Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

: THE DEED IS DONE. THE NEW CONSTITUTION FOR MALLY SIGNED AND RATIFIED- TTie~ Convention Ends With a Hymn and the Benediction—Cov- Evans Presented With a Hand some Gold Watch. Columbia, S. C., Dec. 5. At 4.30 yesterday afternoon the new Constitution was formally adopted by a vote of 115 to 7. A recess was taken until 7.30 in or der to allow the revision commit tee to prepare the document f*'r signatures. The morning session of the con vention was not marked by any unusual incident. The reading ot the different articles proceeded slowly and carefully. The amend ments by the committee generally were adopted, although some minor changes were made which necessi tated the re-engrossing of certain sections. In order to give the committee time to do this a recess was taken at 1.30 until 4 o’clock. Before the recess Mr. Behre moved that the speeches of Mr. Julian Mitchell and E. J Kennedy on the educational article be pre served and printed in the journal. This matter was referred to the proper committee, but at the atter- noon session it was w ithdrawn at Mr. Mitchell’s request. In speak ing of the matter he said : While I appreciate the compli ment paid me by the motion made to have my remarks on education printed, I sincerely trust the con vention will consent to the motion of the gentleman from Colleton now made at my request to with draw his resolution. Had I had an inkling of the course proposed I should have earnestly protested. The kind and considerate atten tion of the convention to the re marks 1 have heretofore made has been a sufficient appreciation of my trying to add to my duty with out more. It certainly would be going too far to draw any distinction by having my remarks printed. Many arguments before the convention are entitled to more consideration than anything I have said, and it would be distasteful to me for the convention to do otherwise than to grant the motion of the gentleman from Colleton, to rescind the or der of reference and withdraw the resolution. The resolution was consequently withdrawn from the files of the convention. AT THE NIGHT SESSION. The Constitution was spread on the Secretary’s desk, and it was signed by the delegates ,by coun ties. At 7:38 exactly Governor Evans affixed his signature. He was followed by Vice-President Jones and the delegates from Ab beville, and so on down the alpha betical list of counties. When Beaufort was reached Delegate Smalls said he would sign no Constitution which had such a suffrage plan as this. The rest of the delegation was absent. On motion of Mr. McCaslau he was excused unanimously. The delegates from York fin ished signing at 9 o’clock exactly, and Governor Plvans said he had the honor to announce that the Constitution had been duly rati fied and signed. Resolutions expressing the thanks* and appreciation of the services of the employees generally and the committe on order, style and revision in particular were passed. Mr. Bellinger announced that the Convention had purchased a watch for the President, and he moved that the chair appoint a committee to present it to him. The chair appointed Messrs. Bel linger, Breazeale and Baist. Be fore they performed their pleasant duty, Mr. McGowan moved that the thanks of the Convention be tendered to the citizens of Colum bia for the banquet. This was seconded by Messrs. Smith, of Laurens, Burn, Hayworth, “Lay man” McWhite, “Private” Sligh, Barry and Timmerman and was adopted. Mr. Johnstone, in retiring, said that as chairman of the commit tee on the whole the pleasant duty devolved on him of presenting the resolutions of thanks to the Presi dent and other officers. I assure you, he said, the resoutions are tendered with absolute unanimity, and from personal contact and in timate knowledge of the members, I know they voice the feeling of the body over which you have presided. In these closing hours it is with neculiar pleasure that I address you, and assure you that in your retirement from this offi- c : al position you have the hearty good will of each individual mem ber. Mr. Bellinger here presented the handsome gold watch, costing $100, to the President. Engraved in the watch are the words: “Con stitutional Convention, 1895. John Gary Evans, President.” The presentation speech was a very pleasant and appropriate one and was responded to by Governor Evans in a cordial manner. THE CLOSE. Mr. Breazeale here suggested as a fitting close that the convention join P. L. Melton in singing the hymn : “God be with me’til we meet again.” The convention rose, Mr. Melton led off with his clear, sweet voice and the members joined in with earnestness. After singing two verses, Rev. Parrott, solemnly pronounced the benediction, and at 9;5S Governor Evans declared the convention ad journed sine die. The members bade each other a sad farewell, repaired to the Carolina National Bank, which had kindly kept open, got their pay certificates ••ashed and thus ended the memorable convention of 1895. Reed’s "Protection” Gavel. The gavel presented to Mr. Reed by the Hamilton club of Chicago, is about eighteen inches long and made of ivory, wood, gold and silver. The wood is cherry and apple taken from trees on the old homestead of Henry Clay at Ashland, Ky. The handle is surmounted by an exquisite piece of carved ivory. About it are heavy hands of gold and sil ver. Protection and bimetallism ar thus symbolized. The inscription on the gavel are the words of Hamilton; “As too much power leads to despotism, too little leads to anarchy.”—New York World. Two Full Moons This Month. A statement is going the rounds to the effect that this is the first month in which two full moons have occurred (or will occur) since the days of our Saviour. There are twelve calendar months or thirteen lunar months in each year, and there is one moon in each lunar month. How, then, can we have thirteen moons in twelve calendar months without two moons occurring in one month? It is problematical, and the Evening News will be glad to have any one sufficiently versed on the subject to give its readers the benefit of their research.—Co lumbia Evening News. THE NEW CONSTITUTION. TO BE TESTED IN THE SUPREME COURT. Congress Not Able to do Any- thing-Coorge Murray’s Idea of the Situation. Washington, Lee. 4.—Although then* was talk before Congress met that the Southern Republi cans might try to bring about Con gressional action on the State Constitutions of South Carolina and Mississippi, which they claim ! are designed to disfranchise theii parly, there does not seem to be muen liklihood that any effective steps in that direction will be taken. Some of the new members have talked with the House veter ans on the subject, and have be come convinced that there is noth ing that Congress can do, and that the only practical measure would be to bring the questions involved into the Supreme Court. In the next Congress, if it be a Republican house, the status will be different Already there is talk among Southern Republicans that members who bring credentials from South Carolina to the next Congress may be refused their seats on the ground that the State has not the Republican form of government guaranteed by the Constitution. George W. Murray, of South Carolina, who was the only colored member of the last Congress, is back as a contestant tor his old seat, the certificate to which is held by a Democrat. He claims to have been counted out, and says he has not the slightest doubt that he will be seated. The Republi cans of the State, he says, notwith standing their recent rebuff in the Supreme Court, are preparing to bring the question of the validity of the new constitution before the the court in a form which they think will require a decision on the main issue at stake. General opinion among the House Republicans appears to be that this Congress will be conser vative in seating the thirty-two members whose seats are contested. The Republican majority is so large that there is no need to strain a point in unseating Demo crats, so it is thought not likely to be done.