The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1871-05-18

l. Increase the revenues of the State by ad-
ditional legislation insuring the full and faith
full payment of the royalty on phosphate de-
posts dug and mined pursuant to the terms of
the charters of the respective companies. This
may be effected by the appointment of reliable
bonded inspectors or weighers, who should be
required to determine by weight or measure
ment the number of tons mined before sale or
shipment, and who shall receive for compensa-
ton, a reasonable commission on amounts
secured to the State through his Office.
Your committee are advised that a large pro-
portion of the public expenses might be met
from this source, if properly collected, where
as, but - thousand dollars have so far
been paid into the State Treasury.
2. Repeal or prevent in future acts vesting
phosphates, etc., etc., in companies. all or
great part of whose corporators are members
of the Legislature at the time of the grant,
8. Stop the drawing of money from the
Treasury for alleged current legislative ex-
penses on the order of the Speaker of the
House or President of the Senate, in advance
of any appropriation, which practice is in
direct violation of Section 22 Article of the
Constitution, which provides: That ''no money
shall be drawn from the Treasury but in pursu-
ance of an appropriation made by law"
4. All appropriation bills should specify
items under each general head. For instance,
the practice is to cover, under head of "Legis-'
lative Expenses" the payments to alleged en-
ployees, clerks, messengers, etc., of the Gene
raj Assembly, who, as your committee are in
formed, outnumber the members thereof.
5. Reduce the mber of State and county
officers, by blending the duties of two or more
offices in one, and reduce the fees of Coroners,
which are excessive.
6. Enact law limiting each session of the
Legislature to thirty days.
I. A law should be enacted, or the present
law modified, prohibiting County Commission
ers.. from issuing any check until the account
upon which it is alleged to be based, is first
audited and approved by the County Treasurer
or some other Independent officer, and requir-
ing the Commissioners to publish quarterly a
statement in the nearest newspaper, OF all
amounts collected and paid by them, from
whom collected, to whom paid, and on what
account
8. Let the old law regulating the fees of
solicitors be substituted for the present.
9. Repeal the act granting q salary of $4,000
per annum to the Adjutant General. The
Office is mere sinecure. Its practical duties
can be performed by clerk, to be appointed
by the Governor, acting as Assistant Adjutant
General.
10. Limit each public officer to one salary
or compensation, for the same service. wide
Lieutenant Governors pay.)
IL. Abolish Commission to codify the laws.
1t costs the State $4,000 aud does no duty
which cannot be discharged by clerk.
The duties of your committee, Mr.. Presi-
dent have been delicate and arduous, and the
time within which they were expected to dis
charge them, too limited to permit such
thorough investigation of the matters COM
mitted to them. as they Justly deserve. They
have had to rely upon statements voluntarily
furnished by the officials themselves, and the
evils sought to be corrected may not find i'm
mediate redress. They trust, however, that
such information as they have been able to
procure, may lead to other and further investi-
cation by the committee above recommended,
and that the suggestions and remedies which
they have had the honor to make, may result
in good to the whole people of the State.
All of which is respectfully submitted,
NJ. C. BUTLER,
Chairman of the Committee.
After the several committees had rendered
their reports, resolutions of thanks were
adopted, expressive of qualification of the man.
ner in which the Governor and other State
officers had conducted themselves, to facilitate
the various examinations and proceedings, also
thanking the several railroad companies for the
tender of free passage of the delegates to their
homes. Also, to the presiding officer, Hon.
w. D. Porter, for the able manner in which he
had conducted the proceedings.
Mr.. Porter responded in speech expressive
of his appreciation of the honor, and of feel
ings on the occasion.
SPEECH OF Mr.. PORTER.
If felt any qualification at the honor con-
ferred in the opening, must feel still greater
qualification at the satisfaction in the manner
in which the duties of the chair have been dis
charged. 1t has been altogether to me duty
of pleasure. 1t has been my fortune to pre-
side over one branch of the General Assembly
of the State of South Carolina. | would pay
to that body the tribute of saying that dur
ing the whole period during which l dis
charged those duties, | can call to my mind
no act of any member towards the Chair, or to-
wards fellow member that would bring to me
feeling of regret. So much kindness was
always exhibited in that body that it is mem
ory of an honor that will remain with me to the
last day of my life. And now, gentlemen, one
of the greatest pleasures is what seems to me
reunion of the same kind. see so many of
my old associates. Ireceive from so many con-
gratulations, and experience SO many recollec.
tions of the relations, that feel as if it were
meeting of old friends after some shipwreck,
or after some long period of tribulation. 1t is
really pleasure to look again in your faces,
to see the sparkling of your eyes, and to feel
the throbbing of your hearts-hearts that are
now, as they ever have been, true to the best
interests of the commonwealth. As for this
Convention, will not speak in praise of it;
we need not be ashamed of it. Let its results
speak in behalf and appeal for it to the country
for its sympathy.
l think it good that this voluntary body has
determined to continue its sessions. If itact
as an undgnifed and unharmonious body, it
will accomplish nothing; but, if it act on the
same spirit that ii has, if it avoid Federal and
State politics if it wager no war against the
State or the United States Governments, but
simply, if it welcome to its ranks, as we have
H.. - ha ynAH