The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-10-23
vas it that pulled down the high plane

was ~ IAQO Pu42SA w" IL SAkS AAA3A fNSsAS
of public men7 Who was it that
originated that word "bamboozle"3 1t
has rung throughout the State. He
had never known dishonest member.
Tillman-I have never been a mem
ber of the legislature, and you have.
You know how it is. ,
! Mr.. Burns-Yes, we took you up and
opened the way for you, and now we
want you to open the gates for the
people. The people were the real mas
ters and they didn't want to have to
hold one ffice-before they could hold
another. We are not going to take
the old party harness that has been
worn all over and put it on ourselves.
Wanted to elevate the legislative
branch of the government. The leg
lislature should not be allowed to elect
certain officers.
Tillman-Can you get rid of the OBJ
lection that if you prohibit men from
being eligible to Office, you will keep
the best men at home2
Mr.. Gage-The best men in my
county do not 20 to the legislature. 1
say this advisedly. They don't want
to scramble for election.
Tillman-Well that is an indictment
against Democracy and the rule of the
people.
Mr.. R. R. Hemphill could see no use
of such a provision. He had served
three years in the house and eight
years in the senate. He never knew a
man there who could be Influenced.
He differed with Mr.. Gage. Good men
had been elected judges in the past.
The legislature had elected Judge Nc
Gowan, than whom no abler or better
man ever occupied the bench-a man
that. was honest and conscientious.
Then they elected Judge Hudson, an
honorable man in every sense OF the
word. And there was Judge Wither-
spoon. These men he differed with on
some things, but nothing could be said
against them.
The motion to strike out section 81
was carried by a vote OF 70 to 40.
FUTURE CONVENTIONS.
Senator Tillman then offered the fol-
lowing amendment to be known as Sec
ton 38:
Section 38. The general assembly
shall submit to the qualified electors In
the year 1895 and every twentieth year
thereafter the question of calling a
Constitutional convention; and if the
majority of the electors shall vote in
favor thereof, then, at its next session,
the general assembly shall order an
election for delegates to said Constitu-
tional convention.
After it was voted down Senator Till
man said he wanted to speak. He want
ed to make brief explanation. He
called attention to the two-thirds vote
necessary to get amendments in or call
convention. The theory of the States
government was the rule of the ma
iority. He referred to the trouble they
had had in getting this present conven-
ton called.
Mr.. Prince raised the point OF order
that section of the article on amend
ments covered the same subject matter.
President Evans sustained the point.
He ruled that the only way it could
get in was for it to be adopted as a
part of tho legislative article and let
the committee on style and revision put
| it in its proper place or get that com,
mittee to report it to the convention.
There was quite q kick against the
ruling of the chair and President
Evans allowed the convention to take a
vote as to whether they would consider
the matter or not. The convention
voted to do so.
Mr.. Haynsworth suggested that as
1915 was an off year they had best
make it read 1916. This was agreed to.
Governor Sheppard said he hoped
that this provision would not pass.
The two-thirds vote should remain
there forever as a protection to the peo-
| pie.
Tillman-Are you afraid to trust the
people2
Sheppard-There has been no man
since the days of Thomas Jefferson
who has a higher regard for the opin-
ion of the people than have: But
why make it obligatory upon the leg
islature to do this3
The vote was then taken and the Till
man section was killed, the vote being
AZ to IS.
PENSIONS.
Mr.. Johnstone offered a substitute
for the amendment to section 38, which
made the section include allowing PEN
sions to be granted to naval veterans.
NEGRO BLOOD.
Mr.. w. D. Evans offered an amend
ment to section 81 which read as fol-
lows:
"Section "a. The marriage of white
person witha negro or mulatto, or per,
son who shall have any negro blood
shall be unlawful and void and punish
able as the general assembly may di-
rect"
The amendment read as follows:
provided, that this section shall
not be so construed as to disqualify for
marriage with white persons any per-
son of his or her issue who shall have
at or before the adoption of this Con.
stitution the status of white persons.
This brought "Uncle George" Till
man to his feet. Hewas very unwell.
| He wished he was able to speak. BE
said ho felt humiliated the other day
when the negro delegate from Beau
fort clapped his hands and said the
coons had the dogs up the tree. The
Junior United States Senator and the
gentleman from Newberry brought
this humiliating matter in. If the sec
ton stands as it is the convention will
stultify itself. The Mississippi lone
eighth" clause, he had found, was cop
| led from the old South Carolina law.