
The following vice presidents were
then unanimously elected: First, M. L.
Bonham, of Edgefeld; second, Thomas
Y. Simons, of of-Charleston; third, James
A. Hoyt, of Anderson; fourth, A. Nc
Queen, of Chesterfield; fifth, B. F. Perry,
of Greenville; sixth, johnson Hagood,
of Barnwell.
Mr.. T. G. CASTOR, of Chester, and Mr..
J. J. Fox, of Colleton, were elected Sec
retaries.
On motion of Gen. Butler, the Chair
was requested to appoint committee of
three to wait upon the President elect,
and escort him to the chair.
The Chair appointed Gen. NJ. G. But
Ter, Capt. W. B. Stanley and Col. j. B.
Moore as the committee, who escorted
Gen. Kershaw to the chair.
Gen. Kershaw, upon taking the chair,
briefly addressed the convention. he
assured the gentlemen of the convention
that it was as much surprise as gratif-
cation to him at being called upon to fill
80 distinguished a position. He felt that
the most distinguished position that any
man in the State of South Carolina can
occupy at the present time is to be the
presiding officer of convention of that
class of ostracised citizens whose voice
should always be heard in shaping the
destinies of the State. He excused him
self from saying more than assuring the
convention of his heartfelt thanks for the
honor conferred. He felt that this was
not the occasion, if it was otherwise
proper, that he should offer measures or
counsels for the consideration of the con-
vention, when the battle for the redemp-
ton of the State, in which the Democ-
racy expected to be victorious, was 30 far
distant. AS a military man, he should
not indicate his plan of battle until the
enemy has somewhat developed his plan
of campaign. He said it would be a
presumption on his part to indicate what
should be the course of this convention,
of which he was incapable, and, there
fore, would announce that the Chair was
ready to entertain the business of the
convention.
Col. VIM. johnson, of Charlotte, and
Mr.. McGee, of Anderson, were invited to
seats on the floor of the convention.
Gen. johnson Hagood, of Barnwell,
offered the following preamble and reso-
lutions:
The Democratic party of South Caro-
lima having met in convention, after
being without active organization for
several years, this convention will address
itself exclusively to the work of the re-
organization Of the party in the State
and the selection of proper representa-
t,ro, - fbo Nof;ono1 Convention nf thn