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

financial condition of affairs.
Mr. Hurley introduced q resolution
that this Committee deem it an net Sot
Justice that the entire Indebtedness OF
the State, floating and fundedi should be
scaled in proportion to the value the State
received. After debate, participated in
by Messrs. Hurley. Bomley, Boston ana
r. M. Smith, the Committee rose and
the House adjourned.
On Thursday, i'll the Senate, Mr. Hope
-avc notice of u bill 70 equalizc the legal
..l:,,as Of seated and common i.otes and
regularly !;rpt acc,iants.
Mr. Hayne gave notice OF a bill to III
corporate the Publishing Association OF
Aiken.
The most interesting matter, was
tho introduction by Whittemore, as the
complement to his bill to fix the COM
pensation Sf the extra session, OF q bill
to make appropriations for the extra scs.
sion and for other purposes, the other pur-
pose being tho payment of the surplus
certificates of last session. The bill,
which was introduced by unanimous
consent, provides for the payment OF
members and employees Sl50,0Co, for
outstanding certificates of last session
$l00, 900, for contingent expenses OF Sen
ate s35 600, ditto House $4,000, current
printing $4,000. The 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 Oil would seem
to be farce; but it may be that it is
intended as temptation To members to
remain.
Judge T. C. Andrews, of the Union
Herald, was sworn in as tho duly elected
senator from Orangeburg, vice Jamison;
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 adj
vocatcd the payment Of forty cents ON
the dollar, of the honest debt. and a
thorough Investigation of that said to oe
fraudulent, and tho payment OF the pal
ancc in proportion to whit VII; received
for the same. Robertson, tho Rev. j.
Douglas, made very good speech i'll ms
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,
w1NNow OUT THE VALID DEBT
from the fraudulent, and pay every dol.
lar of the honest obligations of the State
There is nothing, in his opinion, which
could prove 10 diaastrops to the State
morally, materially or financially, as
the disowning of any of her honeat debt
Let the las: act be that of reputation oil
any movement akin to Reputation
He thought that not every bond WHICH
was called fraudulent was really so; as
witness those embraced in the snit OF
Morton. Bliss IL Co. These the comp
troller had in his return declared to be
tainted with fraud (; the attorney general
had exercised his brilliant talents to es-
tablish the fraud. GilI yet after elaborate
argument and long and eatiiess consld-
Grafton, they had been pronounced valid
by tho highest tribunal in the State. he
was in favor of putting the other suspect
ed bonds of The State through the same
crucible, and thus determining which
wore valid and which otherwise, pay the
former, and pronounce tho latter
EULL ABp yoIp,
or he would wait for the report OF the
committee Of tho General Assembly,
and from the evidence furnished by them
determine the debt. He was down on
all "bills recelvable;' which seems
sonsSsAat inconsistent in him, as he was
the cilampioa af the Blue Ridge scrip in
the House last winter Iq N1rs Robert'
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 mad better bring the treasurer to
account fifst, as.4 zee how it's that,
though such heavy taNes wefe laid, such
heavy deficiencies have oeuara4, As TO
the bonded debt, the legal bonded debt,
he did not believe that it amounted ut
the outside to more than S12, ,o0o,O 900. To
pay tho annual interest upon this amount
a tax of f4e mills @aHlil he amply sulfi-
cient. Six mills in addition ought 70 de-
fray the current expenses of the govern
ment, if properly conducted, and we
would thus have an aggregate tax OF elav-
en- mills, or four less than this year when
we paw iio interest at all. Next follow
ing Robertson caiHa Minort, commonly
known as Charlie Mimort, Of Columbia.
He said he was not as we'll posted CON
cerning the bonded debt, but was fully
acquainted with the statns OF the pay
certificates, as he was the chairman oi
the committee of investigation. Many
people had said fraud had been practiced
In their Issue, bu'he challenged the proof
of a 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 the 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, sssAs bills re-
ceivable TO sufllcieDtamount TO take up
this floating Indebtedness, making the
said bills receivable for taxes, which
will ensure their redemption but pro-
vide by issuing three different series OF
otherwise, that only one-third shall be
retired each year. This will relieve our
merchants and others, who arc now
greatly encountered by the large amount
ofeyidence OF Stateindebtedness held by
them, and throw upon the country more
currency to pay taxes with.
Mr. Crjttenden, of Greenville, made an
elaborate and able review of the Cover
nor's message. He considered that the