The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1894-12-12
TINE CONSTITUTIONAL CON.
VEMTiOn.
TO BE held I'm MARCH
AND TRE CONVENTION IN JULY.
EotsWords fpiehe Senate -Sranyarne Wilson
Leads the Fight for the R~formers-
Buist's Hot and Bitter WoTds-Baru-
well al q salna Agent apd Sloan.
Soothing Syrup.

Buist's Hot and Bitter WoTds-Baru
well az Balna Agent xpd Sloan.
Soothing Syrup.
Especial to Greenville News
COLUMBIA, S. g., December 1.-THE
political bitterness of the past was
thought to be dead in the Senate but
it was revived to-day with " hoop
and has been the sensation IN Coiumola
since. The fact is that there were req
hot times in the solemn precincts OF
this dignified body. The row arose over
an amendment to the Constitutions!
Convention bill, watch was a special
order in the Senate. The amendment
wss by Senator Finley and was to have
the ballot boxes in full view OF the
public. Senator Wilson objected to
the amendment, saying at ne olo
not think there was necessity Tor
changing the election laws. Elections
good enough for Senators are good
enough for delegates to the Constitu-
tional Convention.
Senator Barnwell followed. He dls-
claimed any intention Of dividing the
Senate on political lines. He was con-
.scious of the honor of the men ofSouth
Carolina, but he was deeply concerned
dor the purity Of the ballot. He re-
,cognized need for an advance on the
line of ele :tion methods. II hope" ne
said, "that the election for delegates TO
dhe convention will be conducted on
high plsne, above partizsn consldera-
tious. sfhe present constitution was
tainted from its birth because it was
not our own. The Constitutional Con-
yeption is the most momentoas ques-
,tion that has confronted our people
since the Secession Convention assem-
sbled. hope our people are actuated by
sas sublime an enthusiasm as actuated
the South Carolinians in 1850 when our
-uen marched forth to conflict in
which twelve Thousand of the flower
of our youth were slain aonathe;S stse
field" Mr.. BarnWen said he would
not chsrgs fraud in the late election.
Ee did not believe the petitioner Pope
who made bold to charge it received
majority Of the votes.
Senator Finley said he did not intend
In the beginning to excite the Senator
from Spareanbnrg. His object IN offer
ing the amendment was to provlde
against the possible cry offraud ana ne
failed to discover any alarming features
in the amendment.
Senator May6eld next jumped the
Finley amendment. He said: "Fhe
anendment means to give the ignorant
hosts another chance to do their works
of miserable infamy. It means to 60
back in the way of danger; to pass
through the valley of horrors; that the
black waves are to be given sweep at
us. That irresponsible race, the Negro,
should never have been given the right
of suffrage. 7 for one do not propose to
see Negro domination again, and am
sure the people of the State are strong
in this determination. The people have
enacted wise laws for themselves. The
registration and eight box laws were
God sends. At Greenvillei my early
days beard the sainted Furman on a
thanksgiving day at a public lscvlce
praise God for the eight box law. isee
40 GOOD reason for allowing ignorance
and vice to take hand in our election
affairs. The convention is momentoas
and we must build wisely and WE'LL
z Senator Efrd congratulated MT.
Barnweii on bis elevated discussion:
However he (Eird) was not IN favor OF
experimenting with the election laws.
He asked, has it occurred to the Sena-
tor from Charleston that the people
have not demanded a change of elec-
ton law especially such achange as the
Senator from York proposes" I'VE
senators are the guardians of the law;
Shall we throw down the barriers and
allow the vicious elements OF our voting
population to rush in aud overthrow
our rights? The people have sent US
here. We are here to provide for the
Constitutional Convention not TO
change the election laws"
Senator Wilson rose to speak on the
amendment the second time. He saIo
this was no time for changing election
laws. Ifa change is desired bring IN
vour bills. We should not change the
laws we were elected under. Let tne
people do their own changing. MI.
Wilson made mild and humorous as
sauls on the speech Of Mr.. BarnWeii.
Referring to that gentieman's plea lor
pesce he said: "Peace is 8 beautiful
thing. J like it. love the balny days
of June when the soft roses are IN
bloom and the beautiful birds sing
stirring songs OF gladness. Then Is
peace, glorious peace. But such elysian
circumstances do not exist in politics
The only peace possible in politics IS
majority rule. The minority must SUBJ
mis. Then is peace. Conditions any
thing but peaceful have been brought
about by the impression afew men have
that it is their right and privilege to
rule at all times. The peace Of politics
consists in majority rule and white
supremacy.
This apparently innocent amend
ment of Mr.. Finley's is suggestive OF
the little worm in Holland which bores
through the dykes with only view to
sustenance, while its work means the
destruction of hundreds of people and
large territories. This amendment may
open the way for destructive nooo OF
Negro votes"
The speech which raised the row and
produced the sensation was Bulst's.
Senator Buist arose calmly and gave
expression to sentiments of sorrow at
the alleged transactions in progress.
These were all the sorrowful reflections
ia his speech, for he made furious
talk, and reached the climax ofexcite-
ment. MI. Buist said he had been much
i'm favor of Constitutional Copven-
ton since the white people gained con-
troll of the government. "6ut l have
voted against it at every session When
it has been discussed. The reason of
this was that could not believe fair
election was possible under the coatrol
of the faction in power up to 1890 and l
have 60 reason to form better opinlon
OF the men now in cntrol. During my
service of twelve years on this floor L
have not seen men more devoted to
duty than the members Of the present
Senate but have grievances and am
1,a+ orotof,,l for tho faw small fayOrS