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

The Charleston Nc,ss briefly reviews the ac-
ton of the Tax-Payers Convention, and in the
following summary presents every point ct III
terest SO clearly and concisely as to merit a
place in these columns, to the exclusion OF our
own comments, which will be made hereafter :
/. TIE plan of Cumulative Voting, to the
end that the taX-payng minority of sixty
thousand may be represented in the next Leg
islature, has been adopted, after endorsement
by pronounced and leading Republicans, and a
committee appointed to press the matter upon
the General Assembly ;yhen it next convenes.
3. The credit of the State has beert strength
encd. The sum total of the public debt is dis
covered to be- say SS, 500 600, and "the honor
and funds of the State are lawfully pledged for
the redemption thereof" plan has also been
suggested for the more advantageous manipu-
lation of the funded debt to the end that cx-
penditures may be reduced.
3. It was solemnly declared that the Sterling
Loan, or any other obligations hereafter issued
by authority of the State, wonld not be held
binding ON the people, and the taxpayers
were urged to resist the payment of the same
by sll the legitimate means in their power. A
Committee Of Five were also appointed to con-
fer with the representatives Of the Fire Loan
Securities of the State with view to an carly
liquidation of these obligations.
4. A pledge was given by his Excellency the
Governor that he would use his influence in Sc
curing a change in the present election law, so
that the ballots would hereafter be counted IN
public, and temptations to fraud be removed.
s. 1t was agreed by the Governor that the
penalty for the non-payment OF the November
tax would not be enforced until the first OF
March, thus practically extending the time of
payment for the benefit of the taxpayers.
s. The alleged frauds committed by the Leg
islaturs in the passage of the Blue Ridge Rail
road bill we're discussed, and the matter was re-
ferred to eminent counsel for further consider
| alton.
7. The Governor admitted that the State and
County officers, elective and appointed, were
unnecessarily multiplied, and II was agreed to
urge upon the General Assembly the adoption
of some plan of rctrenchment and reform. His
Excellency likewise promised to remove incom-
petent trial justices and other officials, and to
replace them with persons who enjoy the conf
dence of the community.
/ 8. In view of the many frauds which have
E been perpetrated, the Attorney General was re-
qucsted to attach the property of persons in de-
fault to the treasury, to proceed against them
by Iegaf process, in order that = public exam
pie may be made, and to provide suitable re-
muneration to informers.
9. Provision was made for rigid investiga-
zion of the affairs of the Land Commission.
10. The Governor and Attorney General
were requested to require of the Fiscal Agent
of the State bond, with sufficient security, to
protect the interests committed to his charge.
II. A series Of recommendations to the Leg
islature were adopted, looking to the passage OF
laws whereby honesty would be secured;ih the
administration Of public Affairs, and q reduc-
tion of the expense be effected In various de-
partments of the State Government.
12. 1t was ordered that both the. Executive
Committee and the Committee of Eleven have
authority to continue in permanent session at,
ter the adjournment of the Convention ;; to call
the body together whenever the exigency may
require and to appoint subcommittee toPro-
ceed to New York and to Columbia to aid in
carrying out the views of tile Convention, by
cooperating with the Governor, State officials
and Legislature il any efforts they may make
to promote the prosperity of the State. y,
i3. And, finally, it was recommended by the
Convention that all secret organizations, with
out reference to their political character, be
discountenanced by the people of the State.