The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-09-25

ventiop.
COLUMBIA, Sept. 16-Special: This
has been the day of days in the session
of the Constitutional Convention thus
far. There were intimations, on the
outside, that there was to be some
thing out of the usual order, and the
delegates, as well as the unusually
large number of spectators, seemed
expectant.
The preliminaries were few and
short. There was the reading of the
journal of Saturday-several correc-
tions being made.
The president announced the ap-
pointment of Mr.. w. H. Yeldell, Of
Edgefeld, as chief of the engrossing
department, and Mr.. F. 81. Wither-
spoon as bill clerk.
On motion of Gen. Gray of Green
vile, the public printer was directed
to print 500 copies of the permanent
journal.
On motion of Mr.. Stanyarne Wilson
it was ordered that no resolutions or
ordinances should be introduced after
the 23rd inst.
THE BATTLE BEGINS.
The ordinance creating Butler coun-
ty was brought up on its third read
ing.
Senator B. R. Tillman asked leave
to offer an amendment to the ordl-
nance which, he said, he did at the
request of three other members OF the
Edge6eld delegation. The Convention
granted leave.
Col. George D. Tillman asked for
an explanation of the reasons for the
proposed change. Senator Tillman
rose to reply.
SENATOR TILLMAN'S SPEECH.
Mr.. President: AS my colleage on
my left has asked that reason be
given as to why four members of the
Edgefeld delegation desire to amend
the resolution / will cheerfully giveit
to him and to this convention. 1t so
happened that on Saturday I was alb
sent when the speeches on this sub
ject were made and the vote taken. l
have daughter who went to Georgia
on visit to relatives about five weeks
ago. Shortly after that she was taken
sick and was dangerously i'll. She
had sufficiently recovered, so 1 was
informed, to expect to be home on
Saturday evening, and my only pur-
pose in asking leave of absence was
the natural desire of a father to see his
child. 1t is perhaps fortunate that l
was not here because from reports in
the papers as to what was said and
what I have been told it may not have
been possible for me to discuss the
question in cold blood. I hope, how
ever, that I have self. possession
enough to treat the matter calmly and
dispassionately.
There are personal reasons of a two.
fold nature why would prefer and
could pray God that the necessity
should not be forced on me to discuss
this issue, but I have never shirked a
duty or been driven from a stand,
which I have taken from principle.
Sentiment rules the world and while
material interests and selfishness gov
ern men, no passion can rise above
sentiment, and when the feelings are
aroused or wounded, men will do that
to which nothing else will drive them.
Therefore, I rise 10 do justice to the
living and also to do justice to the
dead.
The people of this proposed new
county want the name of Saluda.
They petitioned for it as Saluda; they
drew the ordinance as Saluda and
they still want it to be Saluda. There
fore justice demands that they shall
have it named Saluda. I wish to say
here that in discussing this question I
shall attempt not to display prejudice.
I hope I am capable of rising above
prejudice. The question is necessarily
personal in large measure, because the
man after whom it is sought to name
the county has been considered some
what as being supplanted in the Unit
ed States Senate by me and some per-
haps think I oppose it because of his
name. 1t is true, but not from preju-
dice. I am not fighting an individual.
I am simply attempting to prevent
this convention from stultifying itself
and sending the news abroad that the
Reform constitutional convention of
South Carolina has rebuked the Legis-
lature which retired Butler from the
United States Senate. You can't d.
vorce the name of Butler from M. G.
You must remember that he is the on
ly living representative of this name
and that of any prominence Butler of
Revolutionary fame, Pierce Butler, the
hero of the Mexican War, who was kill
ed at Cherubusco, and A. P. Butler, the
jurist, Judge and statesman, who was
the uncle of Gen. M. G. Butler. have
all passed out of recollection and the
record of their deedsis ancient history
with which the people of outside
States are not familiar and very few
inside the State remember them.
That action of the convention would
herald it abroad that the convention
had reversed the action of the Legisla-
ture as far as possible and named the
county for M. G. Butler. He is the
only one of his name and some years
ago he was the highest representative
of that name. There are other names
illustrious in our history that we
could give to this territory. There is
Calhoun, McDuffie, Hayne, Ham
mond, Moultrie- of them, who
have not yet thus been honored by
the State.
say here and measure my words,
that this last representative has
DISGRACED THE NAME
of Butler and made it stencil in the
nosfri1s of evorv white man in South