The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-12-23

..of February 27d, 1870, entitled an act to rsgu'
slate. the publication Of all legal and pubic
s.notiees."
mo Work Of tho Legislature.
gaTha Christmas holidays Of the members OF
he General Assembly began on Friday and
ends on the seventh OF January. This gives
us an opportunity Of making up the count,
that the, public may ses how far, and In
Whst he members Of the Legislature have
csrried7out or shown an intention OF carry
ihng out, the pledges which they 80 proiusely
gave before their election.
Il can hardly be said that the result Of the
senatorial contest was q surprise; 1t certain
" Was not a moral earthquake. The fight
was. one OF cash against color, and dirty
e~reenbacks, the. American equivalent o.
ffltSy !lucre, carried the day. Senator Pat
tsrson has not, by the iarcical hearing IN
the courtof Trial Justice Richmond, cleared
himself OF the sworn charges OF bribery
made against him by Representatives Eli
son and Miller. These must be heard and de-
cidedInS the Court Of General Sessions, and
before the. Senate OF the United States. 1t
isa bad business. The crumb OF comfort ID
that Senator Patterson may do this State
less harm in Washington than he has done
It Id Columbia There are big fish to be
caught under the shadow Of the dark god
dees who watches ever the Federal Capitol;
thsSouth Carolina minnows hope, therefore,
to escape the congressional drag-net. The
vacancy on the circuit bench, caused by the
resignation OF Attorney-G General Melton, was
nfled3byl the election OF Judge B. B. Oar
-p~sutsrYfrom whose vigor, promptitude and
fearlessness great things are expected. An
other. vacancy, caused by the resignation OF
Minister Or. remains to be supplied, and it
supurs wall for the spnblic interest that 80
liberal and staunch 3 gentleman az General
MnaoHanf should be = prominent and iavo-
rte candidate.
s4Ths only pabllc measures which have been
paisssd By both houses are: The fifteen mill
tslx, Bill; the appropriation for legislative ex-
psnses; the appropriation for the expenses
ofsthe printing ordered by the Legislatures
ofsls70-77, andthe bill to repeal the general
license law. a ten mills State and county
ta,s d, NOT as bad as 1t might be, and, II the
deficiencies can be met BY the special levy OF
hyesmills, the people will congratulate
themselves upon escaping 30 easily. We
know that ten mills exclusive OF inteest or
the Gebt) Is far too much. 1t ia rather hard
topGy q million and q half dollars for what
used to be better done for less than q third
ofths sum, but We do not expect cheapness,
now that men make politics q profession,
aud--iook to profit, more. than to honor, In
serving the Commonwealth. The printing
bills, enormous as they are, stand scrutiny;
thswork was done and It had to be paid for.
As the legislators depend, for the most part
upon their salaries for their Christmas din
ners, 1t WAS to be expected that they would
make arrangements to draw something on
account Most OF the forty or fifty thousand
dollars distributed amongst the members by
the senatorial candidates had already melted
away. Money they must have, and We sup
pose they. got 1t. The repeal OF the vexstious
and unconstitutional license law is q boon
ovhe State; q more obnoxious fiscal law was
never placed upon the statute book.
Passing from the tax bills and appro'
pristion. bills to. the. general work Of. the
'~session, the prospect is more cheering.
The number OF attaches in both the Senate
and the House Is largely reduced, and Va
fio6s measures are proposed, looking to a
reduction OF the costs Of legal proceedings
and to q cutting Of some OF the knots OF the
Ccds 81 Procedure. The mischievous bill to
increase the deposits required OF the insur-
ance companies is virtually dead, and
thanks are due to Representative James 3.
Greene, OF Charleston, for his zeal In laying
the views of the insurance agents and
Chamber OF Commerce before the House.
Bills have been introduced for q repeal Of
the Validating Act and the oct authorising
settlement with Financial Agent Kimpton,
and when the Blue Ridge Scrip showed some
signs Of lie IL was promptly knocked OF the
head. The Courts have this scrip in charge.
but, courts or no courts, the people will not
redeem that scrip, II they can help 1t. Va
rious bills Of great public Importance are
under. consideration. Among these are
The bill to exempt manufacturers from tax
alton for ten years; the bill to repeal the
fsnse laws, in counties where the people
may decide that 1t Is cheaper to fence stock
In than TO fence them out; the exemption
from taxation for five years, Of buildings
erected in the burnt district OF Charleston;
the bill to compel county commissioners to
give bond for the faithful discharge Of their
duties, and the bill, OF Senator Gaillard, to
limit the number Of Trial Justices in Charles
tonic five, who shall receive q fixed salary
and. give; bond for their good behavior.
These are measures Of practical and substan-