The Daily Phoenix

The Reconstruction Convention.

We extract from the Charleston papers the following account of the proceedings on the forty-ninth day:

Petitions were presented from the following persons, praying to have their political disabilities removed: J. M. Stone, Greenville; John W. Twitty, Lancaster; H. W. Lawson, Abbeville; Matthew McDonald, E. P. Lake, of Newberry, and John T. Green, of Sumter, which were referred to the Committee on Petitions.

B. F. Whittemore offered a resolution, which was adopted, that 10,000 copies of the Constitution of South Carolina, as adopted by this Convention, and the several ordinances passed by the same, be published in pamphlet form for distribution among the members, and that an amount sufficient be drawn from the Treasury of the State by the President of this Convention to pay for the same.

N. C. Parker offered a resolution, that when the Convention finally adjourn, it shall be on Tuesday, March 17, at 12 o'clock m., subject to the call of the President and Vice Presidents, in the order in which they stand, at any time that the public exigencies shall demand: Provided, That as soon as the presiding officer shall have received official notice of the ratification of this Constitution by the people, he shall, by public proclamation, adjourn the Convention sine die. And that J. J. Wright, D. H. Chamberlain, J. M. Rutland, B. F. Whittemore and W. B. Nash be declared the Vice-Presidents of this Convention, who shall perform the duties of President of this Convention in the event of the death or inability of the present President. Adopted.

S. Corley, of Lexington, offered the following, which were adopted:

Whereas, the registrars of some of the Counties of the State, during the period of the late registration, forgetting that virtue itself is meanness in a slave, refused to enter the names of colored men on their list, simply because while slaves they had been punished as felons by an incompetent and autocratic court, held for the trial of petty offences; be it, therefore,

Resolved, That no offence heretofore committed by a slave, nor punishment inflicted on the same, can now be held as coming within the intent and meaning of the reconstruction laws in reference to felony; and hereafter every loyal citizen should hold it to be his imperative duty to report the registrars so finding to the commander of the Second Military District, that he may be visited with the just penalty of violated law.

D. H. Chamberlain introduced the following ordinance, and moved that it be referred to a Committee of Five, which was agreed to, and the following committee was appointed: D. H. Chamberlain, T. J. Robertson, J. M. Rutland, W. A. Webb and F. E. Wilder:

Whereas, during the recent rebellion against the authority and Government of the United States, many dishonest practices were resorted to in order to enhance, in the public estimation, the nominal value of the currency and securities issued by the States confederated in rebellion, and divers agents were employed and acting for that purpose in this State, who, while misrepresenting the condition and prospects of said Confederacy, with the view of deceiving the people as to the value of its obligations, took advantage of the credulity of the people, inducing them to part with real estate and other property, for such obligations, for the private and personal benefit of such agents and those associated with them for such speculative purposes. And whereas, without special aid from the General Assembly, the persons thus defrauded, being stripped of their property and means, will in many instances, be unable to prosecute, with effect, their said legal demands:

Be it ordained, That it shall be the duty of the General Assembly, at its first session, to provide the means of facilitating the recovery of all such property and damages, and, to that end, shall have power to authorize the Attorney-General to prosecute one or more actions or proceedings in behalf of the persons so injured, and against all officers, agents and employees of the said Confederacy, and their associates implicated as hereinbefore mentioned, and in such actions or proceedings the interests or liabilities of two or more individuals, growing out of separate transactions, may be united, either as plaintiff or defendant, as may be deemed most expedient.