The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1854-12-20
Editorial Correspondence.
COLUMBIA, Dec. l9 1874.

COLUMBIA, Dec. -, 1904.
DEAR LOGAN 1t was our intention to
have given you condensed account Of
the proceedings and doings OF the Legisla-
ture for our last issue, but unforeseen cir
cumstances prevented. We were glad to
see, however, that you did not sufer for
want Of Columbia news,--our attentive
correspondents having given you very
interesting letter. We now take our turn
and will endeavor to fill op our omission Of
last week by giving you sort of general
account Of llsinQe and nsttera Is they have
transpired within our knowledge. The
FIRST two weeks Of the session were taken
up in presenting petitions. accounts, me-
morials, &c, and in reading Bills the first
time, tho last has been occupied in discuss.
ing and dispensing Of Bills Of various in.
tonts and character. Some of them Of
great interest and Importance to our coun-
try at largo. The several Bills upon the
subject OF Electors of Presdant and Vice
President Of the United States have oil
been postponed and mude the special order
for the first Tuesday after the fourth
Monday in November 1855. .n
Mr. Cunninglnm's Bill. ITO provide
for Banks of DISCOUNT ana deposit and to
define and limit the business, powers and
privileges Of Banks" which has created
L. l. ,,,J rool lonl NG
talk and upon the principles of which, he
l,ao written 80 much during the lac, Gum.
mer, will in oil probability be lost, as it has
been reported antavorably upun by the
Committee of the Whole. The proposition
to establish branch Of the Bank Of the
State at Sum,ervlle seens to meet will,
bu, little favor. 1t too has been reported
unfavoraNIy upon.
The Bill upon The Free School, System.
proposed by Mr.. Tucker. Of Sparlanburg,
hao been dlscussed several times in Com
nittce Of the Whole and has, at lasiS hern
passed with good many essential mod'fi-
cat. .ons. 1t created gooJ deal OF interest
and much discussion. The Bill, as il has
passed this House, provides the same per-
manent amount Of appropriation for Free
Schools a, was appropriated for that pur-
pose for last year, with clause empnwer-
lug the boards of Commissioners in the diff
ferent Districts to levy Free School Tag
to the amount oftwenty five per cent upon
the general tax of each District shculd the
wants of the District demand it, and direct
ing the Comptroller General to warrant
the said Board OF Commissioners to draw
from the State treasury sum equal TO
that raised by such taxation ii DO applied
by them to the Free School wants Of the
District. Thus making, in reality, an ad-
ditional appropriation for FREQ Schools,
equal TO Whatever sum the people Of each
District may choose to raise by self-taxa-
lion, for that purpose, within twenty-five
per cont. of the General tqx. The
Bill also provides for general Superin.
tendunt of Free Schools, whose duty it
will be TO travel over the State and SUPER
Wac the management cr the d:hnrcn;
Bourls o! Commissioners and 10 examine
and suggest improvements in the dlscIp-
line aud syslcIns OF The different teachers
and to report to the Legislature the man.
ncr in which the money has been expcnd-
cd, the progress made and the wants OF
the different portions of The State in this
respect. A Bill which we sincerely hope
may lie perfected into a lap.
The next moat important Bill Of the
session and the one " hich has created ,he
most discussion and feeling is the " Bill to
authorize the aid of the Stale TO the Blue
Ridge Rail Road Company" to the
amon1t Of TWO million dol s,"-ths being
seven hundred and iii,y thousand dollars
more than the amount Of Bonds Of the
Company asked to be guaranteed by the
Stale, at the last session. The present
Bill asks for one million in money and one
million to he guaranteed on the Bonds Of
the Company the Company to relinquish
the million add quarter guaranteed OIL
their bonds at The last session. This is a
groa, project and although we are not sat-
sed fully Of the propriely of the State
riskins so much money, yet We cannot cay
we are opposed to the Bill. 1t will pass
IN all probability. The result of the cleo
ton for Governor, on Monday last, you
have in all probability heard; Gen. Adams
was elected on the first ballot. On We'd
nesday last he was inaugurated and made
a very strong and effective speech on the
occasion. He deprecated the too free use
of the pardoning power and thought We
were upon times of danger and ruin to the
South and proclaimed himself ready to
stand n, tho honor and ~ eIfor re nj his Stat,