The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1895-08-28
COMING TO THE CON
VENTI0N.
Men Who Will Make the
New State Constitution.
THE CONSERVATIVES HAVE
40 MEMBERS AND PIE RE-
PUBLICANS 6.
Two Curios From the '6S Conven-
ton Will be Delegates.

The interest of the people of the
State is now centered upon the
eighth Constitutional convention that
the State has ever had which is to
assemble in the hall of the House of
representatives here exactly two
weeks from tomorrow at the hour Of
high noon, to be called to order by
Secretary Of State Tompkins. The
convention is now practically 1t
hand, and any information prel.-
nary to the assembling of the con
vention is read with interest by the
people. The election for delegates
TO the convention has been held and
at present it looks as if there will be
no contests in any of the counties.
Secretary Tompkins has not yet ap-
pointed the time for the assembling
of the State board Of caavassers to
canvass the returns ard declare the
results in the several counties, but
the law requires that the meeting
shall be held within fifteen days after
the election This meeting will
scarcely make any changes IN the re-
suit
Below, therefore, the roll of dele
gates is given There are 100 dele
gates. OF these only 40 are Con
seryatives and elected as such, and 6
are Republicans. All of the Republi-
cans are negroes and they are the
only negroes in the convention.
There are in the convention, how
ever, great many very conserva-
tive Reformers, but even if they vote
with the Conservatives, granting that
the Conservatives vote solidly, on
important questions, there will hard
ly be a sufficient number to defeat
any of the pet schemes of the lead
ers of the dominant element. For
this reason it may be safely predicted
that the sessions Of the convention
will not be very long unless a great
deal of time is consumed in talk.
Beaufort sends solid Republican
delegation of 5 negroes, and George
town sends the other Republican,
who was elected on a compromise
ticket.
Charleston was the only county in
the State to send a solid Conserva-
tive delegation. The counties that
send the Conservatives, elected on
division-agreement tickets. are as
follows: Abbeville, Chester, Chester.
field. Colleton. Edgefeld, George
town, Greenville, Hampton, Horny,
Lexington. Marlboro, Newberry.
Oconee, Pickens. Richland, Sumter,
Williamsburg and York
1t will be a matter of general
interest to know that there will be
only two members of this convention
who sat in the last constitutional
convention iii 1868 They are
Robert Smalls, the "Gullah States
man. and w. J. Whipper, both
negroes. 1t may oe interesting, too,
to know that the last convention was
called to order by Timothy Hurley,
of Berkeley /; that Senator T. j
Robertson, of this city. was made
temporary chairman aud that Albert
6. Mackey was president There is
a great amount of speculation as to
who will be made temporary chair
man of the coming convention and
as to who will! be president. The
name of Congressman Talhert is
mentioned in connection with both
positions, as is also that cf Speaker
Ira B. Jones
Much hss been said as to what the
convention ought to and will do. but
the following summary of Senator
Tillman the other day pretty well
covers the ground "The main SUBJ
jects to be discussed are suffrage,
divorce, schools, and questions as to
how the courts shall be formed;
whether the judges are to be elected
by the people or the Legislature
Among the notable members Of the
will be Senator Tillman,
Governor Evans. Congressman Tai
bert, ex Congressman George D. Till
man and Geo Johnstone, ex Cover
nor Sheppard and others
ROLL OF DELEGATES
Here is the roll of delegates that
will compose the convention
AbbevilIe-Wm McGowan, II
McCalla. j c K!ush. R R Hemphill,
Frank B Gary, r F McCaslan.
.Aiken-John Gary Evans, + P
" Woodward, 4 L Gunter, d S Hen
derson
tAnderson-J P Glenn. L D Harris.
J E Breazeale. D Ii Russell, G E
Prince, J NJ Sullivan
Barnwell-Robert Aldrich, G D
Bellinger, G NJ Hires. W C Smith, 4
II pa,forcor r. IT Ratoo