The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-10-09

Z
scribe the first term of the senators
from such counties as to observe such
classification" Adopted.
THE ANTI-DUELING OATH.
Mr.. w. B. Wilson moved to strike
out that part o. section 81 providing
for taking the anti-dueling oath.
Mr.. Henderson spoke against the
motion.
Mr.. Hutson hoped the amendment
would be adopted. We might as well
have similar oath for murder or any
other crime. They were going too
much into details.
Mr.. Clayton was not an apologistfor
dueling. He hoped the day was a long
way off when any man in South Caro-
Rlina would be. But this oath was such
that the pardon of the governor, while
removing the disabilities from the man
committing arson or rape, and en-
abling him to hold office, could not re-
move it in this case. This had been
a phantom, intending to cure an evil,
and had resulted in making black.
guards of gentlemen, and in causing
the loss of more lives by assassinations
than were ever lost under dueling law
The convention refused to strike Out
the oath by the following vote: Yeas
SO, nays n.
Mr.. Stanyarne Wilson moved tc
amend by making the oath applicable
to dueling in this State. He believed
| it was only the intention to preserve
peace in this State and that gentlemen
were not concerned about what thei,
fellow-citizens did in other States
Few laws had so seriously affected the
manhood of our men as the anti-duel'
ing law: >,
Mr.. Sigh moved to table. Carried
by vote of 81 to 52. The Tillman
brothers voted in the negative.
Mr.. Byrd offered an amendment ex.
cepting State officers and members OF
the legislature. He made speech on
the line that campaigners were subject
to insult, and because they were
known to have their hands tied, bullies
sending challenge and holding them
up as towards because they could not
be accepted. Laid on the table.
Mr.. Jervey moved to change the
form of the oath so that the officer
would only swear that he will not en-.
gage in a duel as principal or second
during his term of office. Laid on the
table by vote of 67 to 60.
James Wigg moved to include in the
oath "or in a lynching bee," so that
lyncher would be debarred holding
Office. The question was put and de-
elared lost while Wigg was holding
| the floor and calling on the president
Wigg-Mr. President, 1 have the
floor.
Mr.. Talbert- Well, hold it.
He was finally recognized and Wigg
made good speech on the line indi'
Gated by his amendment. The vote
was again taken and his amendment
tabled.
Mr.. Johnstone amended the section
prohibiting the payment of salaries oi
State officers after their death by ad
ding land no pensions shall be granted
except for military service"
Section 81, on which fight is ex.
pected, was passed, and section q
called up.
A LIVELY DEBATE.
The sections up to section "a were
adopted at once. Section "a read as
follows:
The marriage of a white person with
a negro or mulatto or person who
shall have any negro blood, shall be
unlawful and void.
When it was called up, Gen. Smalls
startled the convention and created
dignifed stampede from the galleries
He offered the following as an amend
ment to follow after "void."
"And that any white person who
shall live and cohabit with negro OF
mulatto or person who shall have one
eighth or more of negro blood shall
be disqualified from holding any Of
fee of emolument or trust in this State
and the offspring from any such liv
ing or cohabitation shall bear the
name of the father and shall be entitled
to inherit and acquire property the
same as if they were legitimate"
Smalls spoke to the subject at length
He hoped the gentlemen would vote
here to purify themselves; their wo
men were good and pure and he wanted
the men to be. He read census returns
showing the number of mulattoes in
the South. He asked that they would
put a stop to this crime; he knew thai
if woman suffrage was allowed the
women would pass some such law tc
purify the men.
Mr.. Cooper of Coleton moved tc
amend Smalls' amendment by striking
out the last 80 words relating to legit
imatizing the offspring of the alliances
Mr.. w. D. Evans moved to lay both
amendments on the table. The vote
was very close, and if anything the
"noes" seemed to make more noise,
but. the motion was declared adopted.
Mr.. B r. Tillman took the floor and
said he had been accused of being an
arch enemy of the negro, but he want,
ed Justice, and he was now going to
show himself their friend. He renew.
ed the amendment of Mr.. Cooper
made to Mr.. Smalls' amendment, and
which had been declared tabled when
h. did not believe it had been. He did
not impute any unfair action on the
part of the president.
Mr.. Talbert fired up instantly. The
vote had been correctly stated, he said,
and as long as he was in the chair he
proposed to state it without assistance
from the.foor.
Mr.. Tillman reiterated that he had
not desired to impute unfairness, and
said he did not wish to get into q