Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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T.RI-WEEKLY EDITIOQN. WNNSBORO. S. C., DECEMBER to. 189.~ SALSE 84 ItiOldM AND TnE NEW 0OMPARED. CHANGE MADE IN THE NEW CONSTITUTION. -A Review of all the Jm.pertaut ("hauges in -'aCI Article atid the New Points h\. tle Chairatn or s 1n Comunittee in Charge. The following are conden]sed staie ueuts of the ch'anges made in the Con stitution of the State by the present Convention have been furnished by re quest to the Charleston News and Cou rier. They are of the highest author itv and of special interest. s t ht" 1A(.FE. The essentia? diferenec betw;en the limitations on the suffrage now and under the old Constitution is this: Under the Constitution of 1868 every m.le person 21 years of age, not labor ing uudtr certain disabilities for crime, wn a voter; under the registration law he had to have a registration: cer tificate. which had to be changed eQ' ery time he changed his resideucee, ':veL in the ane t0wuship, and the renewal .f certificates was hedged about with many restrictions. Under the new Coustitutiou the voter iust either be able to read and write or un elerstault anId explain any section of the Constitution submitted to him by the registration oicer before he is eli gilie to registration. This elastic provision only lasts to the 1st of Jan uary, 18, and under it only one elec tieu t;-ill be held, after which the ai) - vlicaut for registration, and therefore the voter. must be able to read and write, or have S:300 worth of proper The iprovisions in regard to registra tion are not at all difficult or onerous, and every safeguard that exists in al mos4 any Constitution of any other State is thrown around the purity of the ballot and honesty of the count. The Constitution of 1868 based citi zen)hip l)on manho"d, the preseu Constitution bases it on intell, c and is a virtual enaetmen 'o carry ont S2ight-box law,ewch of itsel' was uas*tiona inalification. c provision which allows re . i on for two years to the illit ertte who can understand and explain any section of the Censtitutioln was made necessary by the existence among us of a large number of worthy white and black citizens who anz-rthr of genc:. 1t tproperty . who otherwise would have been disfranchised. B. I. Tillman, Chairman. LE.CIs,ATIVE AIiTICLE. la framing the article of the consti tution. known as the Legislative De partnleit the convention has kept close to that article in the constitution of 't8&5. naking such changes as were "onsidered important and adding such sections as were thought to be neces sar V. The number of sections in the old constituton was thirty-three. The new has thirty-seven. The four addi tional sections are as follows: 11t. Making it unlawful for white plerso ns and negroes or mulattocs to marry where there is one-eighth or mnore of negro blood. ed. Making it the duty of the (G eu ciral Assembly to enact laws limniting the ntumber-of acres of land which any alieu or ancy corpo?ration1 composed of niiens may- ow withain the State. :d0 Forbidding the General Assem <ly to authorize the payment to any personi the salary of a deceased officer bevond the date of his death nor to grant pensions except for military and naval service, nor to retire any oflicer onl pay or part pay. 4th. Not to allow the General As semubly to enact local or special laws on ertain subjects and for certain pur 1 Oses. . Ten of these are enumerated and the eleventh subdivision covers all other eases where a general law ean be made applicable. Under the old constitution each 1)ill btefore it had the force of law had to be read three times in each house and signed in the senate house by the Presi dent of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. This is simnplitied in the new constitution by nimitting "in the Senate house" and by *ailowing each branch of the General Assembly to make rules to have both .The first'and third reading of bills read !< their title only. Time is mnoney,. especially in legis lating~ for the State, and the time saved by the foregoing p)rovisions will result n the saving of thousands of dollars. The old constitution did not allow Duxon to hold a seat in the General .ase'sebly while holding any other niceo protit or trust. except o111eers ,in the militia, magistrates or justices of inferior courts. whno received no The newv constitution in dealng with 6,-above provisionm adds to the words "'rrtit and trut"~ the word "-position'' :an excepte only *.rtieers in the militia an not.aries l1blic Perhaps the most importanit changes ar made :n the section granting the e-mecstead exemption. - cn of these mskes the title to the h estead to be se oft an . assigned absolutte and fore'er discharges from lldebts then existing. or thereafter coniracted. This, of course, does not avmlv to mortg'ige dtebts. 'other o these ameindme-nts pre - , 1 judg:net er&liter, or any ote red.o whose l-iu dioe not bind -12nortgage -ssise.t sttie ha.i tLndeI ue i' umeii titutonthe home stetd in lands was not to exceed one tho'n'id dloil:rs, or five hundred dol lars in 1ersoual property, ieaviug it in the power of the Legishture to make both of these aimounts :oss, if it saw proper to do so. In the new constitu tion this cannot be donie. In the old constitution no provision wias niade for au exemption in personal property f'r those not b: ing heads of families. la the new, all the neces sary wearing apparel and personal property to the ainount of three hun dred dollars may he exempted to such persons. it is also further provided that the husband cannot mortgage the homestead without the wile joins him in giving the mortgage thereupon. The homestead exemption is not all that a large minority of the Conven tion desired it to be, but in the opinion of many i s thought to be superior in many respects to the exemption pro vided for in the old Constitution. It is to be hoped that no poor woman and her childreen in the State will ever be driven from the home set oil under its provisions. J. A. Sligh. EXECUT ' E Ir.I.TMNT. In the old Constitution the buard of managers of each precinct were re (iuired to synd the returns for the vote of Govcrnor t' the Secretary of State. who handed them to the Speaker of the House of RepresentativsC upoi the assembling of that body. where the votes were i::balate(d and the result de clared. in the new. the boarl of cU Svasssrs of each county send their re turns of the entire county vote to the Secretary of the State. who hands it to the Speaker of the }l iuse ou the as sembling of that body and the vote is then tabulated and the result declar ed as before. ThC following new provisioin have been added: 1. The Geuer:l Assembly is required to provide for a board of pardons to whom the Governor may refer all peitions ' for pardon whose recon mendations he may adopt. but in case he does not adopt the suggestions of such board he must give hiz reasons therefor to the General Assembly. t. All boards of public instructions when required by the Governor, shall give him information in writing in re rrd to their insti:nuons, including meit of receipts and dis bursements -. 3. Wheneer the Governor shall be infornd bN, aftidat that any county or other ofier wh\ has charge of publie or truAst ftuds -"bablv iity of embezleizt, or o public fr 'ds to private .se, he .lai: dil the imme'iate prosecutiou si d cr aud, ipon true bill. found sha_k ausuedtt" ,ii its stead until acquitted. If con victed ti e ofice shall be declared va cant and filled as provided by law. 4. The Governor is given the right to veto any section or item of an ap propriation bill -without vetoing or invalidoti,g the.remainder of the bill. C. l. EUrd, Chairman of Comittee on Executive Department. Article 4. as adoptel 1.y the Con venton. changes that article of the onstitutiou oA f 1M in these respects: 1. As to the Courts: ThI th'~ ere created were: The Su mene (Co:trt, the Court of C ommiLon P>atn an the Court of General Ses sions, ealled Circuit (Court-,) Pro.ate Courts, Justice of the Pece, inee deoiln.tedL trial justicc. and "such maiiepal and. other inror (ourts as m:p Ie 1deemed necessary, avbich the Saren'e Couri consrue to us.au :n Th Prob-ate Court conitliues ats to Charlestn Cou.,nty. As to other ounties it c-ontlinues in each until a C ounty Cou'rt mayr he established, up on wh i c een it bieonmes absorbed in be h:tue. is 'u-tices of thc Peace" are sup lanedl hv "Magistrates. ei. For'"such municipal and other inerior Courts as may be deemed nec ess is the following: "he General Assembly may also etalish County Courts. munieipal Courts and suech Courts in any cr all of h counties of this State iferior to irenit Courts as mayl be- deemed necsarv Lut none of such Courts ~hall ceir be vested with jurisdiction o tv casesS of nmurder, mans-laugnter, ra'or a' ttemnpt t.o rape. arson, comn "'on law b)urglary, bribhery or perjury: Proded. before a County Court shall be'etbished in au) countyV it must be subm-ited to tihe [qulii electors, and L majority of those voting must ot for 1t estabishiment. Eac con has~ the right to secure Comu Cu"rt's by veting for thmeir es ta'blishet. Th gue''ral A--sely has the power to reae any -i other linds of Courts, Sbelw Cir cuit Cuaris.: mumelilal or thw ise. without ain election. \. A to ind'icial oiLLers: I The. Supremre (Curt will consist o' t Chi..- -'utic 'tnd three Associate -Justices insteld of two. the additional uic--t.,'be elcte the next session vif th G \e. A-'mly. The term of elc bf th fio.r in- to. beight years. istad ''f si l 'a oa to reverSe he~ eclo of~ the Circuit .Tudge threc mmt concur I the mour s-upremeL Cor Justi~ce are equally divided the 'eion below stands, unless the Cour upo reqmuest of two of the Justices; all in the full Bench of Circuit Jndges. .1mitting the trial Judge., w hrupn th apno of the m'ajority of al the .Justie:, and.Judges prevails. Thi i-- vry e much ie the old Court fErrsof S-.3 . b The Supmei~ Court is require" tosi at le.t Luwice in each year ini 1''u . (cas' 1, whi h may b1. e in d; The term of the Supreme Court clerk and Supreme Court reporter ' made four years instead of two. c A lawyer o live yCars 1)ralce is eligible a. Chief Justit' or Associate justice of the Suprerne Court or as Circuit Judge when ..6 years of age. Heretofore the age was 30. it. Each Circuit Jdge is to be clee ted by vi a.: voce vote of the General Assembly iustead of by ballot, and must be a resident of his circuit when elected. g .Tudges are nIi >utger p eriitted to "state the testimony" to the jury. h in Ihm..e coui!ties where County Courts may be establisha the General .Assembly may provide for election of a county solicitor in the place and stead of the circuit solicitor. iii A suflicient number of magistra t.s will h; appointet for each county by the Governor, by and with the advice and consent of the Seuate. :;. As to jurisdiction: ia) The Supreme Court, in additiou to its present jurisdiction, will, in ap peals in cases in chancery, review the findings of fact as well as the law, Cx cept where the facts are settled by a jury and the verdict not set aside. (I) The Supreme Court is empuwer ' to issue writs or orders of injune tion, maudanus. quo warrauto, pro bibition, certiorari. habeas corpus and other original and remedial writs:" in stead of "to issue writs of iI1jnition, mandamuti, ono warrauto, habeas cur pus. and saeh other original and re medial writs 'as maty be necessary to i.ive it a general supervisory control over all otber Courts in the State. (oc The conioun Pleas will have ,jurisdictioi in all civil cases and ap pellate jurisdiction in all cases within the jurisdiction of inferior Courts, except from those inferior Courts from which the General Assembly may pro - vide an appeal directly to the Supreme Court. :l The General Sessions will have jurisdiction in all eases except such offences as the General Assembly may assign to the exclusive jurisdiction of mnagistrates. It will have appellate jurisdiction in all criminal cases with in the jurisdiction of inferior Courts. This enlarges the jurisdiction of the General Sessions by gi.ing it concur rent jurisdiction with inferior Courts, except as the Ueneral Assembly may otherwise pro, ide: but exclusive juris diction cannot be given to the inferior Court in cases of riot. assault and battery and larceny. le. The Probate Court jurisdiction remains unchanged. In;Magistrates' juristlition, t-l an "r ' '"l1, will be sl 1a te e1 ~LeuLer ~ escribe: it eanas4 Sbt euter tan te present Turisdic tion of trial justices; it may be less. 4. General matters: al Alt persous charged with an of fence are eutitled to dettan'e anti t li a trial by jury. rhi In all Courts interior to Circuit Courts the jury will censist of Six. ic La those conuties where magis irates have separate and exclusive ter ritorial jurisdiction crinminai cases must be tried in the district where the olcenec was committed, subject to the law of change of venue. (di Whenever an appeal to the Sut preme Court invoives a fuestionl of Constitutional law, or .f conilici, be tween the Constitution and laws of this State and of the United States, or be tween the duties and oligatious of her citizens ihereunder and the Court is nte agreed up on it, they my call1 to their assistance tbc Circuit Judge at 1 thedecsion of at majoity of th~ e-i 1ices and .Judges will be jIual. M Circuit Court s ad all Couts ini rerir theire-to will hav e the pow"'er to imoesnec of latbor~ upon high ways. streets antd othe.r' puhe wo rKs upon pers->ns by theAm senPtencedt toimi prisnment. Heretofore that power was only in (Circuit.Courts. Ii Judges arc required to file their decisions wvithii' sixty days fronm tihe rising of the last Court of the circit then being held instead of from the last day of the term of Court at which the causes were heard. g) The present trial justices are ere ated rumisitrates and: so contlin' till their terms as trha jatices wouki. have exp)ired . (b: All ma tter civil and cer:mmial. noW penumgP in any of the Courts con tinue therein till dispyosed of according to law. St-arne Wilsonx. ororyf .'o rors-ry ;ovEuNxv. The essentiul differece inCS 1 the for mation of ew' co.unties under~ the old Con stituti on and the new are ats followvs: Under the old Constitution the Gecncral Assebiy had the power at any time to or.uize new counties by changing the boundaries of any of the Old ones. b,ut xo new county could be formed of less urea thau six "hundred and twenty-live sq uare miles. nor could any etisting count y be redueed to xi less area IL: a usix hunrd and twenty-tive agraxre miles. UnderC the new Constitution. ouc third of thte qualiliedl voters within the area to be cut are reqire-d to petition the Governor for the cret.ion of a new ounty setting forth boundaries. etc. The Governor is required to order anx letion within reasonable time by the qualified voters within the proposed area and at the sanox time the iuieti(.n of a name andi a county seat for c cnty shall be submitted to -he vleC ton. It twothirsof the .jualji:ed electors voting at such election aa:ll vote ves. tL-en the General Asseambly halletablish the new ceiuuty. No sectionx of the county~ propose-. to he dismembered shall b. 'u ei ith out consent b)y a two-thrd vot of tos '.oting in suchn :-ectio. An e tion on the qu~eston of formng the silme propJosedl new .outy~ shall :ot be held oftener than~ oinece i iour year-n. less as-.ssed1 taxale propm rty than one ai ne-hmli milliosbo dihir''- nor ae . N i old conmxy '-hall ie redue t ' n two milliua dollars, nor to lees poplatlion than fifteen thousand in hliiitants. N nw county shall be cut within igh't miles of its CuIt House build ig bTh Geierc.lAsseibly shall have t he power to alter county lines: Pro vided. that before any existing county 1i u is charged two-thirds of the voters withia the territory to be taken from one county and given to another shall Vote for same: Provided the change dot, nut rednce the county from which the territory is taken below the limits a. prscribed above. Nf county seat shal b l,e rem;noV-ecl except by a two-thirds ot of be q1ualiied electors of said conuty votiug in an election held of said c=onty voting in an election held for il:t lprta. -T. Thomas Aus:.in, ( i:iranua (faommittee C'olnt.,s and Ionut ..overumen't. l:i. ' li :lr111?it PNN. .ND1 f'Af1iTA]Lf tNSTIT(" ONS. The following changes are mtde in the article Qf the old Coustitntion: The name of the Lunatic Asylum has been changi to "State Hosp tai for the Insaue." The regents app~at all the phvsicians, oflicers and employees, except the superintendent, who is an pointed by the Governor, as formerly. Convicts seutc:led to hard labor by aur of the Courts of this State may be tent loed upon the public works of the State or c ou"nties. and upon highways. Priovision may be: raade by the Gener ai Ass'mbly for the establishment of a State reforinatory for juvenile oiYeu ders. (onviets from the Penitcntiary, when hirea or farmed out. shalbe un der the direction of officers of the t'enitt::tiary. W. .. Gocfhng. Chairman. THE MLITi-. The article on military, as it will ap pier in the new Constitution. has five sections, while that of the old Consti tution has three sections. The difference consists in the gener al change of phraseology and condens ing of language, besides the addition Of Section 2, exempting fron arrest the volunteer forces while an duty, mustering, etc. and the further addi tioni also of Section 5. making it man datory on the General Assembly, at its first session after the tadoption of the now Constitution, to make ample pro v i.ion by statute to pension disabled and indigent Confederate soldiers and the widows of Confederate scldiers. J. W. Floyd, Ckairman. 1MPEaCIDX:NT. The only changes in the article on imilpeachments from the old ,dnstitu tiOn a re: -- irst. \p - pend ing the l eac.. . zu~in si Inner as mui)n e pro Svided by law. Secoud. Persons under -imnpeach in:ut slll have the right to be heard in tieir own defne. ''or by colira el, 4r both." Md. K. f =+per, Cltatirma.E F1aN:A'E AND.' T.XAT1O:. The C ha!ges made by the present C,astittution in Article 9 of the Con .stitttion of 1.S78 re as follows T addition to the power given to the ,=eneral Assembly to provide for a uniform and equal rate of assessment and( taxation and to prescribe iuch re g ulations as shall secure a just v:dua ti4 u for taxatio~n of uill p)roperty, real, uersonal anad possesi;ory, except miues and minigg chtims, the proeeds of whJich adone1 shall be taxed, au1 also ece Cpting such p)roperty as may beC ex empl'ted by law for municipal, ~iluca ti'onal, Jtory,rv scentific, religicas or chairitabl p4lrposes, the atrtieh pro v* ides that the G3eneral Asseinbh ma , imzpose a caipitation tax upon su-h do un stic animals us, from their raturo and h.bits, are destructive of >ther p)ropecrty, andl also for atax up tu in-! IThe poll iex remiaius the sine as heretofore; the two-ill tax for duca tional pumrposes has boen increned to three mills. The General Assemibly is probbited fromn pedging or loaning the erdit of the SLate to any individual. comiany. associationl or corporation or beccaiug' a joint owner or' stockholder ii any comnhpany or corporationl, nor bhll it hlave the power to authorize any canty or township to levy a tax for aiuy our pose uecept for e'duicaion purpo to bulild and repar pulblic roads, lild ings and bridges to mninitaini andup1 port prisoners, pay~ jurors, count;of icers an d for litigation. quarantinend expenses of Courts, to s.upport pau'42r bonids in aid of building~ railroads. A uniformn vaiation of property for tX ation is provided for, a ud zssesu]ts I for county, school district and muri p:d purposes must he levied upon he basis of the Stato asssment. W. D). Evam~ Cha'irman C'omi1itee (Iu Fina:e S'etio'u 3, relative to the appoi meat of arbitrators, is taken from t.I Costitution of 368. S 'ection 2, in addition to the proi - Ions of the old Constitution as " cuge of venue," reads: "The Sta shall hav e the same right to mn ve ft a changet of venne that a defendaut h for such offenses as5 the General Asme'1I bly- may prescribe. [nless a caang ~ oj vene has been had nnder the prc ti viin of this article, the deferlntJ 'hall be iried in the conty whe-e thei Ogence wxas commit ted: Privided,~' hbeevLr that no chauge of v-enu shalib he car..uted in ciminal cases uti af- J ertrue bill has bee:2 found >y the ~ gra"td jtry: And provided Irt her, tha t if aang r. ordered it uall be to4 cou'nty in the -same judial cir *ectio :s retains- the old prvision for" the un'iforma modeJ4 o pading Seciou- i ne , akes all t at es pnM ie lwxs. 'unless 'Itiorn.ise dlared tirely new proi:.;. aui is intended to rn thedy th exitlg evil of having, in suits, to ppeciall plead and prove statutes which wve-e not of such a gen eral ce raetcr as to require the Courts to take ju dicia coginnCe of. Section >, new, provides fo: a com missioner wn e dntes sill be gen eritll: to index the Acts of each session before being 1iilished yearly, (whicb has lieretolore b'en d<one by a special appointee ir Q'MM pt- anum;) to Col leet the Act o' _eh year and revise the same a.lStie'1y and prepare ttei for ti((, il:si,etion! of a committee of the General . mi.ly, whose offiee it shall be to re t-rt t:e progress of his work at cach sc: in: to prepare from ill the Acts , :tl i nd collected "a systenmtie co.1e. iwludiug the Code of Civil Pruetclure," and report the same to the General Assembly on the first day of the session f,r the year 1900, which report shali remain in the hands of the menlers iutil the next session, when it stall be onsidecred and adopted. This shall be done again at the end of every subs<,luent period of ten years. This code shat contain all the general statutory law of the State, except that passed at the session of its adoption. The section iuards carefully against ai<iitious or -!teratiols under the guise of amtimii s 'ithout the for malities of a il. The :.etiu f:rther provides that the Coume.tion'i ! t coimi.s:oner shall m.t exectI .500 per annum. (Tht wrk it b-ret..,fore has cost at the rate of over i.10 per annum.) The '-etion in ihe old constiitution lock:( on! to a collection of the Gen eral +t.'es. having no higher v .lue th:'l a co1'ecti'on mualc Ia a private en icrpri::c. S.e, ien 1 is known as the anti- iynch irr ! -no. ad is the first attempt e r mit- ;t, unish idbe oficer in cimnrg o the iso cr lynched and to require the couat.- t l .' (ly damages. This was not rettorted in the original article. it w- oil'ere< by Mr. 1)el linger as an u:". l..b.ent. the conulnit tee declining to recomn1end it. The article in the old constitution eonsisted of three sactiou : the new article is comlposed of si. G. U-sCAN BLLiNcGER, Chairman. Jiih 1 U&.u n iy1 Uht. 21 1e i Yorker Nomnated for the JUSTICE JACKSONS SUCCESSOR. 1'reRie:t Cievra'l Se:ds to the Senate th'e Naw'x o91 .ntas W. 1'einam, a the Co::rt of Appea s at Al T.:iy, N., v.-"--i:rT"JerC o: I-. ;r. P'C$r ihamn. Wh-r -'omcination Was stejected. President Cl'eveland nomiiinated Rufus W. Paekha-a. -f -w York. to be -ii.:c Jus tire of the U.nited Sta:es Supre-?. Cart, to suceed UerAi! Y. J:hksoa. of T2.scssee. dceense:'. The nomination was retceived in the United States $enare :-imultaneoasiy with the mie-. .sage. For the time being it divided interest with the P'resident's review of the couniry's condition, and when the Sen'ators had! heard tI:.c mnessage r-od it wvas oar ;fate main te pies disecussed. When the Senate went into Cxecut.iVZ SeS sion Senator Pu-gh. of Alabama. Chairman of the Judiciary Coinmittee. made a motion, which was adoisted, referring tho nomina tion to Uh anmiLtee. Senator Ptad im mediately cal ;e a meetin: of the coramittee to consider the nomntation and re'port upon tt to the Sonaic. A dispatch from Washington says: "The nomination of Judge ?eckhant see:ns to h ave ended a series of incidents by which New York has been deprived Lot' twgo year.s past of a scat in the highest National tribunal. Judro Peckhanm has the suport for con firmation of both Senator Hill and Sera ter -Murphy. and his eminence con the New York bench made his accorntance by the .Judiciary Commnittee andi the re-it of the Senat'- a foregone conclusion. -Senators on both sides o& the Chamber exoressed them selves as hiehly nlea4ed with' the appoint ment, and in no instanoe was ay doub: exc pressed as to the nomi ace's acceptability. Senator Hill was not oresent in thi' S4nate, but h" exairessedi himself so favorable to Tudge RluTis WY. XPeckham when eugaged in making the camr,aign two years ago agains: Wheeler H. Pecekh.tm that it was generaliy, believed he would ,te>'1 the nlomination' without cavil and er": with satisfaction Stnrator .urphy. of New York. rorcnouncedt Judge Pec!:bam's promolion levsa va inney en the b)enie of th-e New York Court >f Aspe:s's wvhinh sits :tt A1eny. it devolves >n Governor Morton to appoint a suecessor rho will hold ofilee for a year.wrhen:: -r-"etal Icetion will he held to ilti ,t unexired urn:. Rufuts OT P-'crhan. a youner" tirother o he&ler H. P.cikham, w n w-'al 'ow D:tel f--: Su1:reme Court J s-tice byPrs ent Clevet:uni. and rejceted by tae Senate. ras born .in .U-any, N. Y., in 1831 His ather. :dso n::: oxJ Rufu:: W. Peekham. was as of the Jud;;es of the Nuw York Court of .peais. Ho was ad:nitsted to the bar whenj wta'rt-one yeats old. Soon afcer his adnmis ion 'oatc, he 2?CameC a member of the r ofPeckham fe Tremain, and contin ed in that connection mtil tho 'ath of :-r. Tr2main, when the rma bocame: Po-kh:tm ': Rosentiale. a 18 ii- was elected District Aftor- ] eythe AWoov County. He was ?Presient itbnyDemocratic County Comomit s for- sevecrai years. In 185-3 he was elected ustice of the New York Supreme iourt to tr~e a teran ot fourteen year.s and in 18S6 J] e was e1ectedJto the;DwYotk Court of Aro caLs, takinw the seat of Je-Ig Miller, who ad been the sue-!essc-r of the eider ?eehha:r. :dge Peckham in his eight years of service as written opdin:s in many imperlant sees. Closes December :31st. 1n ':nuch a- a aiap pr-i-a prev.ais inl ,me 'cuart--- ni-t-the du'rri:-on of the At i -th hl L wih - u-i- o-t 7an err.) 19-! -.: --1 u'' r:t'-ion tnl he - -.Ia itt- pno-'ar y'-ar. It will TiE CONVENTiON'M WUOKi ESDS. The New Constitution Now the Law. A Review of its Most Important Features. After remaining in session for three months, less one week, the constitu tional convention has at last completed the work of framing a new constitution for the State of South Carolina and has adjourned sine die. Seven mem bers of-the convention voted against the final adoption of the new organic law. Mr. Doyle voted with these sev6n at first, but upon the completion of the roll call had his vote changed. It has taken a long time and no end of debate to construct the new organic law, and consequently many radical changes from the old constitution have .been made, the five most radical being the regulation of the suffrage, with the "understanding" feature; the increase in the school tax; the impositson of the graduated income tax; the putting in of the dispensary law regulations, and the adoption of. the anti-lynch law section, which is the only provision of the kind in any State constitation. Then there is the increase of the Supreme Court to four justices, and an endless number of other important changes. The convention was in sassion so long that it come to be considered al I most a part of the State government. It is needless to say that a good many members seem to be much fatigued and worn out, and no doubt they will be glad to get away to to their homes. I The cost of framing the new constitu tion has been greater than was expect ed, but that has been provided for and the people will scarcely complain. Thus far very few opinions as to the merits or demerits of the paper have been expressed, but no doubt many of its features will be heard from 'luring the coming state campaign. The conventions members as a whole have stuck pretty close to their work during the entire session and are to be commended for their endurance. Thr -e members of the convention died during the session. Wednesday's work was purely of a routine character from beginning to end, the committee on or der, style and revision dire'cting the proceedings. This committee has done its work in the most thorough manner. The consideration of the com tmittee's proposed amendments was completed Wednesday at exactly 1:38 p. m., and after considering some re,o'utions the convention at 2 p. in. took a recess bill 1 p. in. to allow the committee to have changes put in the enrolled copy. In the afternoon the committee had all these pages ready. They were adopt 7 eu icer being carcrn ,evse M. then the constitution was adopted as a -.who?e. A recess was then taken till 7:3i) to :tllow the committee to arrange the enrolled sheets in their proper or ler. In the int.-rim a mock conven tiun was held and much sport indulged in. Wednesday night, at the fnal ses sion, the interesting ceremony of sign ing the constitution was witnessed. President Evans signed first at 7:37. Gen. Robert Smalls, one of the negro members, refused to sign. The other negroes were not in the hall. At two minutes of 9 o'clock the constitution was declared the organic aSw of the State. The convention then went into committee of the whole with Mr. George Johnstone in the chair. Ap propriate resolutions were adiopted. When President Evans again took the chair, Mr. Bellinger, on behalf of the delegates, presented him with a hand some gold watch. President Evanas then delivered his farewell address, speaking as follows: "There are times, gentlemen, places and circumstances, that bring the hearts of men tc.gether. when the out side bickerings, when dissensions, when anmosities are forgotten and hearts that were divided become united and beat for one body. I feel that this1 convention, representing the sover-1 eignty of South Carolina now rests in that condition. It has been the cher ihed hope of the most of us that this convention would be the means ofi framing at law around which Southi Carolinians could unite; around which a divided people could unite and bury yat difTerences and be brethren once more. I feel that that has been ac comli)Ished. We came here with some< misgivings. We came here some of us mistrusting one aiiother. We came 1 here possibly thinking that some of us tu the heat or debate, in passion.t would intlict wounds that would never( be aled. I thank God that this hasc not been the ease. I thank God thata this body will adjourn, and I say it 1 from n'- own heart and I believe TI but retlet the feeliugs and the sentiments .f )f every delegate upon this floor when [ ay that when we leave here we leaveo it with no heart-burnings-with noa irejudics. We leave it a united peo '.le once more." He then thauked the body fer hon- o ring him, and for the gi ft to him. He J hen made the following appropriate >ersonaLl reference: "And now, gentle acn let me assure you that before .e meet in another constituiutional L anv-ntion T shaill be a married ian. I am satis!ied, gentlenmen t will be sooner. but this is not the ,, dh-e-this is too dignifled a plac-to " ak' ras-h promises." at A compliment w;as paid to dhe vener-j ble ttesman, e-x-Congressman Geo. .Tillmn, the conventionl calling o im fo.r a speech. and he spoke for a alf hour dealing with national issuer, nud praying Heaven that Tom Rd el ont te the next Pre.sident. C3 The co'nventicn cloc:d its session in jat n impressive manner. singing "God F e wie youa till we meet Saain," led ny ;rk 'felton, and te benediction by Adai'in Parrott. The adjournment ine dcli was rened at 9:37 1-2 on 7ed-s'day night. The President Thjursdiay sent to tihe~ nate. the ntune of Mutt. WV. Uansom, .o Sitty five thousand dollars has so far bte. received -on the ptedge to secure the Republican national convention for St. Louis. Chief Justice Fuller absolutely de nies that he is to resign and become general counsel for the big New York, -Chicago,-St. Louis railroad com bine at 8L5,000 annual rnlary. The Senate on Thursday confirmed the nomination of Matt. W. Ransom to be Minister to Mexico. Less cotton was brought into sight last month than during any November since 1881. The New t>rk Central Railroad dem oustrated Monday under most ad verse circumstances that it can run the fast est tisin in the world, 3 -miles an hour for 440 consecutive miles.. A conimittee of the Knights of Pythias is preparing an address to be .resented to Mgr. Satolli, seeking to have .et aside the pronunciamento for .idding Ci:holics to belong to that and other sccrt orders. The passuger train on the Savan nah, Florida & Western Railway from Atlanta was wrecked 15 miles north of Jacksonville Wednesday night. A large number of passengers were in jured. At St. 1'etersbirg 47 new cases of cholera and four deaths from the dis cnse were reported during the week ended November 30th. The disease is decreasing in Volhynia and Kieti. At Atlanta, Ga., Wednesday the Na tional Association of Accident Insur ance Underwriters re-eiected Benj. J. Dyer, of Boston, president. The as sociation will meet next June in Utica, N.Y. John Sharp, a painter, was found frozen to death near Huntington, W. Va.. Wednesday. The cold there was intense. NEWPORT NEWS JOYFUL. Hopefdl of Building the Big Battle, ships. Bragging on Their Dock. The American line steamer New York, has arrived at Newport News and was immediately put in the dock of the shipbuilding company, where she will undergo a thorough overhaul: ing, this being the third time the New York has been extensively overhauled there. The Paris of the same line preceded the New York in the dock there for the past ten days and was floated on Saturday, proceeding direct ly to New York-to--resume her regular voyages. The' -Newport News Com pany possesses the only dock in this country capable of re has come into prominence as one of the great repairing stations of the world. There is . great joy in the workshops there over the prospect of battleships Nos. 5 and 6 being con structed there, the bid of the Newport News company being $390,000 below the next lowest competitor. It ap pears that the navy department can save $600,000 by building both the Kearsage and her sister there instead of awarding one to the Pacific slope where stilLanother additional expense would result from paying the freight aross the continent of all armor and equipment. Under these circum stances, President C. P. Orcutt of the Newport News company is confident hat both battleships will be built in he Southern States. COL. SEABROOK'S SUCCESS0R. r. C. J. C. Hutson, of Hampton, Clerk of the United States District Cour t. JTudge Brawley has appointed the Eon. C. .T. C. Hutson, of Hampton, lerk ox the United States District ourt, to succeed the late Col. E. M1. Seabrook. The appointment of Maj. Intson to the clerkship will give pleds ire to his many admirers and friends broughout the State. Maj. Hutson as been before the people of the State or many years, having served in the tate Legislature for a number, of erms. He has also been a mnember of he present Constitutional Convention. ic is one of the ablest lawyers of the tate sa.d is very .popular with- his rethren of the Bar. Maj. Hutson was a gallant nad an ~xemplary soldier throughout the war. e went to Virginia in 1801 as a mem er of that splendid company comn ianded by Capt. Wmn. T. Haskell, t..t ched to the. 1st regiment of South ~arolina Volunteers. He enjoyed the onfidence and esteem of his officers ,nd was beloved by his comrades. He ecame adjutant of the regiment and vas an admirable officer, skilful and arless in the discharge of duty. Maj. Hutson is .a gentleman of the d school and a charming companion s well as the'soul of hohor. Maj. Hutson will take chiargd of -the fle eon Jan. 1. Until that date the flice will continue in- charge of Mr. ulius Seabrook, the deputy clerk. HANGED AT CHESTER. loyd, the Slayer of Willie Welsh, Pays the Penacy. Charles Lloyd, the negro who killed jung Willie Welsh at the Haile gold in, Lancaster co'nty, was hanged Chester en Friday: in the county l. The drop fell at 11:38~and Lloyd s proinounced dead by ~Dr. Brice in minutes. Owingt - rumors that loyd would be lynched in Lancaster, icitor Henry secured a change of nue and the pris~oner was carried to lester for trial. He was convicted the October term of court and on :iday suffered the full penalty of the Havy7 GoMd Coinage in CairornIa. f the rate or coinage continues at the iited State.s Mint as it ia.s be?- ;;oir.:, thi.s r will be a ro~ -!ettar one jor California. -