The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1895-09-26
CONSTITUTIONAL
CONVENTION.
FROM SALUDA TO BUTLER.
THE ENTERING WEDGE OF THE
TROUBLE.
George ID. Tillmans Onslaught Upon
His Brother-The Fight Over the
Printing.
FIFTH DAYS PROCEEDINGS.

constitutional convention rs 1T marked
the real beginning of it's work. The
rest of the week had been spent IL
necessary preliminary matters, which
having been finally gotten into shape
the convention settled down to active
business.
The features of to-day's proceeding.
were the formation of Butler County
out of q portion of Edgefield and the
speech of G. d. Tillman on the quus
tion of naming the new county, and
the settlement of the printing matter
by awarding the contract to MIR. G. A.
Calvo, the State Printer. Over each
of these three matters u hot fight was
waged and the discussion of them took
up the whole day from 10 O'clock to
nearly 3.
After the ordinary preliminarics
the committee on rules made a report
amending rule q in reference to print
ing resolutions presented in accordance
with the will of the convention. The
only change of Importance permits q
measure to be amended on the third
reading by q majority vote instead of
by q two-thirds as originally provided.
Senator Tillman moved to change
the calendar by which the county
government resolution of Mr.. Prince
was placed ahead of the Butler County
tinctly remembered that the resolution
OF Mr.. Prince was the last thing con-
sidereu yesterday, and that provision
was made that Saluda County be first
taken up. 1t seemed as il nothing
could keep of the Butler County mat
ter, and that The convention was in for
the preliminary skirlnish.
The committee having undor consid-
Grafton the Saluda County resolution
had two reports, ma ajOrity report
signed by six members and Il minOri-
ty report signeo by live: There was a
squabble among committee men as to
whether the minority had not taken
advantage of the majority and put in
areport without proper authority, and
upon this difference there eusued de-
bate characterized by considerable
warmth at times and covert insinua-
tions about bad faith. The majority
report recommended the formation of
the county under the name of Butler.
A long debate ensued, in which Geo
D. Tillman, Frank b. Gary, r.. r..
Hemphill, Geo. Johnstone, II. b. Wat
son and others participates the main
effort of those who we're opposed to
the majority report being directed to
O recOmmittal of the report, which
was proposed by Gen. Hemphil. No
one opposed the formation of Saluda
or Butler County, but there was a fight
against making it an exception.
Mr.. B. r. Tillman asked to be allow
ed to make q few remarks before the
matter was disposed Of. This conven-
tion had met to make new constitu-
ton, not to form new counties, but
Saluda was an exception. There was
absolutely no opposition to its forma-
ton, and he could not see why itshould
not be formed. He moved tho previous
question. Mr.. Parrot asked him to
Withdraw it and not shut of debate.
Oher people suggested the same
thing, whereupon Senator Tillman
said: "All right; I don't want to shut
my friend off, but I would rather hear
him vote no than to hear him talk"
(Laug ghter.)
The vote was then taken as to
whether the general resolution provid-
Ing that no new county should he
established should be taken up instead
Of Saluda and it was agreed to, but
the discussion continued, nevertheless,
as to the merits and demerits Of
Saluda.
Senator Tillman offered as a sub
stitute to the resolution that no new
counties should be created, unless de-
legates from all the counties affected
were unanimous, but on viva voce
vote this was lost.
Mr.. Derham offered an amendment
to the resolution by adding "providod
this does not apply to the proposed
Saluda County,"
Mr.. Hemphill moved to lay the
amendment on the table
The roll was called and the motion
to lay on tho table was lost by vote OF
82to g..
Mr.. Wilson suggested that the pre-
vtous question be called. The house
had enough and as there seemed to be
q disposition to load the ,Derham re-
solutions down the matter was pressed
and Mr.. Princes resolution that no
new counties DO created by the conven-
tiOn was tinaly adopted with the
amendment excepting Saluda County,
as the convention seemed to think that
isaluda County was grcased and ready
TO be rushed through, and 90 it was
given. o fine chance to go through,
especially as all other new county
schemes were cut Off.
Then came up the report of the COM
mittee to change the name to Butler
County, as unanimously reported
Mr., II. Il. Watson moved to strike
out the word Butler" and insert
"Saluda." While yielding to no man.
he said, In admiration for the services
OF the Butler family, yet he Thought
the name of tho county ought TO- be
Saluda. 1t was what the people OF
that section wanted. 1t was a name
that section had borne for many wears
and was distinctive one.
1t was at this juncture that Elk Con.
gressman George d. Tillman made by
odds the strongest and most forcible,
vigorous and eloquent speech of the
siCslon. He said that he had not un-
dertaken to act without authority, as
he had consulted about fifteen men
from that section, who had the mat.
ter In charge, and they had all agreed
that the new county should be called
Butler" 1t was only very, very re-
oently, he said, that this prejudice
had arisen against the name Butler,
and he did not understand it. Itwould
be very manly and generous to call the