Year: 1871

tee to escort the president to the chair
on taking which, he addressed the
convention, substantially, as follows


Gentlemen of the Convention-]
thank you for this compliment. II
is priced the more highly because ]
see around me so many of the good
men and true to whom South Carroll
ma in her better days was glad to con-
fide her honor, and who are now as
faithful as they ever have been. My
only regret is that the occasion is not
more happy. and pleasant. To rebuke
corruption in high places, and to be
obliged to take measures5o save our
selves from irIetrievable ruin; is a
duty by no means pleasant. AS it
has been placed upon us, let US dis
charge it manfully,. and with fidelity.
The fundamental law of the State
and the United States secures to the
people the right to assemble peacea-
IDLY, and to seek, by all lawful means,
redress for their grievances. We are
assembled in such q manner and for
such a purpose. It is admitted by
fair minded men OF. all parties that
there are great public grievances and
that by their presence there has been
called into existence such conYen-
tion unprecedented in all the history
of the State. A convention. to Sc
cure to ourselves proper share in a
representative government. We have
no legislative power; we are simply
an advisory body. But we can. in
quire and investigate we can collect
and embody investigation; we can
recommend to the people, who have
conferred upon us this trust, suchmea-
sures as we deem necessary for their
securityin thefuture. Let there be fair
ness and justice. If we nothing ex-
tenuate, let US set down naught in
malice. The first great',wrong is the
increase in the public debt-an e1-
traordinary increase, as is admitted
on all hands. The people of the State
are entitled to know and must know
the amount of that debt. They
must know what is the actual as well
as the contingentliability of the State
of South Carolina.


That the application of the public
moneys has been extravagant, wild
and proAigate, admits OF no doubt
it is without question, and, perhaps,
never in the history Of people was
there an instance where this reckless
ness and profigacy was more shame
lessly apparent. Corruption faunts
itself in the light.of day, and assumes
to itself the garb of honesty. If these
things are not checked and rebuked,
they will result not only in demorali-
zation, but in bankruptcy and ruin.
The credit of the State is dearer to
none than it is to us. 1t has been
our traditional policy to keep and
hold the public credit not only un-
questioned, but unsuspected. We
mean not repu iiation, butwedo mean
openly and in the most solemn man
ner to give notice that the public
credit Of South Carolina has been
strained to the most extreme point,
and that whatever obligations tinan-
ciers take, they must take them at
their own peril


Let me admonish you to be pru-
dent and wise; to avoid party poll
tics. For every fair minded man who
is willing toput his seal Of disapprov-
al OH corruption, or is willing to go
with US in correcting abuses, we have
welcoming hand. These men are
our friends, and should be welcomed
to our ranks.


The late war left this people al
most impoverished. Upon the issues
of the war, one Of the most valuable
species Of property-more than one
half of what was left to the people
was stricken out at a blow, Never
were there people on the face Of the
earth who were more entitled to sym
pathy than the people Of South Car
olina. In the name of that people,
much abused, almost ruined, l call
upon you to bring to your aid your
noblest efforts at this time,


Again thanking the convention for
the honor conferred on him, Mr.. Por-
ter closed.


A COMMITTEE OF CONFERENCE.