The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-03-20
This Convention did not assem-

l~utions. This Convention did not assem-
bic to nominate a Governor. The res.
olutions are premature, II l would
therefore move to lay them on the table,
at least for the present.
The motion was seconded.
DR.. John w. Calhoun and others i'm
mediately ros to speak.
The Presidential motion to lay on the
table is not debatable. Does the gentle
man from Cokesbury withdraw tho mo-
ton?
DR.. Gary---I do not. I insist upon a
vote.
The Presidcnt---'The question is upon
the motion to lay tho whole subject on
the table. How will tho Convention
vote?
Several voiccs---Bv rising.
The Presidcnt---Those in favor OF the
motion to lay on the table will rise.
Will DR.. Gary tell the members N the
right, and Mr.. King those on the left Of
the aisle?
The tellcrs reported, for motion, As;
against motion, 81. The President then
declared the numbers, and announced
that the resolutions were laid or the tn
Bile. -'"
Mr.. r. w. Haddon, Due West-Mr.
President; it is alleged that severa por-
sons voted who are not members OF this
Convention.
The President-That being the case, the
vote will be taken again. Those favorlng
the laying Of these resolutions ON the
table will rise. [4S.]
The President-Those opposed will
rise. 1851
The President---The result is un-
changed. The resolutions are laid on the
Mr. A. NJ. Aiken, Greenwood
move to reconsider the question.
Mr.. j. n. King---Mr. President, the
from Greenwood voted in the
negative and cannot o to reconsider.
Col. H. II. Harper, Lowndesville---
Mr.. President, 1 voted in the Affirmative.
l move for a reconsideration. The advo-
of the Hampton resolutions seem
dissatisfied. I desire that they should be
heard.
At this point n member complained
that the audience pressed upon the con-
vention.--mixed with the delegates and
The president requested the
members to move forward and sit com
pactly around the bar, and the audience
were asked to withdraw to the rear OF the
hall leaving one row of seats between them
and the delegates. This was instant
ly done; and order restored. Mr.. Blake
now rose to speak to his resolutions when
an alarm of fire was given by cries OF
fire in the streets and the ringing of bells.
Without the usual formality, the presi-
dent announced q recess of ten minutes,
and the Court House was Immediately
emptied, tho delegates with others rush
ing to the Female Academy and assisted
to put out the fire, which was accom-
plished..
AFTER RECESS.
Tho President---The convention will
come to order. We have accomplished
our first undertaking. Let us hope that
it is a good omen
Mr.. Blake---I move that Col. Cothran,
our retiring President, be invited to q
seat on the floor of this Convention, with
all the privileges of members, except
voting. [Carried unanimously
llePresident---The motion 10 recon-
Is before the convention. Those To-
the motion to reconsider will
vote lay" Ian voted aye but four, who
voted "no."1
The Presidcnt---The motion to recon-
slider has been adopted. The question
recurs on the adoption of the Hump
ton resolutions. Is the Convention ready
for tho question?
w. II. Blake, Esq.,, Supports His
Resolutions.
Mr.. PRESIDENT: Inasmuch asI in
PRODUCED the preamble and resolutions,
some members seem disposed, to
think unnecessary, and for that cason
have voted to table them, l deem it my
duty to give the reasons which I think
should induce the convention to adopt
them unanimously. .
In the first place, the statements set
forth in the preamble are true. That
there are signs of division in the Demo-
cratic party, which have assumed tho
form of Ri attack upon Gov. Hamp-
no member of the Conyention, who
is at all conversant with the news of the
day, will deny. So prominentis this fact,
that It has attracted the attention OF our
States, whose press has be-
come interested in vi behalf, and are
warning US of the fatal consequences to
result from any division in our ranks.
What means the proposition here to-day
to table this whole subject, II it Is not an
"sign Of division'?" l am ut a
loss to comprehend the position OF gentle
men who vote to table those resolutions
under the plea that they are premature ;
that the whole subject should be post
poned. Do gentlemen know that such
disposition would amount to a refusal to
endorse Governor Hampton and his adj
ministration ?---the very, thing tho hal
contents of the State most devoutly wish,
and for which you, gentlemen, would
their unqualified endorsement.
In view of these facts it became the duty
of the rank and file of the party, with
the power resides, in their prima-
ry organizations, to give an emphatic re-
buke to all tactionists, and to silence, at
once, every dissenting voice; and espe-
cially does it become Abbeville county to
speak in this emergency She claims to
be the banner county of the State, and 1t
is expected of her, by her sister counties,
who accord to her this position. What do
these resolutions propose? Simply to en-
dorse Governor Hampton's administra-
ton and to express II conviction that
for the next campaign he is the only NAL
in South Carolina that car unity the party.
Can we not endorse his administration ?
Has it not been a success? I do not mean
to say that every act and appointment OF
his has been unqucstionable-above criti-
I do say that the result of his
administration is complete success.
Such rs no other man in South Carolina,
nor anywhere else, could have achieved
for us; a man, Of whom the resolution
declares, "a century produces but one,
reared for a special purpose-our redcmp-
.tion'-and not only our redemption, but
to save this nation from civil war. Did
he not do it? Who controlled that surging
seething indignation of an outraged peo-
pie, on the memorable 2Sth Of November,
before the State House in Columbia ?
Whose voice on that occasion, like the
voice of Omnipotonce, Gained the raging
sea of human passion; or at the uplifting
Of whose finger would not the flame of
civil war have devastated this whole ma
ton, and eXtinguished the last vestige of
civil liberty on this continent? 1t was
other than our own native fellow
citizen-Wade Hanpton-second, in the
result of his achievements, not eve to
Washington himself. Can we conclude
that any time would be premature to en-
dorse him?
The distinguishing feature of Governor
administration is asserted in
the resolutions to be conservatism"
and that is pure Democracy. Can any
gentleman in this Convention withhold
bis assent from this propositiOn2 This is