New-York tribune., 1895-09-12
REFUSED TO TAKE THE OATH.
LIVELY TIMES IN THE SOUTH CAROLINA coNsTi-
TrTIoNAL CoNvENTION-TILLMANS
SCHEME DENOUNCED.

TrTIONAL OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
SCHEME DENOUNCED.
Columbia, s. c. Sept. 1.-THE Constitutional Con-
vention began It's session this morning with another
rush. and there have been lively proceedings thus
far President Evans announced his standing COM
mlttees at the opening Senator lrby Is chairman
q, tho Committee on Declaration OF Rights and Sena-
tor Tillman is In charge OF the Committee on Rights
OF Suffrage which means, OF course, the reporting or
the Mississippi plan with notifications The minority
has had a pretty fair representation on the commit
tees.
Attention was called to the fact that the delegates
had not taken the constitutional oath and for three
ouarters O, an hour things lively in the ex-
treme The members dd not wish 10 take the oatn
provIded by the old Constitution and nsnt en-
sued Finally II decided to do So When -FOUR
DELEGATIONS had been sworn In and President Evans
had taken the oath. Senator Tillman submitted that
under the same Constitution. II he took that oath,
he would have TO leave the convention along with
all others holding United States Offices, for the Con-
s,,ution distinctly said that man holding a
Federal office could hold State office. 1--WE are
the people" he said. I'VE not officers but rep
resent the sovereignty. I cannot take the oath"
General smalls the negro. said that the same
question had arisen in his case, he being state
Senator and United States Congressman at the
same time He simply lost his pay While he acted
as a State Senator After lively running discus
sion the convention referred the matter TO the Ju-
dietary Committee TO report whether they should
take an oath or not. and II so 10 prepare suitable
The committee reported that the taking OF the
oath was not necessary and the report was adopt
ed All matter in the record In regard 70 the oath
was ordered stricken out.
long fight took place in regard 10 the increasing
OF the pay OF members from 81 day. as fixed by
the Legislature in the act calling the conVehto"' 10
81 The effort increase failed
Numerous new ordinances were introduced, one
providing a suffrage plan containing the main
features of the Mississippi plan. with alternative
propertv and other qualifications and another pro.
vidng a 5000 property qualification IN cities ana
towns.
washington. Sept II (speciaD.-The extreme
course OF the leaders in the South Carolina con-
vention is recognized by some Democrats from
that State now in the city. very intelligent
South Carolina lawyer thus discusses the propo-
siton OF Robert Aldrch TO prevent negroes from
holding office:
matter His scheme will never stand the test OF
any court OF justice. Even n magistrates court
would declare such provision ineompaubie win n
the XVIII Amendment 10 the Constitution OF the
United States X violates the very letter or that
amendment. for It limits suffrage by prescribing
that the few blacks who would under the general
nrnyislons be permitted TO vote should vote for
colored man for office
IL is considered remarkable that such propo-
stion 20 obviously unconstitutional. should ever
have been mooted. A conservative. who was one
OF ex-senator Buffers principal neutenants. and
who managed his last campaign. says
TilIman proposes TO disfranchise all the negroes
and enfranchise all the whites. II can't be done
No such scheme that will be approved by the
American people. southern Democrats generally
s'rtc,ing negro suffrage by ballot laws This oues
,inn ~ the ballot ~ exceedingly important In Is
doubtful II any permanent solution can be had.