The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1895-11-07
Constitutional Convention.
THE GREAT THEME OF THE
HOUR.
THE SUFFRAGE QUESTION.
The Women Will Not Vote-Ehe Main
Issue Gets Before the Convention.

The Women Will Not Vote--Ehe Main
Issue Gets Before the Convention.
The amendment offered by MIR. Clay
ton to confer upon women the right to
vote was defeated by III to 26. The
closing discussion OF woman suffrage
was participated in by w. j. Talbert
Geo. D. Tillman, Geo. e. Prince, John
j. McMahan, J. p. *. Bryan and
others. AT the conclusion of Mir.
Bryan's speech direct vote was taken
on Mr.. ClaYton's amendment, on which
the ayes and noes wore' called. result
ing as follows:
Yeas-Clayton, Cooper, Cunning
ham, Dudley. Ellerbe, w. d. Evans,
Hemphill, Willie Jones, keitt, McMa.
han, Meares, Miller, j. ID. Montgom-
cry, Moore, Nicholson, parler, Ros-
borough, Shuler, w. G. Smith, Stack
house, Taylor, G. D. Tillman, Timmer-
Nays-Goyernor iei John Gary Evans
President,, Aldrich, Alexander, An
derson, Ashe, Atkinson, Austin, Bar
ker, Barton, Bates, Behro, Bellinger
Bobo, Bowen, Bowman, Bradham,
BreazeaIe, }. S. Brice, ". w. Brice,
Bryan, Buist. Burns, Cantey, Carver
Connor, DELAY, Dennis, Dent, Der
fField, Fitch, Floyd, Fraser, Gamble
Garris, Gary. Gilland, J. j.. Glenn. j.
T. Glenn, Gocding, Graham, Gray,
Gunter, 'Hamel, Harris, Harrison,
Hay, HaynswOrth, D. =. Henderson,
Henry, Houser, HutsOn, Irby, Jervey,
1. E. Johnston, George job nstone, l.
3. Jones, E. j. Kennedy, j. W.
Kennedy, klugh, Lee, Lowman
GGybrand, Gy , McCalla, MeCsslan, Me-
Hagen, McMakin, McWhitc. Mat
thews, Mitchell, Morrison, Mower,
Murray, Nash, Otis, Parrott, Patter-
son, Patton, Peako Perritte Prince,
ISagsdale, j. H. Read, Redfcarn, r. r.
Reed, Rowland, Russell, Sheppard,
Singletary, Sigh, Sloan, Smalls, A. J.
Smith, Jeremiah Smith, Il. Il. Smith,
Smoak, Stokes, i5tribling. Sullivan,
Talbert, 3. II. Tilman, VonKolnitz,
White, S. e. White, Virgins, Stan
yarne Wilson, w. b. Wilson, Winkler,
Woodward
Mr.. Sligh introduced an amendment
to tho effect that the General Assem-
bly, after January, 1898, may provide
that female citizens Of che State not
otherwise disqualified by this consti-
tuition and who in addition pay taxes
on $500 worth OF property, may be
granted the right Of suffrage. This
amendment was debated by Mr.. Sigh,
ID. s. Henderson and others, and was
laid on the table by vote of 80 to AZ.
This brought down the question to
the main section Of the report from
tho suffrage committee, whom MIR. Pat
ton offered the following as q substi-
tute
1. Every male citizen Of the State of
South Carolina Of the aye Of twenty
one years, not laboring under disabiii-
ties named in this constitution, who
shall have resided in the State two
years, and in the county in which he
offers to vote ninety days next prece-
ding any election and who shall have
paid all poll or other tax duo by him
to the State for the fiscal year prece-
ding that in which he shall offer to
vote; and who, in addition thereto,
(a) shall be able to read the cOnstitu
tion in English print and sign his
name; or
(b) shall own In his own name and
return for taxation property in this
State to the amount of three hundred
dollars or
(c) shall have been engaged in the
active military or naval service of the
late Confederate States of America !;
(d) shall be the lawful lineal descend
ant Of person who was engaged in
such service, and shall be alive at the
time Of the adoption Of this constitu-
tion,
Shall be qualified elector OF this
State, and when duly registered,
hall be entitled to vote for all officers
s are now Or may hereafter be
ID, by the people, Ind u1on all
.eions submit ed to tne electors ..t
Il, 9FSsttGo; TSa Genera, Assembly Sd Il enuc,
just and equal Laws for the accurate
registry of the qualified electors Of
this State, and they shall also cstab-
lish convenient, fair and Impartial
tribunals to pass upon and determine
the qualifications of pcraons Offering
themselves for registration as quail
fed electors.
3. A popular government cannot ex-
ist without pure baiiUt: the General
Assembly, therefore, shal enact
stringent laws for the regulation Of the
registry and elections Of this State,
with severe penalties for the viola
tion OF the same. Any person who
shall willfully violate such laws shall,
upon conviction, in addition to such
penalties as the General Assembly
may impose, be forever disqualified
from voting and debarred from hold
ing public Office in this State and tho
disabilities imposed by this section
shall not be removed by the pardon of
Gtlo NoVolHOt VI ny hCI VI Guo HOBotdi
Assembly.
Mr.. Patton made long and able
speech in advocacy Of his plan. in the
course of which he alluded to the con-
viction Of Robert Smalls for taking q
bribe in the days Of Radicalism. This
part of the speech caused Mr.. Smalls
to rise to q question Of privilege, when
he spoke as follows:
Mr.. President, and gentlemen Of this
convention | said few days ago
that T would content myself with the
vote that | should cast upon tho re-
naming sections of this suffrage bill,
and I did not, sir, intend to do Other
wise, and would not on this occasion
had not the gentleman from Richland
gave as ono Of his reasons why this
amendment of his should pass, and as
proof of the unfilness of the negroes tC
vote vas tho cause of the representa-
tives sent here from Beaufort County
that If tho people had examined tho rec
ord Of the Rich land court one of Beau