The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-12-31
COLJJMBIA,- S. G..
Tues lay .aorning, December 81, 1879.
The LesIslatIve Future.

Tues lay !Morning, December 81. 1872.
The LesIslatIve Future.
The General Assembly will reconyeue
one week FROM to-day. Such OF lis
members as give study and thought to
their Legislative duties have had a good
long time for reflection, and for arrange
ment in their minds of the matter and
Information pertinent to them. Those
who easily reaped at the Senatorial cleo.
tion have had the opportunity and the
temptation to spend just as freely. Light
come, light CO.. Whoever carried home
plums to put in their Ohristmas pie were,
no,dorht, duly edited in the eating, but
il may admit of doubt whether they
can truthfulIy say, with little Jack Hor.
ner, -
''Hepntin his thumb and took out plum.
And safdi what good boy am l."
We hope that the Legislature. when
it meets again, will go earnestly to work.
and pass suob bills upon its calendar as
the public interests have indicated to be
necessary and sanitary. and use like de-
apatch in throwing overheard those
which cannot stand the test OF scrutiny
when measured by the same standard.
We have had the satisfaction Of approx
ing certain measures now before it.
Their intrinsic merits arc such as to in
duoe their early adoption. Besides those,
there were introduced before tue recess
two bills in reference to County matters
which we think are good. and may have
useful effect. The more checks the bet
ter. provided they be duly applied. One
OF the bills to which we alludo was in.
troduoed by Senator Hayne, of Aiken.
It is to make the office OF County Trea-
aurer elective.
"It provides that there shall be elected
by the qualified voters of the several
Counties in the State, at the next gene
raj election OF State and County officers,
q County Treasurer for each County,
who shall hold his office for the term of
--- years, and shall perform such duties
quired by law. The bill also provides
the faithful discharge G: their duties"
The other, introduced by Representa-.
tive Thomas, of Colleton, is even more
important. It is entitled:
"a bill to regulate the disbursement
OF the public moneys in the several
Counties OF this State, and provides that
it shall be the duty of the County Audi
torin every County, in addition to the
duties now imposed upon him, and with
out any additional compensation, to
audit all bills. checks, accounts and
claims OF the County Commissioners and
County Treasurer of his County once in
every three months. and that record of
such accounts shall be kept in the Audi.
tors office. Immediately upon the pas
sage OF the bill, the Auditors shall pro-
oeed to ascertain the amount OF out
standing claims against the County and
proceed to register them. The Clerks of
the Courts of the various Counties shall
then receive and consider all claims
against his County presented to them,
and shall approve such as are correct,
and upon his approval they are to be
paid. Any person dissatisfied with the
finding of the Clerk upon his claim,
may prefer petition to the Court of
Common Pleas, which shall refer the
case to q jury, whose determination
shall be final The bill also provides
that no money received under tho tax
levy OF one Fl ,cal year shall be paid out
On any claim which accrued IN any pre-
vious fiscal year, unless there is at the
time in the treasury surplus OF money
over and above what may be necessary
to meet all the claims upon the treasury
arising in the current fiscal year. The
County Auditor is required to make
quarterly returns. to the Comptroller
General OF 80 much Of his report as per-
tains to the interest of the State, to
make quarterly returns of all claims and
disbursements pertaining to the County
to the Court OF Common Pleas therein,
|h;ch returns shall be laid before the
grand jury, who shall present the same
to the public during the term of the
said court. The ponalty for any viola
ton of tho provisions of the bill is fixed
at $500 for each and every offence, and
dismissal from Office"
The Legislature, when it re- assemblies,
will find something to do, aud great
deal more to let alone. The Comp
troller's report and accompanying docu.
ments will then be placed in their hands.