The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1895-12-10

! TEE CON(ETIiON'S WORK ENDS.
The New Constitution Now the Law. A
Review Of Its Most Important
Features.
After remaining in session for three
months, less one week, the eonstltu-
t;onal convention has at last completed
the work of framing new constitution
i for the State Of South Carolina and
has adjourned sine die. Seven mem
bers of-the convention voted sgeinst
the final adoption Of tic new organic
law. Mr.. Doyle voted with these
seven at first, but upon the completion
Of tic roll call had his vote changed.
1t has taken lorg time and 10 end Of
debate to construct the new organic
las, and consequently many radical
changes from the old constitution have
been made, tile five most radical being
the regulation Of the suffrage, with the
understanding feature; the increase
! in the school tax; the imposition Of the
graduated income tax: the putting III
OF the dispcDsary law regulations, end
the adoption Of. the anti-lynch Jaw
section which is the only provision OF
the kind in any State constitution.
Then there is the increase OF the
| Supreme Court to four justices. and an
endless number OF other important
changes.
Tie convention was in sassion so
! long that it come to be considered al
most part of tic State government.
It is needless to say that a good many
members seem TO be much fatlgued
and worn out, and no doubt they viii
be glad to get away to to their homes.
The cost Of framing the new constitu-
ton has been greater than was expect
ed, but that has been provided for and
the people will scarcely complain.
! Thus far very few opinions as to the
merits or dcmerits Of the paper have
bcen expressed, but no doubt many of
its features will be heard from during
/ the coming state campaign.
The conventions members as
whole have stuck pretty close to their
work during the entire session and are
to be commended for their endurance.
Thr C members Of the convention died
during the session. Wednesday, work
| was purely of routine character from
beginning to end, the committed on or
der, style and revision directing the
proceedings. This committee has done
it's work in the most thorough b manner.
The consideration of the committees
| proposed amendments was completed
Wednesday at exactly ] :3S p. M, and
after considering some re:o utions the
convention at ?. m. took Il recess I'LL
/ D. II. to allow the committee to have
changes put il the enrolled copy. In
the afternoon the committed had Ill
these pages ready: They were adopt
81 aissr 6cing caEef1f777 feV1sedl' ~ 1
| then the constitution was adopted as O
| whole. 4 recess was then taken till
1:3O to allow the committee to arrange
the enrolled sheets in their proper or
.icr. In the interim mock conyen-
ton WAS held and much sport indu]ged
in.
| Wednesday night, at the final ses-
SIGN, the interesting ceremony of sign
ing the constitution was witnessed.
President Evans signed first at 7:37.
Gen. Robert Smalls, one of the negro
members, refused to sign. The other
negroes were not in the hall. At two
minutes of o'clock the constitution
was declared the organic |aw Of the
State. The convention then went into
committee of the whole with Mr..
George Johnstonc in the chair. Ap-
propriate resolutions were adopted.
When President Evans again took the
chair, Mr. Bellinger, on behalf OF the
delegates, presented him with hand
some gold watch. President Evans
then delivered his farewell address,
speaking as follows:
There are times, gentlemen: places
and circumstances, that bring the
hearts OF men together. when the out
side chickering's, when Gissensions, when
animosities are forgotten and hearts
that were divided become united and
beat for one body. / feel that this
convention, representing the soyer-
eighty Of South Carolina now rests in
that condition. It has been the cher
ished hope Of the most Of us that this
convention would be the meals of
framing Il Jaw around which South
Caroliuians could unite: around which
a divided people could unite and bury
past differences and be brethren once
more. J. feel that that has been ac-
complished. We came here with some
We came here some OF US
mistrustipg one another. We came !
here possibly thinking that some of us |
III the heat OF debate, il passion, .
would intlict wounds that would never !
be healed. / thank God that this has |
not heeu the case. 7 thank God that !
this body will adjourn, and / say it !
from NJ own heart and believe but !
reflect the feelings and the sentiments J.
Of every delegate upon this floor when
say tLat when we Leave here We leave
It with no beart-burnings-with no
preiulices. We leave it q united peo-
ole once more.
He then thanked the body fcr non
>ring him, and for the gift to Linn. He
hen made the following appropriate
persona! reference: "And now, gentle
l:n, let Inc assure you that before
sc meet i'll another constitutional
shall be married
ian. an satisfied, gentlemen.
t Will be sooner: but this IS not the
,!ace--- this is too dienifed Z rlacc-to
make rash promises. !,
4 compliment vas paid to the vener-
bic statesman, ez-CongressmaG Gee.
=. Tillman, the convention calling 81
.!m for speech: and he spoke for 9
,1f b,-7r 4 eo1:-or 18th national ;ssuec