The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-12-13
COLUMBIA CORRESPONDENCE.
COLUMBIA; IS. C., Dec. II, 1877.

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CoLuMB1A, IS. c., Dec. II, 1877.
Mr.. EDITOR: The General Assembly.
upSto this date has accomplished but lit
tle:npon thesnrface. The timeso farhas
been taken up in. discussing of the nu.
merous elections and discussing the inn
portant questions interesting to the peo-
pie, and upon which the prosperity of
the State depends. There is certainly a.
firm determination on the part of the
members to grapple boldly with the great
sues-before them, and TO- dispose of the
business Of the session as rapidly as the
necessities of the case will permit. q :.
The committees all have their hands
full, and I venture the assertion that
there never was assembled at Columbia q
more Industrious or Woodworking set Of
members. ;s.o
The heads of departments have not yet
sent in their reports, consequently the
estimate for next years expenses cannot
be arrived at. IT is gratifying e know,
that all the expenses of the, government
during the last year have been promptly
met, and that there is left surplus in
the Treasury: !, will state here, as it Is
not generally known, that the amount
levied by this, Legislature at the last sas-
sion was nine hundred thousand $500, =
0Oo) dollars less than was vas expended BY
the Legislature during the lost session of
Chamberlain's administration, notwith-
standing the fact that an amount sufi.
cient to pay the interest on the entire
public debt was included in the last ses-
sion's assessment. sz,a > t4;5 y
The commission TO toinvestigate the pub
,lic.debt has not Yet been able to report,
but it is reasonable to infer that q large
portion of that part of the consolidated
debt constructed since the war win be in!
validated. Whatever portion ofthis debt
that may be invalidatsd, the interest col
lected and now on hand, that was intend
ed to be appropriated TO said portion in
validated, will. .passto the,oredit of next
years taxes, and will lessen the amount
needed equal to double the amount of in
terest 50 saved, Besides this the royalty
derived or received from Phosphate Com
panies will reach this yearnearly to $780,.
600; more than double in amount any
previous receipts from that source. =,
The floating indebtedness: was also re-
ferred to the bond commission TO investi-
gate. The last session to great extent
ignored these obligations. The commit
tee not having reported, of course tits
impossible to even conjecture the amount
of this class of our Indebtedness. tits
safe to say, however, that the burden Of
this debt, when it has been sifted through
the House, will not breaka mules back.
There are many difficult financial
questions engrossing the attention Of the
Assembly, and ], have no hesitation,in
saying that in my opinion several years
must yet elapse before all the accumu-
lated rubbish of Radical corruption can
be, cleared away. The work has been
| gloriously . commenced, and ) will be
pushed vigorously, and / feel snre that
the dayswiIl certainly come, if due dill.
gence. be, observed, when sonth Carolina
will be redeemed, and QUE financial sky
will be as clear asis Its political aky Of
to-day. l.4i. 77i.:a ..i'a la.aa /: ~.
The most important question SO far be.
fore. the House is.the bill.f1ing certain
rate of interest. This bill has already
passed the Senate. "he distinguished
fnancier, Mr., G., g. Memminger, re!
marked yesterday that, the question had
been as ably discussed as any hehad ever
heard. q .'a..'i'l'' .: {,'5i' = ,,'-t.'''.
I suppose you have heard ere This is Il that q
Mr. Orr ;waal defeated for the Speaker
ship, and that Mr.. Sheppard was elected.
MIR. Sheppard, knowing that Gem Wal:
lace would be a candidate, made prepa.
rations. in time, while Mr.. On, to the
very last, was 4loath to become a candi-
date, and only consented at the urgent
entreaties of the opponents Of Mr:. shep-
pard, believing as they did that he would
be the strongest candidate and the most
available one. ,n.,, >, .,a ~, t.i
,;ispA .plnahaste, yours &C.,
i;''t. ',-.r.fiit:~; anR. W. SIMPSON.