The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-02-07

1ICe hSy oAo S~fFo.S~~~ -
General Want OF Principle-The Dam
ger In the Details-A Blow at the
Three Proposed Commisstoners-mis-
cellaneous Work.
lrRoM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT
COLUMBIA, s. c., February S.
The principal feature In to-day's proceed
ings in the General Assembly has been the be-
ginning Of the battle in the House over the
metropolitan police scheme. The subject
came up on the consideration Of the bill intro
duced by Bowen, which had been made the
special order for this morning, and the debate
continued for about an hour, when the House
adjourned-so that the subject will be resumed
tomorrow morning as the unfinished busi-
ness of the day. The matter was handled
gfngerly to-day, and the merits of the scheme
were hardly touched; but it Is probable that
lively time will be had tomorrow. The
friends of the measure do not find such
smooth sailing as they anticipated. Al
most every member OF the House Is pledged
to its support on general principles, be-
cause it wrests from the conservative ma
jority of Charleston the police control Of their
ownIcity and givesi 1t to the Radicals; but In the
details of the scheme there is such conflict
of local Radical interests that 1t now appears
eminently probable that the whole measure
Will fall through. Of the three metropolitan
police bills now before the House only two
have any chance Of passing, and the third is
virtually withdrawn. OF these two the one
introduced by Hedges is understood TO nave
been written by Sheriff Mackey, and to be the
pet device of the Mackey family, Coroner Taft,
Commissioner Mclaughlin, and the rest OF the
Charleston County officials. The other was
prepared and introduced by Bowen, and has
the active support Of the entire Charleston
delegation. As between the two, there 1s but
little choice of evils. Both contain the same
general provisions, but the Mackey bill pro
of The police commissioners once In tour
wears, while Bowen proposes to leave the
election Of the commissioners IN the
hands of the people at the next general cleo
ton and two years tn Tne
ment of R. B. Artson, Aaron Logan and H.
G. Minott as dd interim commissioners to
serve till next October, and 1t was upon tnese
names that the fight was made to-day. AS
soon as the bill came up an amendment was
offered by Lee, Of Edgedeld, that the names sIIas
by General Assembly. This was opposed
BY Hurley, Jervey and Others, who insisted that
the persons named were eminently ut and
proper persons for the place, and that sucn
matters of detail as this should. In all fairness
and decercy, be LEFT TO the decision Of the
members from Charleston. The amendments
was lost, and. after few unimportant
speeches, the House adjourned.
Previous to this little excitement, the fol-
lowing bills and notices were introduced:
By Mr.. Jervey, a bill to amend an act to re-
gnlate the drawing Of juries. This provides
for Ghe payment to the jury commissioners or
Georgetown, Sumter, Barnwell, Orangeburg.
Edgefeld and Beaufort Counties of an annual
salary of $500 each, and to the jury commits
sloner5 of Charleston County an'annual salary
Of 5000. ..-.
By MIR. Bosemon, bill to amend an act to
revise and extend the charter OF the Relef
to incorporate the Charleston Homestead AS
ISOLATION.
By Mr.. L. Cain, a bill compelling represen-
tatives to reside in the counties from which
elected. The provisions of this measure are
expressed by It's title. and the penalty for its
violation is that the seats Of offending mem
bers shall be declared vacant, and special cleo
tlons ordered to fill their places.
By Mr.. Gary, F. resolution requiring the
chairmen of the various committees to report
back all bills In their possession Oh or before
next Monday, the 18th instant. This looks
such, deserves the heartlest commentator
One circumstance, however, which may prove
fatal to the hopes of an early termination Of
the session is the fact that the members are
unable to get their pay, the treasurer con.
stantly complaining of an utter dearth OF
greenbacks. Under these circumstances,
many of the members have expressed their
), Intention of proonging the session until their
demands are paid, and 1t may be, If they fight
1t out on this line, 1t will take all summer.
Quite little debate was also induIged IN
over the joint resolution introduced the other
Int
special financial investigating committee, TINS
time to be composed Of lawyers, and to be
empowered to bring such criminal or civil
prosecutions against all offending State OIL
cials as they shall deem advisable. Mr. Briggs
made long and well considered speech In
plies from Singleton, Smart, Hunter and
others, the resolution being at last killed by
striking out the resolving clause by vote o
40 to SO.
dearth Of debate, and but little business O.
general Importance was transacted.
The following bills were passed:
Bill to Incorporate the Mechanics and Far
mers' Building and Loan Association OF Rich
land County, South Carolina.
Bill to provide for the speedy apportionmen,
of the State appropriations made for the sup
port and maintenance OF free common
schools.
Bill to renew and amend the charter of Err
:skine College, at Due West, in Abbeville
County, 8. C.
Bill 10 amend an act entitled san act to e3
tend the limits of the Town of Camden"
Bill to revive and renew the charter ano
corporate privileges Of the trustees of the
Bennettsville Academical Society.
Bill to authorize clerks of the Court of Com.
mon Pleas 10 take testimony In certain cases
Considerable debate was had upon the bill
which was recently passed by the House tC
provide for the election by the people instead
of the appointment by the Governor of county
treasurers, commissioners and trial justices
It was evident that the senators were not dis
posed to look with much favor upon this propo
sition, which by depriving them Of the powel
of confirmation would materially abridge thei
perouIsltes and their Importance, and tn,
measure found an untlmely grave by being In
definitely postponed. PICKET.