The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-12-13
COLUMBIA CORRESPONDENCE.
CoLuMuIA.s. C.. Dec. Ii. 1877

CoLUMDIA,S. c., Dec. Ii, 1877.
AR. EDITOR: The General Assembly
upitq thb date has accomplished but 1T
tlelppon the snrfaee. The time 20 Eas has
besn taken up in Disgusting os the nu.
merous elections and discussing the Ina.
portant questions interesting to the peo-
pie, and ulon which the prosperity of
the State depends. There is certainly q
firm determination on the part of the
members 10 grapple boldly wild. the great
issues before them, and 70 dispose of tho
business of the session as rapidly as the
necessities Of the case will permit.
The committees all have their hands
full, and venture the assertion that
there never was assembled at Columbia q
more industrious or hard working set CT
members.
The heads Of department have not yet
sent in their reports, consequently the
estimate for next years expenses cannot
be arrived at. 1t is gratifying to know
that all the expenses Of the government
during tho last year have been promptly
met, and that there is left surplus In
the Treasury. I will state here, as it IL
not generally known, that the amount
levied by this Legislature at the last aes-
sion was nine hundred thousand 1890. :
0o0) dollars less than was expended by
the Legislature during the Lost session of
Chamberlain's adr;iE;stration, notwith.
standing the fact that an amount suffi.
cient to pay the interest on the entire
public debt was included in tho last ses-
sion's assessment.
The commission TO Investigate the pub
lie debt has not yet been able to report,
but il is reasonable to infer that large
portion of that part of the consolidated
debt constructed since the war will be in
validated. Whatever portion of fthis deb.
that may be inyalidated, the interest col.
lected and now on hand, that was intend
cd to DO appropriated to said portion n
validated, will pass to the credit of next
years taxes, and will lessen the amount
needed equal to double the amount of in
tefest so saved. Besides this the royalty
derived or received from Phosphate Com
panies will reach this year nearly to $780,.
600; more than double in amount any
previous receipts from that source.
The floating indebtedness was also re-
fe.red to the bond commission to investi-
gate. The last session to grea. extent
ignored these obligations. The commit
tee not having reported, of course it is
impossible to even conjecture the amount
of thia class of our Indebtedness. 1t is
safe to say, however, that the burden of
this debt, when 1t has been sifted through
the House, will not break 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
gloriouoly commenced, and will be
pushed vigorously, and I feel sure that
the day.will certainly come, If due dill.
| gence be observed, when South Carolina
will be redeemed, and Cur financial sky
viii be as clear as 10 It's political sky oi
| to-day. Ai ''a @
The most important question 60 Car he.
fore the House is the bill fixing certain
rate of iE.e7sst. This bill has already
passed the Senate. The distinguished
fnancier, Mr. c.. G. Memminger, rs.
marked yesterday that the questioa had
been us ably discussed as any no mad ever
heard. '}"'''f'
| suppose yon have heard ere Ihis .haii
Mr.. Orr YES defeated for the speaker,
ship, and that Mr. Sheppard was elected
Har. Sheppard, knowing that Gen. Wal.
lace would be candidate, made prepe.
rations in time, while Mr. Orr, to the
very last, was loath 10 become 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. .,a., .t
pi In haste, yours &C.,
'''''.i 'et.' nnR. w. SIMPSON.