The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1895-10-01
Constitutional Convention.
THE WORK BEGUN IN EARNEST.
The Executive Department Under Re-
view. -
Thirteenth Day.

The convention entered upon har
work this morning in the consideratio
0i matters connected with the execu
tive department, relating to the estab
hshment OF a pardoning board aud th
power OF removal from public Office b.
the Governor. A little by-play begai
the session in an effort to unlock tn,
wheels of the committee on county gov
ernments.
LIVELY TINES IN A SPLIT COMMITTEE
Mr.. OTIS rose to q question OF higf
privilege immediately after the COR
rection OF the journal has been com
pleted and offered the following reso
luton:
whereas, the committee on count
and county government has been in
creased from III to IL members -an
even nun ber--by order OF this conven.
tion, which has frequently caused a
deadlock and now q permanent dead.
lock therefore, be it resolved, that the
Hon. J.W.F Floyd, of Kersbaw. be added
TO the committee on counties and coun.
ty government.
Mr. Austin, of Greenville, had risen
as soon as he saw Mr.. Otis on the floor.
The latter declined to yield and pro-
ceeded to speak, urging and beseech-
ing the convention to give the cnmmits
tee an odd number to break the deaW
lock. ~
Mr.. Austin offered the following l%b-
stitute:
Whereas, the committee on counties
and county government Ia composed of
twelve members, and whereas, with
this number the committee is unable to
agree; therefore, be it resolved. that
the president of this convention be a,,-
thorized to add one additional member
to said committee.
Mr.. Austin said he was entirely will.
ing to leave the selection of the odd
man to the chairman of the convention.
He thought 1T prepOsterous and pre-
sumptuous for member of one of the
two sides in the committee to try to
name the odd man.
Mr.. johnson concurred in this view.
Mr.. Moore thought the fairest way
would be to withdraw the last man ap-
pointed.
George D. Tillman moved to table
Mr.. Austin's substitute and gravely and
pathetlcaliy gave an account OF the sit
nation in his committee, which elected
roars OF laughter. He suggested that
thirteen IL an uplucky number. Tho
committee had been going on smoothly
with six members for new counties and
five, ror thsneS system OF monopoly in
court RGA hen this newcomer, who
fayors the -0fu county system, came
LIN and created a deadlock in which the
committee had continued ever since.
III the debate on the report was half
as exciting, fierce and bitter as IL had
been In committee he could promise
that 1T would be very interesting oc-
casion.
The chair asked leave to make O
statement The name Of the gentleman
who was made the twelfth member of
the committee had been omitted from
the newspaper roll used in making up
the committees. When the mistake
was discovered, as matter of courtesy
to the gentleman he was allowed to Sc
lect his own committees. AS he chose
that on counties it was necessary to OBJ
tain permission from the convention to
add one to the number of that commit
tee, which had been done.
Mr.. Prince, of Anderson, favored Mr.
Austin's substitute. He was willing to
leave the appointment of the odd man
To the president or to the convention,
but he did not think one of the con.
testing halves of the committee should
name the man or decide the point at
issue.
Mr.. Breazeale offered a substitute in
: structing the two halves of the commit
tee TO make two reports and allow the
question to be fought out on the floor
of the convention
Mr.. George ID. Tillman said the com
mittee could not agree on anything,
not even on its points of disagreement.
(Laughter)
Mr.. OTIS proposed that each half of
the committee put up man and let
the convention elect one of them to fill
out the committee.
Mr.. Stanyarne Wilson objected to
this on the ground that it would force
RI 70 hnf
was informed of the merits of the ques-
tion.
Mr.. OTIS moved to table Mr.. Brea
zeale's substitute. Lost.
Mr.. Breazeale's substitute was then
adopted.
THE BOARD OF PARDONs.
The report on the executive depart
meut was taken up, and the pending
question was on Mr.. Derham's amend
ment as follows:
Amend section IL, line 8, by strik-
ing out all after the word 'pardons,'
down to and including the word 'peni-
tentiary,' and insert in lieu thereof TO
be provided by the General Assem-
bly,"
Mr.. E6rd opposed the amendment.
He thought the members of the pro.
posed board should be persons who
live in Columbia and who are elected
by and responsible to the people. He
wanted the composition fixed in the
Constitution, and not left to any future
possible vagaries of the General As
sembly.
Mr.. Derham, in supporting his
amendment, said 1t to be an assump-
tion that the governor Is worked tC
death, while the other State officers
had nothing to do, and should there
fore be required to help him in bis
work. AS u matter of fact, the State
officers are harassed to death by their
membership. on boards. Members
should remember that the action taken
here would be final. III the General
Assembly made mistake In com
posing the board 1t could be easily
corrected. If experiments were to be
tried they should not be put in the
constitution.
Mr.. w. j. Montgomery offered ;
substitute that the board of directors
of the State penitentiary constitute
the board OF pardons, and proceeded t,
speak in its favor.
Mr.. b. IL. Tillman said the matter o
pardons affected meu whose lives ar,
at stake and whose cases the boart
would frequently be unable to conside
in time without special meetings. Nj
Montgomery Withdrew his substitute
Mr.. Derham's amendment was the
adopted, without debate, leaving tn
section AZ fOllOwa'