The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-02-25
TIE WORK OF THE LEGISLATURE
Tactics of the Railroad Ring.
TFRoM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT

| IFRoM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.
COLUMBIA, February %.
Probably the most disgracetul scene enacted
during the present session Of the Legislature oc.
Cured to-day in the judiciary committee room,
where open house was kept by the railroad men,
and who therein res0l.ed to the most oarefaced
measures to obtain votes for the Greenvte
swindle. II is said that $500 was freely offered
for votes; tut ycur correspondent has been unable
TO learn of any special case where it was received.
But not only in the committee room was this bar
gaining carried on the floor Of the House was not
| whit more sacred, and the afIabe smiles OF the
lobbyists (who are all well known, and the persua-
siveness OF their glib tongues, WERE Judging from
various signs, not lost upon many The friends
of the State were, however, not entirely Idle, as
| vii. be seen by the appended Circular; which was
largely distributed among the members
TO THE MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE.
The Greenville and Columbia Railroad !s now
owned by Governor Robert K. Scott, II. II. kimp-
| ton. ]. ]. Patterson, Niles g. Parker. j. Neagle,
| d. Il. Chamberlain: Tim Hurley, X. j. Donaiason'
| Joe Crews, G. w. waterman, Reuben Tominson.
making twelve interests. These gentlemen have
never Spent one dollar in building this road, hav.
| inc acquired it by purchase for mere nominal
| sum. Not one Of them nave taken , one aoTao ma
State has already given to the road IN loans
81, 500 600. These same gentlemen have created
q second mortgage or Sl,50u, ,0t0 and issued tie
same in bonds aud divided them amongst them.
geves. Finding these bonds worthless and
unsaleable Their road in worn-out condi-
| ton. they now come to the General As
sembly. and, with sublime lmpudence' ~
| based on nothing. Second, that the iailh and
credit Of the State be endorsed on these worthless
bonds Third, that there shall 1e no limit TO tLe
issue. Fourth t!at they be allowed 10 DuY anu
own every railroad 10 the State Of South Carolina;
and for every mite OF road 80 bought ar ouiit the
State must give her bonds at the rate Of ten
thousand dollars per mile, to be divided amongst
allowed to bufd any and all such roads as the
combines wisdom Of these vastly experienced
railroal gentlemen may now or at any tlne
within ten years see dt. And las;lS, ny SeStion
of their bill, knowing that the bonds that they
ask 10 create are and will be Notwithstanding
that the endorsement Of railroads Is deemed un,
constitutional, and hence, void and null. and
hence. as matter OF course, unsaleaoe, Win an
impudence aud cool assurance that has rarely
been equalled aud never eXcelled, ask the Geherai
compel1 csaI the W treasurer Of the State;
ct the request Of these modest railroad
tuiional bonds, aud issue to them the bonds oi
the Stale to an unlimited extent Gentlemen.
are you prepared to vote away your oirtnrlgnt
for mess OF pottage9 Are you prepared TO go
home 70 your constituents to receive the curses
that viii await YOU on the passage OF this BILL in.
famous In lis inception, infamous In it5 demands
you suppose that the people o. the State VIII
allow such acts to so unpunisheu
Remember, that whoever votes for this bill Will
have his name recorded, 50 that he may be Known
for all time.
Your correspondent is informed that the Gov.
vernon, and Messrs. Chamberlain and Tom inson,
are not now among the shareholders.
HOUSE.
After roll Call the bill to facilitate the punish.
ment OF crime WAS taken up and passed 10 third
reading, as was also Joint resolution au.horl.
zing the publication OF decisions Of the Supreme
Court for the past three years. The bill! to make
appropriations and to raise supplies for the fiscal
year commencing November /, 1870, was then
taken up and discussed until half.pas: 4 O'Clock,
whenit was passed to third reading. Various
amendments we're offered and some Of them were
adopted, while others were rejected The most
prominent or those adopted was the striking out
OF the coustabulary and land commission appro-
priations. Over the twelve thousand dollars TO
be appropriated for the pay OF detectives ap.
pointed under the bill to facilitate tile punishment
OF crime, some sharp hits were made during tine
debate. White offered as an amendment that no
one not citizen Of the State, or who did not un-
lerstand the penal laws, shoMd be appointed rs
Byas. Does the gentleman think he can get
LAWYERS for 81 day 10 act as detectives, or does
the gentleman himself understand criminal law!
White. understand as much law as you do.
Byas All, here Is just the point; don't KNOW
White. We'll, that is the reason introduced this
provision to keep such men as you from being ap.
Af,er the passage of the appropriation bill
motion to adjourn was voted down oy majority,
who were evidently cooked and primed ior the
Greenville BILL but Bosemon was 700 qulcA s,;n ,or
them, and, by engineering, succeeded 10 getting
the Senate bill to release the lien upon iot oWneo
In Charleston by the South Carolina Institute Oe.
fore the body; and as soon as this was dlsposea
Of the bill providing o1 the eecsOn ION o. nenng the
discussion Of this bill the House ad)oursea a'
half.past O'Clock P. II.
PROTEST OF THE SENATE.
The following resolution. introduced oy Arnim,
was adopted Without debate, and copy lneFeoi
transmitted to the treasurer:
WhtredS, The journal OF the House OF Repre-,
senta,iVes shows that e claim to the amount oi
ninety thousand five hundred and six dollars anu
twenty -cne cents was passed BY tnat D0oy Oh tns
22d instant, and ordered Tor pay ment; anu S.tn
provides that no money shall be drawn from tue
treasury except In pursuance OF an appropriation;
| and whereas the House Of Representatives eau.
not claim the right to order said amount 10 oe
| paid without the concurrence OF tile Senate;
therefore, he 1t
Resoired, That the Senate protests against the
! pay meat Of the said amount vi ninety thousand
| I'VE hundred anu six dollars and twenty 0ne
cents passed as e claim by the House OF Repre-
sentatlyes, and ordered to be paid OFT or the con-
tingent fund.
NOT TO nav the above amount until said claim has
been properly passed by both houses according to
STATE LANDS.
The bill to sell the State lands In Darlington, at