Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1903-01-21
GENERAL ASSEMBLY coNvENEs.
NJ. L. Smith, Of Kershaw, Elected Speaker.
Organization OF Both Houses.

| oiHdll<dVOH W DUN vuuS6S.
Columbia, January 13.-The House
of Representatives met to-day and
reorganized by the election of Mr..
M. l.. Smith, of Kershaw, as speaker,
over Mr.. II. Y. Williams, of Lancas-
ter; the unanimous election of Col.
II. G. Hamer as clerk, and the cleo
tion of Mr.. J. S. Wilson, of Lancas-
ter, as sergeant alarms, and j. S.
Withers, of Chester, as reading clerk.
Promptly at IL o'clock the House
was called to order by Clerk T. G..
Hamer.
w. o. Tatum, of Orangeburg,
placed in nomination for temporary
chairman, Altamont Moses, of Sum-
ter, which was seconded by several
members, and as there was no other
name placed in nomination, Mr..
Moses was unanimously elected and
took the chair.
The usual presentation of creden-
tials and swearing in of the members
was gone through with, and the an
nouncement was then made that
nominations for speaker would be in
order.
Mr.. Morgan, of Greenville, in a
glowing speech, placed in nomination
the name of M. L. Smith, of Ker-
shaw, which was seconded by several.
Mr.. A. L. CASTOR, of Chester,
placed in nomination the name of II.
Yancey Williams, of Lancaster,
which also received several seconds.
There were no other nominations and
the election was ordered. One hun
dred and eighteen votes were polled.
Smith received 81, Williams 21.
Mr.. Sinkler wanted to make the
election unanimous, but Mr.. Moses
ruled that the motion was out of
order, and the vote stands as it was
cast. The new speaker was escorted
to the chair and sworn in, after
which he thanked the House for the
trust imposed upon him.
There was no opposition to II. G.
Hamer, who was nominated as clerk
of the House, and he was unani-
mously reelected.
The rules of the last House were
adopted until further notice.
The election of sergeant at arms
was next ordered, and the following
were nominated: G. w. Asbill of
Batesburg, J. S. Wilson of Lancas-
ter, w. X. Grant of Greenville, and
the votes received we're as follows:
Wilson 81, Grant 81 and Asbill ID.
Wilson was declared elected.
The following committee was ap-
pointed to attend, with the Senate
committee, the funeral services of
the late Chief Justice McIver
Messrs. Patterson, Mauidin, Thomas,
Whaley and Moses.
j. S. Withers was elected reading
clerk without opposition.
On motion of Mr.. Thomas, the
hall of the House was ordered
turned over to the South Carolina
Bar Association Friday afternoon
and evening for their annual meeting.
A special message was received
from the Governor announcing the
death of Chief Justice Henry McIver
and the House was notified to take
take such action as it might deem
proper.
On motion of Mr.. Thomas, the
House then, as mark of respect,
adjourned until noon tomorrow.
THE sENATE-JANUARY ID.
There we're no unusual features
about the opening session OF the
Senate to-day, the only thing out
of the ordinary being the swearing
in of new members and election of
officers.
Lieutenant Governor Tillman paid
an eloquent and feeling tribute to
the memory of the late Chief Justice
Mclver, aud referred to the great
material progress made by the State.
He said if he had to write the name
of the man who was responsible
more than any other for this progress
he would write the name of r. w.
Wagner.
Senator Sheppard was re- elected
President pro tenn and he thanked
the Senators for this renewed evi.
dence OF confidence.
Gen. Hemphill was reelected
clerk, Mr.. Stewart reading clerk and