Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1855-10-31

ture and the public at large that our arrange
ments will be speedily perfected, and our scheme
shall be successfully carried out.
EpcErIELD C. H., Sept. 20, 1855.
Aiessrs E. III Britton f. Co.:
DEAR SIRs: have received your Circular,
asking If, as member Of the Legislature, Am
willing 10 contribute ten dollars in promotion OF
your design to procure the services OF efficient
stenographers, to be present in both branches OF
the South Carolina Legislature during its next
session, for the purpose of publishing detailed
report of the proceedings of each House, pre-
cisely as published in the Washington Globe du-
ring the session of Congress"
In reply, it affords me great pleasure to assur
you, that will most cheerfully contribute The
amount solicited, and further, that in my judg.
ment, nothing is more wanted in South Carolina,
mt this time, than the successful prosecution OF
tho enterprise which you propose to undertake.
The Political or Legislative History Of our
State is almost wholly unknown, for while 1t Is
true that the reasons and causes which led to
the enactment or amendment of many of our
laws, may be found in The Introduction and
Notes to Brevord's Digest of the Statutes, or in
the learned opinions of our Appeal Court, and
occasionally in the Annual Reports of Execu..
tive Officers, or in contemporaneous newspapers
ret the great mass Of our legislation is left un-
explained BY any published book or document
with which am acquainted.
And the sources Of information above indica-
led are costly and scattered, as we'll as sadly
defective, besides being inaccessible except 10
few professional characters. | know that the
unpublished records of the several departments
Of the Government at Columbia, sometimes
throw additional light on particular legislation,
yet, even with the aid Of these, have frequently
searched in vain for q satisfactory history OF
changes in numbers Of our most important
Statutes. No person can properly expound any
law without perfect knowledge Of the real IN
tention of The law. making power, and full view
Of allthe facts, causes, reasons, circumstances
and necessities which induced the enactment OF
that law. And as the emergency for deciding
authoritatrely every vital construction or inter.
probation of which Statute is susceptible, does
not arise 10 many cases within shorter period
than half century, or until long after the au-
thors of such statute may have passed away,
the conclusion must follow, that without some
record of the debates upon said statute at the
time of its adoption, the people, the Bar and
the Judges, 10 their exposi,ions Of it, will have
10 be guided by vague tradition, dangerous an.
ology, or unsafe hypothesis:
TePGfs 81 its legislative hf @ aHs aSd il il
the speeches or comments of its Representatives
upon every proposition submitted 10 their con.
sideration. England whose Government consti.
tutes the model upon which ours is formed, has
long kept such record Of her legislation rs the
one of which speak. Congress has done the
same for more thap quarter of century, and
10 have some of the States. As far us my in
formation goes, South Carolina is the only State
in the Union, the publication of whose legisia-
tive proceedings is not full, indexed, bound and
labeled, in becoming manner. Even poor and
thinly settled Florida, with less than fifth Of
the population or wealth Of Carolina, finds the
means to issue record Of her Legislative pro-
eccdngs that makes ours look contemplate.
The debates in our Legislature will doubtless
compare fayorably with those Of any other
State Assembly on the continent; yet rs gen.
eral rule, they are all lost to u.s. and, as conse.
qucnce, ones State pride is always humbled,
whenever he compares the meagre report of
proceedings and speeches at Columbia with
those which come from Albany or Baton Rouge.
The contrast is 80 great, that it diminishes the
~sneration which he should feel for his Legisla-
taee, aad the pleasure or instruction which he
ought 10 derive from perusing the published de-
tails of the conduct of his Representatives,
when met together, is absolutely little or none.
ltis almost as beneficial to know why, how, or
by whom a law is passed rs to know the law
itsslf; and the objections 10, or arguments
against statute, are as useful in explaining it,
ss are the Esasons in favor of it.
By tar the greater number of laws that affect
our personal or property rights, are passed by
the local Legislature, and it does seem to me,
that as we pay for proper record of Congress
sional legislation by taxation from customs, SO
we ought to have better and more permanent
one of the actings and sayings of our separate
Legislature. ! for one am willing to MD the un.
dertaking by permanent contract on the part
Of the State, especially if the work can be ac-
complished for so small SUN as fifteen hundred
or two thousand dollars, or for even twice that
amount, and provided further, that the printing
be done in form for binding. In voting for such
= measure, should feel that was discharging
my duty as u Representative Of the people, ac-
eordng to the dictates Of my honest judgment
and for the best interest of my country.
For these reasons, your projected enterprise
has my unqualified appreciation, either as Rep
resentative or as private subscriber and, al
though am unalteraby opposed to :he politics
Of your paper as regards Know Nothingism, yet
nm ready to aid your project with every means
at my command. sincerely believe that 30
great deslderatum in the future Legislative
history Of the State as you propose to supply,
will meet with the cordial support of the people
and their Representatives. Hoping eternal life
TO the new era in South Carolina journalism"
which You promise to inaugurate, if sufficiently
encouraged, remain, Gentlemen,
Yours, very respectfully,
G. D. TILLMAN.
Nrw po<r OrrrcEs-Boiling SPRINGS, snar.