Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1871-05-18

ment of committee of three by the
President of this Convention, whose duty
it shall be, as representatives of large
body of the taxpayers of the State, to
tender their services and cooperation TO
the Legislative committee, in aid of the
Investigation now going on.
Your committee not having the authori-
ty of law to press their inquiry into the
numerous alleged frauds and corruptionsi
toa satisfactory conclusion, sand recog:
niZing the occasion rs one of too mucn
gravity to be hastily and inadvisedly
passed upon, have declined to be infiu-
enced in this regard by the unsworn
statements of individuals. The forego-
ing recommendations, however, II car
ried out, will test the sincerity OF those
who have the authority for Investigation,
and lead to a publication of the body
polite.
The adopting of the following sugges-
tons is respectfully recommended for
the consideration Of the Legislature at
its next session, with view to the enact
ment and modification Of certain laws:
!. Increase the revenues of the State
by additional legislation insuring the full
and faithful payment of the royalty on
phosphate deposits dug and mined, pur-
suant 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 measurement the number of. tons
mined before sale or shipment, and who
shall receive for compensation a reasona-
BILE commission on amounts secured to
the State through his office.
oo,,o ffoa ro n Il tI of n 10 ron
proportion of the public expenses might
be met from this source, if properly col
lected, whereas but thousand dollars
Treasury.
2. Repeal or prevent in future acts vest
ing valuable franchises, the right to dig
and mine phosphates, etc., in companies,
all or greater 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
expenses, 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
%, Article II, 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. Allappropriation bills should specify
items under each general head. For
instance, the practice is to cover, under
head of Legislative Expenses the
payments to alleged employees, clerks,
messengers, etc., of the General Assem-
bly,, who as your committee are inform
ed, outnumber tho members thereof.
5. Reduce the number of State and
County officers, by blending the duties
of two or moro offices in one, and reduce
the fees of coroners, which are excessive.
6. Enact law limiting each session of
the Legislature to thirty days.
7. A law should be enacted, or the
present law modified, prohibiting County
Commissioners 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 requiring 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.
S. Let the old law regulating the fees
of Solicitors be substituted for the pres
ent.
9. Repeal the Act granting salary of
$500 per annum to the Adjutant-G -Gener-
al. The Office is mere sinecure. It's
practical duties can be performed by q
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 SER
vice. (Tide Lieutenant-Governor' pay.)
IL. Abolish Commission to codify the
no duty which cannot be discharged by
Il clerk.
The duties of your committee, Mr..
Gus, and the time within which they were
expected to discharge them, too limited
to permit such thorough investigation
of the matters committed to them, as
they Justly deserve. They have had to
rely upon statements voluntarily furnish
ed by the officials themselves, and the
evils sought to be corrected may not find
immediate redress. They trust, however,
that such information as they have been
able to procure, may lead to other and
further Investigation by the committee
above recommended, and that the sug
gestions and remedies which they have
had tho 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.
The report was unanimously adopted.
Mr.. 6. A. Trenholm, from the same
committee, submitted report on the inan-
ces which was an able and exhaustive
document, reviewing the finances of the
State and suggesting remedies, and makes
from the Comptroller's books the total
funded debt Of the State at eight million
eight hundred thousand. 1t recommends
the Governor to telegraph to New York
not to sell any. more bonds, at less than
eighty cents; that the Governor go to New
York and make arrangements for holding
the one million eight hundred thousand
bonds, until the limit is reached by this ar
rangement, which proposes to make the
final bonded debt Of the State eight mill
ions and half The committee say they
are not favorably impressed with the ar
rang g'ment of having financial agent in
New York. The committee refer to an
over issue of million bonds, under the
Act of 1865, brt states that nine hundred
thousand have been returned and Cancelled.
1t recommends the adoption of the follow
ing resolutions;
Rcsolved, first, That it is the sense of
this Convention that the Funded Debt Of
the State described in the report is valid
debt, and the honor and funds of the State
are lawfully pledGed for IFS redemption
thereof; be it
Resolred, second, That the general plan
suggested by the Committee be recon-
mended to the Governor.
Resolred, third, That the Committee
be authorized to sit during the recess of
the Convention and send Sub-Commit-
tee to New York to complete the exami-
nation of the account OF. the Financial
Agent, and if required to assist the Cover
nor, by their counsels, in the proposed ne
gotiatons for the adjustment Of the Fund
ed Debt.
Resolccd, fourth, That the Governor be
solicited to make systematic review of
the various classes Of expenditure for the
public service, and use his authority in
arresting the extravagant expenditures,
and to the end that the Governor be urg-
cd to adopt tho sum Of one million two
hundred thousand dollars as the utmost
limit of the expenditures.
Resolrea, fifth, That the Comptroller
and Treasurer be requested not to destroy
the four hundred thousand bonds referred