The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-11-06
THE RIGHT OF RIGHTS.
THE CONVENTION CONSIDERS THE
SUFFRAGE CLAUSE.

Animated and Interesting Debate on this
Most Important subject--what Was
Said and Done.
COLUMBIA, Oct. 2S.-Special: The
Convention was not slow in reaching
the most Interesting of the matters
which are to be settled by that body,
and which are to form parts of the Or
ganic law of the State.
The article was the special order for
7:3O this evening. The galleries, to-
gether with the spectators space on
the floor, were well filled. The first
speaker was R. B. Anderson, the col
ored delegate from GEORGETOWN. He
delivered well prepared speech, in
which he pleaded for Justice to the
negro as a citizen and as factor in
the development of the country.
Mr.. Burn made a strong and impas-
sionate speech in favor of the plans
embodied in the report of the commit
tee on suffrage.
Next came I. R. Reed, one of the
colored delegates from Beaufort, who
made a speech of considerable length,
taking the same positions as hiscol-
leagues.
Whipper's substitute was then voted
down, only the six negro members
supporting it.
The following sections of the article
were then adopted:
Section 1. All elections by the
people shall be by ballot, and elec-
tions shall never be held nor the bal
lots be counted in secret.
Section 2. Every qualified elector
shall be eligible to any Office to be vot-
ed for, unless disqualified by age, as
prescribed in this Constitution. But
no person shall hold two of honor or
profit at the same time, except officers
of the militia and notaries public. = .
THE PATTON PLAN.
COLUMBIA. October 29. Especial :: As
soon as the Convention had disposed
of the matter of female suffrage, as re-
lated elsewhere in this correspondence,
it proceeded to take up section A,
which embodies the regulation of the
right of suffrage, on the so-called
mississippi plan" with certain modi-
fications.
Mr.. Patton of Richland offered the
following substitute:
1. Every male citizen of the State of
South Carolina of the age of 81 years,
not laboring under disabilities named
in this Constitution, who shall have
resided in the State two years, and in
the county in which he offers to vote
one year next preceding any election,
and who shall have paid all poll or
other tax due by him to the State for
the fiscal year preceding that in which
he shall offer to vote; and who, in ad-
dition thereto (O shall be able to read
the Constitution in English print
or sign his name; or (b shall
shall have been engaged in the active
military or naval service of the late
Confederate States of America, or of
the United States of America during
the late war between the States; or (c)
shall be the lawful ineal descendant
of a person who was engaged in such
service, and shall be alive at the time
of the adoption of this Constitution,
shall be q qualified elector of this
State, and, when duly registered, shall
be entitled to vote for all officers that
are now or may hereafter be elected
by the people, and upon all questions
submitted to the electors at any elec-
ton.
2. The general assembly shall enact
Just and equal laws for the accurate
registry of the qualified electors of this
State, and they shall also establish
convenient, fair and impartial tribun-
ais to pass upon and determine the
qualifications of persons offering them
selves for registration as qualified elec-
tors.
8. A popular government cannot ex.
list without pure ballot; the general
assembly, therefore, shall enact string
ent laws for the regulation of the reg
istry and elections of this State, with
severe penalties for the violation of
the same. Any person who shall vii.
fully violate such laws shall, upon
conviction to such penalties as the
general assembly may impose, be for
ever disqualified from voting and de.
barred from holding public office in
this State; and the disabilities imposed
by this section shall not be removed
by the pardon of the governor or by
act of the general assembly.
MIR. Patton first made a scathing re-
ply to the speeches of the negro dele
gates, and then proceeded 10 consider
the scheme reported by the suffrage
committee. He took the position that
if it were fairly enforced it would dis.
franchise between ten and twelve
thousand white men. If it should be
dishonesty employed, then we should
have the same troubles which the
Convention was expected to cure.
Coming down to the discussion of his
particular plan, Mr.. Patton said:
The people of South Carolina have
the right to give the ballot to any class
that we see fit, and we as their repre-
sentatives are the people of South
Carolina. We are limited by nothing
save the fifteenth amendment. Ihave
affirmed that military service is a pro-
per ground for the bestowal of the
suffrage. It is no novel idea. The
statutes of the United States have
something akin to it. They require q
residence of only one year, instead of
two, for naturalization if a person has
served in the army. Again, sir, the
State of Connecticut, from 1878 to
1S45, when the Constitution was
amended, had this provision that he
should reside so long in the State, and
that he should have property of the