The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1895-04-17

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have already subscribed :" There
will be no attrition of minds in such
work-all that is wanted for such
business are messengers; not states
men or Legislators
[ have seer it stated that in one
instance at least a constitutional con-
vention had met where every mem
Der was pledged by oath not to inter-
fere with certain articles of the exist
ing Constitution / do not know to
what Convention this allusion is
made. There have been altogether
in the history of the Province aud
State of South Carolina eight conven,
tons or so called conventions of the
people: (l) the convention which
overthrow the Proprietary Govern.
ment in l719; (2) the Revolutionary
Congress or Convention which over
threw the Royal Government in l776;
(3) the convention which in 1890
framed the first State constitution
under the constitution of the United
States a. the famous Notification
Convention of 1892 33 the conven-
ton of 1852, which declared the
right Of the State to secede (6) the
Secession Convention Of 1850; 90
the convention called in 1865 by Pro-
visional Governor Perry, and (S) the
convention of 1868 under the Recon-
struction Act of Congress, which
framed the present constitution Of the
State
Reference could not have been in
tended to either the two first or the
two last of these, for each Of them
was a revolutionary body. Nor does
history mention the application Of
any test /; indeed the circumstances
of these preclude any such idea. SO
too, with regard to that of 1870, as
its purpose and design was to pro-
vide a constitution suited to the new
conditions of things after the Revolu-
ton, there could have been no such
test applied. There certainly were
10 such tests applied to the member
ship of either of the conventions of
1852 or 1850. This fact is within
the knowledge of many still living.
This leaves us but n convention
of this State to which ailusion could
possibly have been made, and that is
the Modification Convention of 1882
33. 1t is probable that that is the
one alluded to, for there was such a
proposition made in the Legislature in
regard to the membership of that
convention. Mr.. Seabrook, for the
Senate committee on the subject Of
calling it. did propose that delegates
elected. before taking their seats,
should be required to take an oath
that IN the discharge of their duties
as members they would not take into
consideration any other matters or
engage in the discussion of any other
measures than such as related to The
unconstitutional legislation of the
Congress of the United States but
Gays Dr.. Cooper, the editor of the
Statutes at Large: "Tbe bill finally
passed did not and does not contain
any such restriction as is proposed in
the last clause of MIR. Seabrook's bill
The Legislature sanctioned no posi-
tive restrictions in the powers of the
convention" (See Statutes at Large,
Volume l, 3l0-11)
An examination of the Act calling
the convention shows that in this
statement Dr.. Cooper was correct.
Bat had the Legislature on that
occasion adopted the report of the
Senate committee it would have been
an act of the Legislature-not that of
an unauthorized body.
But what is the pledge proposed
to be exacted Is it hat the mem
bers shall subscribe a pledge to sup
port some measure for "tle preser.
vaticn of white supremacy by such
publication of the suffrage as will
save us from negro domination ?"
Admitting the propriety of a
pledge by a legislator in advance of
debate upon a measure, there are few
who would hesitate to promise to
strive to accomplish this. But mark
what follows The delegates must
also subscribe to a pledge THAT no
white man shall be DISTINGUISHED
except for crime" Now put these
together, an6 what do they mean?
Simply a qualification of the ballot
for colored people, which qualiica
ton shall not apply to white men.
Can any n familiar with the con-
stitution Of the United States
promise to do this? Do we not
know that this is just what the con
stitution Of the United States de-
clares shall not be done? Saul Of
old was warned that il was hard for