Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1873-10-30

Scll 1llpO SOiiiiiilutOSotNA1 " NA1f1' -
financial condition. of affairs.
Mr. Hurley introduced 4 resolution, y
that this Committee deem it an act oil !:
Justice that the entire indebtedness OF
the State, floating and funded, should De
scaled in proportion to the valuethe STATE
received. After debate, participated IN
by Messrs. Hurley. Bowley, Boston ana
R. NJ. Smith, the Committee rose ana
the House adjourned.
On Thursday, III the Senate, Mr. nope
.avc notice of bill 10 equalizc the legal
,,:.,.,s OF seated and c.tEinon l.otes ana
Regularly Erpt a"c;;iiits.
Mr. nayne gave notice Of a Dill 70 III
corporate the Publishing Association OF
Aiken.
The most interesting matter, was
the introduction by Whittemore, as the
complement to his bill to fix the coin-
psnsation :f the extra session, OF bil
to make appropriations for the extra ses.
sion and for other purposes, theother pur-
pose being tho payment OF the surplus
certificates of last session. The bill,
which was introduced Ivy unanimous
consent provides for the payment OF
members and employees Sl5O,OCo, for
outstanding certificates of last session
SlOo, 900, for contingent expenses OF Sen;
ate 5000, ditto House $4,000, current
printing $50, 900. Tho hill also makes it
incumbent upon the treasurer to pay
these appropriations before any others
whatsoever, and to retain all sufficient
funds In the treasury TO do it, Judging
from the amounts the bill would seem
to be farce; but it may be that 1t is
intended as temptation to members to
remain.
Judge T. C. Andrews, of tho Union
Herald, was sworn in as the duly elected
senator from Orangeburg, vice Jamisoni
deceased, who was euiogized by Jones.
The House went into committee OF the
whole at 1880. to consider the financial
situation of the State, Mr.. Smith, OF
Spartanburg, having the floor. He ad-
vocated the payment o.: forty cents Oh
the dollar, OF the honest debt. and
thorough Investigation ut that said to be
fraudulent, AMI tlio payincnt OF the bal
;.ncc in proportion to what VIA; received
for the same. Robertson, the Rev. j.
Douglas, made very good speech i'll his
usual exhorting and sanctimonious tone
of voice and manner. lie did not believe
in any scaling at all; but would have
searching investigation before the courts,
wINNow OUT THE VALID DEBT
from the fraudulent, and pay every dol
lar of the honest obligations of the State
There is nothing, iu his opinion, which
could prove 80 d!Aastrnps to the State,
morally, materially or financially, as
the disowning OF any of her honeat debt
Let the las. act he that of reputation or
any movement akin to repudiatioil
He thought that not every bond WHICH
was called fraudulent was really so; aS
witness those embraced in the suit OF
Morton, Bliss IL Co. These the comp
troller had in his return declared to he
tainted with fraud the attorney general
had exercised his brilliant talents to cS'
tablish the fraud. end yet after elaborate
argument and long RiiG eafiiess consld-
Grafton, they had been pronounced valla
by tho highest tribunal III the State. Hn
was in favor of putting the other suspect
ed bonds of The State through The same
crucible, and thus determining which
were valid and which otherwise, pay the
former, and pronounce the latter
Null Aap yoIp,
or he would wait for the rspoft OF the
committe,. of the General Assembly,
and from the evidence furnished by them
determine the debt. He was down on
all "bills recelvable;' which seems
sorsswAat inconsistent in him, as he was
the champion 81 the Blue Ridge scrip in
the House last winter Iq Mrs Rooere'
sons Judgment, the great trouble in the
finances of the State is by no means at
tributable to the bonded debt, but arises
from extravagant appropriations and
improper management in the current
expenses. He thought the General AS
sembly rad better bring the treasurer to
account hfst, a....t see see how us that
though such heavy taxes %efe laid, stlch
heavy deficiencies have occurred &a TO
the bonded debt, the legal bonded debt,
he did not believe that it amounted ut
the outside to more than $4,000, 900. To
pay tho aaaual interest upon this amount
tax of fYe mills waHl;l he amply suili-
cient. Six mills in addition aught 70 de-
fray the current expenses OF the govern
ment, if properly conducted, and We
would thus have an aggregate tax OF elav-
en- pills, or four less than this year when
we pay ii. interest at all. Next follow
ing Robertson c..Wa Minort, commonly
known as Charlie Miucrt, CT Columbia.
He said he was not Is we'll posted con-
cerning the bonded debt, but was fully
acquainted with the status OF the pay
certificates. as he was the chairman of
the committee of investigation. Many
people had said fraud had been practiced
in their Issue, buthe challenged the proof
of single INSTANCE, He would consent
to no scaling of the pay certificates held
in this State.
DR.. J. A. Barker said let the General
Assembly find out from the committee
appointed last session to register tho out
standing pay certificates, and from the
comptroller-general and treasurer, the
amount of unpaid warrants. Thon by
throwing around them sufficient safe
guards to prevent fraud, issAs bills re-
ceivabIe to sufficient amount 10 t2ke up
this floating Indebtedness, making the
said bills receivable for taxes, which
will ensure their redemption; but pro-
vide by issuing three different series or
otherwise, that only one-third shall be
retired each year. This will relieve our
merchants and others, who nro now
greatly encountered by the large amount
ofevidence of observation-disclosures held by
them, and throw upon the country more
currency to pay taxes with.
Mr. Crjttenden, of Grcenville, made an
elaborate a,ld able review of the Cover
nor's message. He considered that the