Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1871-05-26

Wnlcn mas DCcn furnished to the members
OF the Convention by the Comptroller Gene
raj, aud remarked that he believed it to be
substantially true, and that he had not signed
any ether bonds than those set forth in said
statement, and that mono had been is, ucd ex
ccp. by authority of law.
q. With reference to the unnecessary mu!
tiplication and increase of State and count,
Offices, he remarked that he was satisfied a
large number of officials could be proGtably
dispensed with, aud that if the Convention
.Tould take positive action upon the subject,
it would probably have weight with the
Legislature, and induce economical restric-
tions, and expressed the determination to cx.
ert his influence with the General Assembly
to effect that object all of which is more
specifically set forth in tho report of sub.
committee especially charged with this branch
Of their Instructions.
3. Upon the suggestion OF your committee,
that one OF the principal causes of popular
complaint and dissatisfaction, consisted in the
fact that many of the Trial Justices aud other
officers and agencies of the law were incorn.
potent, and 50 uncqually distributed as to
prevent convenient and ready access, his Ex
ccllcncy replied that he fully appreciated tn
force OF the remark, and knew that this was
one OF the most fruitful causes of the Difficult
ties which have existed during the last six
or eight months-that, until recently, he had
had trouble in finding proper class of men
TOR TRIAL justices and other officers, and that
he was satisfied that much Of the personal vic
lencc aud Indifference to law was due to the
fact that the people have not the means of en.
forcing the law within their reach.
4, In rCnIY TO nm pn0uirv frnm ro,,r oon,
mttee rs to his opinion of minority rcprescn.
tation, the Governor WAS clear and explicit
III his endorsement of the plan, believing as
he said, that it would DO more to destroy pr.i.
udicc prevent ill-tccIing and educate the
majority, than any event which could occur
-r,lat they would be the gamers should the
Legislature at its next session pass an act
providing for minority representation.
D. In regard to the election laws, the Gov.
ernor was very decided in the opinion that
they should be amended, alleging asshe rca
snn that as they now stand, distrust was crca
ton offered for the commission Of fraud. He
added that at the next session of the Legisa
ture he would urge change so that the
ballots could be counted in public as soon as
the polls were closed
6. Your committee urged the inability of
the people, after paying the taxes now being
collected, to pay II second tax in November
next. His Exccllcncy said in reply, that it
had been represented to him by we'll inform
cd citizens in several parts OF the State, that
small in amount, the month of November was
a more convenient time of payment thsn any
other; and he hoped that to this class of our
citizens the collection of the tax at that time
would prove oppressive. But yielding to the
representation of your committee, he request.
cd them to report to the Convention, that he
would authorize the Comptro' Ter to suspend
the collection of the taxes in all cases where
the payment thereof was inconvenient to the
taxpayers. That this postponement shall
oztend TO the first OF March, 1872. and that
the penalty for payment should not be en-
forced i'll the meantime.
In brief, to- rccapitulate, your committee
understand his Excclcncy as having commit.
ted himself to the following propositions:
l. That he has signed no other bonds than
those set forth in the debt statement made by
the Comptroller General, and that there have
been no fraudulent or illegal issues.
2. That the State and county offices, both
elective and appointed, arc unnecessarily
multiplied, and should be reduced in number,
and many of,them in pay.
g. That many of the officials charged with
the administration of justice have been in.
competent and inaccessible to the people, and
that many Of the disorders complained of in
che State have been created BY this cause,
aud that he will replace them with coupe.
tent persons whenever he can do so.
Il THAT ho 10 favor nf bn ,lof;
system of voting and minority representation,
and would be glad to see it made part of
the law Of this State.
5. That the election laws arc defective,
lead to fraud, and should be materially amend
ed, and that he will exert his influence to
that end.
6. That he would have tho collection of
the taxes Of next November postponed until
the let of March, 1879, and not enforce the
penalty for nonpayment until that time
Your committee are aware of the wide.
spread feeling Of distrust of tho present ad.
ministration, and whilst they share to great
extent this common feeling, they think it
would be wise and proper that cheerful re.
sponso DO made to this effort of his Excellen.
cy to secure retrenchment aud reform in the
administration of public affairs.
There has been nothing in the different in.
terviows between your committee and the
Governor which leads them to believe that
he desires or intends to repudiate his
assurances of an earnest desire to correct
many Of the evils and grievances of which We
complain.
That frauds tho most dangerous and de
moraljzne have boon pcrnetrated hv MANY