The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-11-27
.IlE rowRsalr GpEsEioK.

Frank Amin, chairman Of the Conference Of
County Commissioners. held last October, Will
have the following memorial presented to The
Legislature ct au carly day:
TO The Honorc1Ie me !Serdte G7id House Of Rep
PRESENTATIONS or the StLH Or So'Isn CuTCt!H
Tn General assembly To'c T'1et Gna Seutf5:
GESTLBM2S-Pcrmt US 10 lay Dciorc you some
of the reasons upon which VIC rely III support or
the memorial to which this is supplementary:
]. The General Assembly passed, at inc special
session OF 1868, AN act TO organize townships
and TO define shcir powers aud prlVhoscs."
Thc county commissioners i'll the several cOun-
ties have had their attention called by the citizens
to the provisions OF the act, anu have Deen lhVtcu
to confer about the objections that nave been
urged to it. The opinion entcrtalned Is, mat the
IMPOVERISHED condition OF the state, at the pres
ent time, renders II impossible lot the people 10
nav the additional taxes which the requirements
under this act provide FOR, anu IN view OF tlls
opinion it was deemed worthy OF the attention
and consideration of the conference OF county
commissioners Of the state, In the proper dis.
charge OF their duties to the people OF the several
counties, to represent TO the LcgIsiaturc tIe nc-
cessity Of postponing tie organlLatien oi TOWN.
shps for period of ten years at ieast, ~ tne eA-
p;ration OF which it is to be hoped mat the State
will be in prosperous condltl0n. -
The counties Of the State, laid out Us tne law
directs, would he subdiyidcd INTO townships OF
not less than tldrty-siX, and not more than one
hundred square miles in extent me state con
tains thirty-seven thousand square miles. Let US
suppose we divide the state INTO townships OF
fifty square miles each 1t would contain seven ven
require, according TO the act, seven OIL
GERS in each township. The law allows one
dollar and fifty cents per diem lor each olilcer.
Saw for argument, that these oflccrs are on uuIy
one hundred and fifty days, at one dollar anu llty
cents per day: per annum it would amount TO NJ
teen hundred and seventy-lve dollars Ii one town
ship amounts TO fifteen hundred ana seventy .hve |;
dollars, seven hundred and l0rty townships wouli
mi
sXty.Hve thousand and five hundred dollars. We
have no doubt but most OF these officers would be
on duty for the greater part OF inc year. lou wiz
perceve By these figures the enormous expense
This township bill will incur THIS Is only pay
ing the salaries OF officers, whose puy VIII be the
small sum Of one dollar anu MY cents per d5y
for which no competent man, II nc honestly dis
charges his duty would be wilingto give Ills ser
vices.
commissioners This IL necessary for the proper
organization Of the counties. Formerly we mao
commissioners Of the poor, COMMISSIONERS ol
cross roads, and road commissioners inc county
commissioners should not be expected to attend
to the local wants In these respccta inc scVcrai
parishes or townships each needs and should
lave resident special commissioner.
H. In the second place, 1t VIII be perceived, Dy
consulting the memorial that we advocate the
giving of bonds by the county commissioners.
The State Constitution, Art II, Sec ~, IL as ioi,
lows: "The qualified electors OF each county shall
who shall have jurisdiction over roads, bridges,
highways, ferries, and In all matters relating to
taxes disbursements OF money Tor county pur'
poses and In every other case that may be ne.
ccssary TO the internal improvement and local
concerns Of the respective counties: PROVIDED,
That in all cases there shall be TIE right ol appear
to the State conrt.o
From this extract from the constitution
you viii mark the responsibility OF inc
county commissioners, who have charge Of dis
burseinents for various objects rhe county
treasurer whose duty Il Is to have charge OF all
State ami county money Ia the county, STANDS,
In our Judgment, toward the county COMMISSION,
crs In tho same relation AZ an officer in bank. All
orders or checks passed by the county commits
sioncrs and signed by their chairman must be
paid or cashed by the county treasurer. HOW is
the county treasurer TO know whether The cnccks
presented TO him, signed By the chairman, are
actually due for county purposes2 These may be
paid and yet may bc fraudulent; in such case,
What is the result but loss to the State, IN the ao
sense OF the security. which Will be provided by
satisfactory bonds. Whatever restriction exists
nominally the fact Is read in the constitution that
all bills audited by the county commissioners
must be paid by the county treasurer; therefore
you will perceive the Importance OF security III
the form OF bond to cover the supposition OF
fraudulent action.
"But the General Assembly shall pass laws for
the saiekeeping, transfer. and disbnrscmcnts.'
vide Constitution. Article iX Section Is.
IL is our duty TO show the representatives OF
the people that we understand our position and
our responsibilities and deem it necessary for tile
security OF the State, as we'll as the commission
ers, that it should be bonded office.
iii. In the third place, VIC recommended. In the
memorial referred to, that all work be done by
contract, as it is the cheapest and best way, and
most advantageous TO the State.
". We also recommend that the county COM
missioners be authorized TO issue licenses.
We also deem 1t necessary to recommend that
all citizens between the age OF eighteen and frty,
be ordered out to work, or provide for working OF
the public roads within their respective counties,
as it would cost an enormous amount to put and
keep the same in order, were the counties to Or
ganlze and pay the working parties. The people
should be willing. providing there was a law TO
that effect, to take this duty upon themselves.
v. As to the time of holding election for county
commissioners, we submit that the extension OF
time, so as to correspond with the State election,
would save the State at least twenty thousand
dollars.
All OF which Is respectfully submitted.
FRANK ARSIM, Chairman.
NJ MCLAuGHLlE, Secretary.