BY JAMES A. HOYT.
ANDERSON COURT HOUSE, S. C THURSDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 22, 1860.
VOLUME 1.?NUMBER 15.
[From the Charleston Mercury.']
LEGISLATURE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
EXTRA SESSION.
Friday, November 9.1860.
SENATE.
The Senate met at noon, and the jour?
nal of yesterday was read and approved;
Tho hour of half-past twelve having
arrived, the special order (the resolutions
of Senator Lcsesne) were called up.
Senator Lescsne?These resolutions,
Mr. President, express what, after reflec?
tion, I regard as the true policy of this
State in the present emergency. Now,
however, I have little hope of their adop-'
tiori; 1 am satisfied that the Convention
will be called unconditionally; and to
promote that unity of action, which is so
important, it is my intention to vote for
tho bill. I now move to lay my resolu?
tions on the table.
The resolutions were accordingly laid
upon the table.
The resolutions of Senator Harrison,in
relation to Federal Relations, were next
taken up.
Senator Harrison rose to advocate their
passage. He thought it due to the other
Southern States that the opportunity
should be offered them to co-operate with
South Carolina in the secession move?
ment. We should exhaust every possible
means of securing their assistance before
wo take the step alone. The indications
of eo-opcration^wero now far more auspi?
cious than in 1852. Would it then be inap?
propriate to wait four, five or six weeks,
in order to give notice to our Southern
sisters? In the meantime, we need not
be idle. Wo could go ahead with our
preparations for resistance. The resolu?
tions did not call for delay. They meant
action?but prudent and deliberate action.
He thought that the Convention should
not be called at too early a day. or with
too much precipitation.
Senators Wilson, of Prince George, and
Mazyek, of St. James, offered amendments
to the resolutions and discussed their mer?
its.
Senators Cannon, of Spartanbttrg.
Hope, of Loxington, and McAHlcy, of
Chester, expressed themselves in favor of
deferring the day for the Convention as
long as possible, in order to lay the issue
more fully before the people.
Senator Moses, of Sumtcr, was willing,
when the bill came up, to fill the blank as
to the time, with any day tjiat should be
most agrccablo to the other Senators. He
was for conciliation, but he was opposed
to all resolutions. He wanted the bill to
go forth untrammelled by anything of the
sort, and therefore moved that all the rcs
lutions and amendments be laid upon the
table. This motion was carried.
Senator Garlington, of Newbcny, said
ho was instructed by the Committee on j
Federal Relations to report a bill calling i
a Convention. He moved that the blanks
be filled, the first with the words '-Second
Monday in January, 1SG1, the second with
the Tuesday after the first Monday in
January. 1801, so that the bill will read
as follows:
1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House
of Representatives, now met and sitting in
General Assembly, and by the authority of
the same, That a Convent ion of the peo?
ple of the State cf South Carolina is here?
by ordained to be assembled, in tho city
of Columbia, on the second Monday in
the year of our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and sixty-one, for the purpose of
taking into consideration the dangers in?
cident to the position of the State in the
Federal Union, established by the Con?
stitution of the United States, and the
measures which may be necessary and
proper for providing against the same;
and, therefore, to take care that the Com?
monwealth of South Carolina shall suffer
no detri ment.
2. That on the Tuesday after the first
Monday of 18G1 the Managers of Elec?
tions for the several Districts in this State,
shall, after giving public notice, as in ca?
ses of elections for members of the Leg?
islature, open the polls and hold elections
in their respective Districts for delegates
to the said Convention, in all respects in
the samo manner and form and at the
same places as elections are now conduct?
ed for members of the Legislature. And
all persons who are qualified and entitled
by the Constitution and laws of this State
to vote for members of the Legislature,
shall be qualified and entitled to vote for
said delogatesto said Convention ; and in
case of any vacancy occurring by death,
resignation or removal from tho Stato, or
refusal to serve of any person elected a
delegate to said Convention, tho presiding
officer of tho said Convention shall issue
his writ authorizing and requiring tho
Managers of Elections in the Election
Districts in which such vacancy may have
occurred, after giving due notice thereof,
to open a poll and hold an election to fill
such vacancy as in cases of the election of
members of the Legislature.
3. That each Election District through?
out the State shall be entitled to elect and
send to the said Convention a number of
delegates equal to the whole number of
Senators and Representatives which such
District is now entitled to send to the
Legislature ; and the delegates to the said
Convention shall be entitled to the same
freedom of arrest in going to, returning
from, and whilst in attendance on said
Convention, as is extended to the mem?
bers of tho Legislature.
4. That all freo white male citizens of
this State, of the age of twenty-oucycars
and upwards, shall be eligible to a scat in
the said Convention.
5. That his Excellency the Governor
bo and is hereby requested, forthwith af?
ter the passage of this Act, to communi?
cate an authentic copy of the same to the
Executive of each of the slaveholdinj;
States of this Union, and to urge upon
them, in such mode and manner as ho
may deem best, the desire of the State of
South Carolina that the said slavchohling
States should Concert and co-operate with
her in providing for the future safety,
welfare and independence of the South.
The amendments were agreed to, und
the vote recurring on the bill, as amen?
ded, it passed, with the following vote :
Yeas, 44 ; noes. 1.
The House resolutions in reference to
a day of Fasting and Prayer, were re?
ferred to the Committee on Education.
The Senate then adjourned.
-
HOUSE OF REPRSEK.NTATIVES.
The House came to order at 12 o'clock,
m.. and after Prayer by the Rev. Mr.
Spain, the journal of yesterday was read
and adopted;
On motion of Mr. Mull ins, a message
was sent to the Senate informing that
body that the Ilon^e had completed its
organization by the election of a Reading
Clerk and Messenger...
Mr. Coffin* from the Special Committee
on the resolution in relation to a day of
Fasting, Humiliation and Prayer, report?
ed an amended resolution, recommending
that, in view of the solemn crisis in the
affairs of the country, the 21st of Novem?
ber be set apart for that purpose?which
was adopted.
Mr. Winsmith offered resolutions, which
were ordered to be printed and made the
special order for to-morrow at 1 o'clock.
Mr. Lucas, from the Committee on the
Military, to whom were referred the bill
to arm the State, reported the same back
with several amendments, and with, the
recommendation that it do pass. The
time fixed for the meeting of the Conven?
tion is the 1st of January next. The' bill
was ordered for consideration to-morrow.
Mr. Lucas, also from the Committee on
the Military, to whom wr.s referred the
resolutions in regard to tho amount of
money to be appropriated for the defence
of the State, reported that the Commit?
tee recommended the appropriation of
S4U0,(J0'J for that purpose ; when tho re?
port was accepted and the Committee dis?
charged.
Mr. Mullins then introduced his hill, of
which notice was given yesterday, post?
poning the operation of t he 3d section of
an Act entitled -an Act for tho suspen?
sion of certain acts ratified 21st day of
December, 1857"?postponing the election
of the Directors of the Bank of South
Carolina until the 1st day of January,
18G2 ; which was read once and referred.
Mr. Trenholm amended his resolutions
in several particulars.
Mr. Gray recounted tho wrongs endu?
red by the South from the foundation of
the Government, and the boast of Black
Republicans to re-organize the Supreme
Court, which they would be able to ac?
complish, since they had control of the
Legislative and Judicial departments of
the Government. Was the South tamely
to submit? "Were their mothers and
their sisters to be subjected to servile in?
surrections, and all the horrors of civil
war? It was too late lor co-operation ;
but there were two ways of dissolving the
Union: First, by revolution under a form
of Government, and by individual revo?
lution.
He preferred the latter, because it was
justified before tho world; it was the doc?
trine advocated by Calhonnand McDuffie,
and recognized by DeTocqueviile. Pru?
dence declared for speedy action, to arm,
and to own a revolution was but success?
ful civil war. He hoped that South Car?
olina Would now throw off the odious
government and seek protection under
tho Palmetto flag, the legis of our rights
and palladium of our liberty. He there?
fore could not vote for the resolutions, be?
cause ho bolieved they would provent
speedy secession.
Mr. McGowan had hoped that the reso?
lution would pass without a dissenting
voice. -?South Carolina was long ago sat
isfied with causes for dissolution, but re?
mained in the Union, not because the
causes were not sufficient, but to arrange
with her Southern sisters the day and the
manner of going out; and co-operation
had been her policy for ten years, ire
referred to the past action of the Legis?
lature, and the sending a Commissioner
to Virginia. The South had everything
to unite her, and it would be tho height
of madness not to unite. In the history
of Greece that awful chapter in the Polo
ponesinn war admonished them to unite;
as did the history of Poland, modern
Italy and Central America. All declared,
united you stand, divided you would fall,
lie would abide the decision of the Con?
vention.
Mr. Mullins opposed the co-operation
of South Carolina. He had found that
that policy a total failure. A Commis?
sioner, sent to Virginia, whose soil had
been invaded, and her citizens murdered,
to tender our sympathies, and invite her
to take the lead in the formation of a
Southern Confederacy, was received, per?
sonally, with respect, but he was coldly
informed they could not join South Caro?
lina in defending her own rights. As for
Virginia, no indignities could be inflicted
upon her that would drive her to leader?
ship in defence of Southern rights. The
indication was that if we waited for Vir?
ginia to lead, the institution of slavery
would be abandoned, State sovereignty
abandoned, and the rights of the South
lost, and South Carolina oppressed as In?
dia was by the East India Company. He
felt the importance of action. "When we
had declared to the world that this Union
was broken, and only waiting a constitu?
tional form to complete secession, then, if
it be desired, send a Commissioner to
Georgia, and her sister States, inviting
co-operation. He had. no objection to
this, for they coidd do it with dignity and
sell-respect. What policy would his
friend pursue if Georgia declined to act?
Mr. McGowan did not indicate any pol?
icy. His policy was to go on part passu
in sending a message ; to call a Conven?
or O '
tion of tho people to say what South Car?
olina should do.
Mr. Mullins said, if the gentleman is
willing to risk all with them, it was an
unwise policy- to send a Commissioner
anywlicro, before South Carolina acted
herself. The first act was to announce
our own policy, and that policy should be
separate action. After that, we could
with dignity solicit the concurrence of
others. The members of Congress could
gain nothing by delay.
Mr. Farrow, for tho purpose of having
the resolutions printed, moved their post?
ponement till 1 o'clock to-morrow.
Mr. Green moved to la}' them on the
table, because he did not believe they re?
flected the feeling and sentiments of the
body.
Mr. Scroven called the yeas, and nays.
Mr. Green then withdrew his motion,
and the resolutions were postponed.
The Speaker laid before the body a bill
from the Senate providing for calling a
Convention, which was referred to the
Committee on Federal .Relations.
Mr. Simonton gave notice of a bill to
provide a police in relation to persons
coming from States hostile to slavery;
after which the House adjourned.
Saturday, November 10.
SENATE.
The Senate met at 12 o'clock, and the
journal of yesterday's 'proceedings was
read and approved.
Senator Marshall, of Abbeville, from tho
Committee on Military and Pensions, to
whom was referred so much of the Gover?
nor's Message, No. 1, as relatps to the
formation of volunteers, and also Senate
Resolutions on the same subject, asked
leave to report by bill.
On motion of Senator Marshall, the bill
was made the special order for Monday,
at half past twelve o'clock.
The President. Tho following com?
munication has been laid before the Chair:
Columbia. November 10, I860.
The Honorable President and Members of
the Senate :
I herewith resign the appointment of
United States Senator from South Caroli?
na. JAMES CHKSXUT. jr.
[The reading of the resignation was fol?
lowed by an outburst of applause, which
was, however, promptly chocked by the
President.]
Leave of absence for Senators Harrison
of Anderson, and Hharpc of Pickcns, was
asked and granted.
The resolutions in relation to the resigna?
tions of Federal officers, made the Special
Order for to-day, were taken up and in?
formally laid over.
Senator Bhctt, of St. Helena, from the
Committee on College, Education and Re?
ligion, to whom were referred House res?
olutions in reference to a day of Fasting,
Humiliation and Prayer, reported that
they had the same under consideration
and recommended concurrence. Aud the
resolutions were accordingly concurred in.
Senator Marshall.?Mr. President. I
give notice that on Monday next, ! will
ask leave to introduce a hill to arm the
State.
A bill from tho House, in relation to
suspending certain sections of a certain
Act in relation to Banks, passed Decem?
ber 21st, L857, was read and referred to
the Committee on Finance and Banks,and
orderred to be printed.
Senator Rhctt.?I give notice that on
Monday next I shall move to suspend the
thirty-second Pule of the Senate.
[The rule reads as follows: "Xo bill
shall be read a third time on the day fixed
for the adjournment of the Senate."]
On motion of Senator Cannon, of Spar
tanhurg, the Senate then took a recess
until 7 o'clock, p. m.
night session.
The Senate reassembled at 7 o'clock.
There was an evident disposition to dis?
patch business as soon as possible.
Senator Lcsesne laid before the Senate
the resolutions of the Mass Meeting held
at Charleston Friday night, which was
read ami referred to the Committee on
Federal Relations.
The bill to call a Convention of the peo?
ple of this State, returned from House of
Representatives with amendments, was
then taken up.
The first amendment, proposing to
change the day of the Convention meeting
from the second Monday in January. 1861,
to the seventeenth day of December, 1800,
was read.
Senators Cannon, Palmer.Hope, Dantz
ler and McCaw, successively announced
their intention to vote for the bill as
amended.
Senator Rhctt said that they hail now
arrived at the end of the great legislative
struggle. He thanked his Clod that he
had lived tosee it. This was a great day.
It was co witness the beginning of a move?
ment which was to shake this continent
to its very centre. The revolution was
now in its cradle, and he was proud that
it had jeen reserved for our noble little
State to be its author. He felt that we
were about to lay the foundation of a re?
public which would be in its destiny great,
glorious and happy, for us and our poster?
ity
The amendment was then agreed to,
and the other amendments were seperate
ly read aud concurred in.
The bill, as amended, was then read and
put upon its passage.
The bill was passed by the unanimous
vote of all present, as foliows :
Yeast.?Senators Duncan, Alston, jr.,
Appleby, Barker, Barnes, Beatty. Blako
ncy. Boykin, Boyle,*Bryan, Bull, Cannon.
Dantz'cr, DcLoach, Fickling. Furman.
Garlington, Hart. Heyward, Hope, Irby,
Johnson, KeitL Lcsesne, Manning. Mar?
shall, Mazyck, McCaw, McKewn, Mont?
gomery. Moses, E. Cf. Palmer, S. W. Pal?
mer. Rhctt, Roberds, Sessions, Simp?
son, Wagner, "Ware, Watson, Wilson, and
the President.
Na.g$.?Xoue,
The following Senator..; were absent
when the vote was taken : Messrs. Me
Aliley. Hampton, Harrison and Sharpe.
The vote having been announced, it was
ordered that the bill should be called an
Act, and returned to the House of Repre?
sentatives.
Senator Moses. And now, sir, that we
may not mar the effect of what we have
so well and so unanimously done to-night,
I move that the Senate do now adjourn.
Tl o question being put. it was decided
in the affirmative. So the Senate adjourn?
ed until Monday next at 12 m.
HOUSE OF RBPRKSKXTATIVES.
The House met at noon, and after pray?
er by the Rev. Mr. Martin, the journal of
yesferday was read and approved.
The Speaker laid before the House the
following communication :
Columbia, Xov. 10, 1800.
To the Honorable, the Speaker, and tlie
Members of the House of Representatives.
I herewith resign the appointment of
United States Senator from South Caro?
lina. JAMES ClIESXUTJr.
Mr. W. Cf. DcSausstirc, from tho Com?
mittee on Ways and Means; reported back
a bill to postpone the 3d section of an act
entitled an act for the suspension of cer?
tain sections of a certain act, ratified Dec.
21, 1857, with several amendments, and
recommended its passage.
The question being on the amend?
ments?
Mr. Winsmith said he believed the ob?
ject of the bill to be the suspension of spe?
cie payments by the banks, and therefore
desired that its consideration should bo
postponed, and that it should be printed.
Mr. Yeadon explained that tho bill
would only suspend that portion of the
law which prohibited the Banks from isstt
ijrtg notes to a greater amount than three
times their specie on hand.
Mr. W. Or. DeSaussure also explained
the provisions of the bill and tho amend?
ments. They suspended that section of
the act of 1857 which required tho Banks
to have oue third of gold and silver in its
vaults for tho two-thirds in circulation
and that portion of the act of '52 which
forbids the banks paying out the Villa of
other banks. It .was a wise measure in
these revolutionary times,.and, therefore,
tho Committc had reported it with singu?
lar unanimity.
Mr. Thompson hoped the gentleman
would withdraw his opposition. If the
House delayed to print the bill it would
not be passed for some time.
Mr. Mullins desired to place the banks
in a position to relieve the citizens of any
embarrassments which tho action Of the
State might possibly bring upon them.
Tho measure before them would inspire
confidence, and would tend to prevent a
suspension.
Mr. Pope concurred in the desire to have
the bill postponed and printed.
Mr. Coffin had received letters from the
heads of banks urging this action. H is
business was with selling the produce of
the,State, and 1857, when the banks were
trying to maintain specie payments, the
result was that the value of the agricultu?
ral products was greatly depreciated.
"When the banks were relieved froth the
penalty placed upon them flic value of
those products was greatly increased.
The banks were now again endeavoring
to keep up specie .payments, and relief
w; s absolutely necessary.
Mr. Pope had some conversation with
a member of Ihe Committee, and. upon
hi.-, representation, did not think the oper?
ation of the bill would be disastrous in any
way. and. therefore, he would vote for it.
Mr. Cuningham, not understanding the
bill, was desirous to delay ; but the bill be?
ing again explained by Mr. Trenholm. he
w'.thdrcw his objection, when the bill was
read a second lime and soul to the Sen?
ate.
Mr. Simonton then introduced his bill
to provide a police for persons coming
from States hostile to the institutions of
tho South ; which was read a first time
and referred to tho Committee on tho Ju?
diciary.
' [It provides that every white male res?
ident of States where slavery is prohibit?
ed, shall within twenty-four hours after
their arrival in this State, if it is their in?
tention to remain throe days or longer, re?
port their arrival to a magistrate, in writ?
ing, sotting forth the States from which
they come, their names, occupations, their
residences, and their objects, and fixing
penalties for all cases of non-compliance.]
Mr. William AVhaley.?I hold in my
hand a resolution which I suppose will
meet ft cordial response from every mem?
ber of this House. It is as follows :
liesol cod. That tho resignation of Hon.
James Chcsnut, its one of the Senators
from the State of South Carolina, be ac?
cepted; and that what, under other cir?
cumstances, would be regarded as a mat?
ter of regret, is now recognized as an act
of loyalty and devotion to the sovereignty
of the State of South Carolina.
The resolution was adopted unanimous
I.V.
Mr. Aldrich. from tho Committee on
Federal Relation?; to whom was referred
the Semite bill for calling a Convention, of
the people, reported the same back with
amendments providing that the election
shall take place on the Gth of December
next, and that the convention shall meet
on the 17th of the same month, and with
the recommendation that it do pass.
The question being on the amendments.
Mr. Black said he was willing to go for
the Convention and with the State, but
lie was unwilling to make the change in
the time for the election of delegates and
the meeting of the Convention. He pre?
ferred the Senate bill, for it afforded those
who represented the back Districts time
to go before their constituents and inform
them of the necessity of the step thej*
wore about to take. If they had not that
tinic, lie was afraid they woud send dole
gates oposod to going out of the Union,
lie represented a District that had never
been behind in the defence of their coun?
try, and they would not be behind now,
if they were properly infjt'mcd. He
would therefore move that .tho vote be
taken by yeas and nays. . ,
Mr. Thompson regretted exceedingly
that his young friends wore in such hot
haste. In 1851 he had tho good Cr bad
fortune to go with those who were oppos?
ed to separate State action, but he gave
that vote with more pain than any vote
he CVer gave in his life, because he know
that a large majority of his fellow citizens
did not go with him. If they showed any
great advantage to be gained by haste, old
as he was, he wotdd endeavor to keep up
with his young friends. It* they wanted
to defeat the measure, the}- would carry
this position, but if they wanted to carry
it through, as he trusted in God they
would, they should not adopt these
amcndmcnts. "Wherever \m nciple led him
he would go, regardless of outside pres?
sure. Ho would sooner vote for a resolu?
tion declaring South Carolina out of the
Union, than for these amendments. He
trusted therefore they would be rescued
from these hasty proceedings.
At this point, one o'clock having arriv
Mr. Winsmith called up the following
resolutions, which he had introduced yes?
terday, and which were made the special
order for this hour:
Jtesolved, That this General Assembly is
satisfied that Abraham Linelnhas already
been elected President of tho United
States, and that said election has been
based upon principles of an open and
avowed- hostility to the social organization
and peculiar interest? of the slaveholding
States of this Confederacy.
Resolved, That it is the sense of this
General Assembly that South Carolina is
now"ready to dissolvo her conncction.with
the* Government of the United States, and
earnestly desires, and hereby solicits, the
co-operation of her sister slaveholding
States in such movement.
Resolved, That tho Governor be request- .
cd forthwith to forward a copy of tho
foregoing resolutions to the Governor of
each of the slaveholding States of this
Confederacy, with tho request that it may
be submitted to their respective Legisla
tnrcs. " ,^.v.\:V"!"At -
Mr. Winsmith said these resolutions
demanded the immediate action of tho
body, for it was important that they
should, at the earliest possible moment,
announce to their sister Southern States
what their purposes and opinions are. If
South Carolina was ready to dissolve this
Union, what man upon the -floor would
vote no to the resolutions ? For himself;
he was ready^and had been ready for
years, and had waited only.until some?
body elscgot ready. If they passed these
resolutions it would not embarrass the ac?
tion of the Legislature, or the Convention,
in the course which the)'might see proper
to take hereafter. He was opposed to
sending Commissioners to the other States,
for the experience of South Caroliua had
not been very satisfactory in that particu?
lar! "'" - ? ? - j * ?>
Mr. Buist moved that the House be
discharged from the further consideration
of the resolutions, and that, they bo made
the special order for two o'clock; pending
which, .
Mr. Trenhoim moved to amend to mo?
tion by making them the specia l order for
two o'clock; pending which,
Mr. Cunirigham moved that they be laid
on the table ; which latter motion was
agreed to.
Mr. Trenholm's-resolutions in relation
to the calling of a Convention, and the
sending of a Commissioner to Georgia,
were then called up; when
Mr. Trenhoim moved that the House be
discharged from their further considera?
tion to-duy, and that they be made tho
speck'! order for Monday at one o'clock;
pending which,
Mr. Cuningham moved that they be
laid on the table ; which motion did not
prevail!
Thee motion of Mr. Ti enholni was then
agreed to.
Mr. Buist, with the indulgence of the
House, then offered the following resolu?
tions, which were adopted at a public
meeting at Charleston on -Friday night:
Whereas, It is now certain that Mr. Lin?
coln has been -elected President of the
United States; and. ichcreas, That election
determines the fact that the powers of this
Government have passed into the band?
of a section implacably hostile to our in?
terests and our institutions': we, citizens
of Charleston, deeming it our! privilege to
express to the General Assembly of this
State, in session now. our. hopes and wish
I es upon this.emergency, and deeming a
call of a Convention to consider of seces?
sion, a measure evidently demanded by
the exigencies of the occasion :
Re it further resolved, That it be urged
upon the General Assembly to promptly
call a Convention of the people of this
State, to meet at tho earliest possible mo?
ment, and sever our connection with the
.present Government.
Resolved, 2d. That copies of the foregoing
Resolutions be sent by telegragh to our
Senators and Representatives in that As?
sembly, with the request to place them
before their respective Houses.
The resolutions having been read, were
referred to the Committee on FcderaLRe
latious.
The House then resumed the conside?
ration of the report of the Committee on
Federal Relations on the bill calling for a
Convention.
(continued ox fourth page.)