Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1877-05-17
At 8 o clock the House adjourned,
18th DAY-WEDNzsDAY, MAY 9.
FgA ~ SENATE Hss

rs II . = q. {. ..as- = =
The Senate assembled at II NJ.
The House sent to the Senate con-
current resolution of inquiry as te
the constitut onality Of the election
for Circuit Judges on the 10th day o.
December, A. D. 1875.
Joiut resolution relative to officers
members and attaches OF tue Genera
AssemblSands joint resolpt iemte rati-
a ams ia Esn tbel e. ffssE, ia:
4 ! tive tive 70 the public chooltaxlsyy and
a tax on p olls, received a third read
ling, passed and ewas ordered to be
sent to the House of Representatives.
The ,enaeting clausesof a bill to re-
duce the paysofj Jurors was stricken
out. sz
Hon. S: A: swails; President pro
!; item, took. theschair. :.
On the report. (with out recommends
!: atom of The Committee on9the Judi
! ciary on House concurrent resolu-
ton invoking Executive. clemehey in
3 Ebehalf of certain citizens of this
State held under bonds to answer
certain charges in the United States
.Gourt, the yeas:and, nays were taken,
! and resulted as follows
Yeas m Messrs. Bowen, Butler, Coch-
ran, Counts Crittenden, Evans Gary,
:. Howard, Jeter, Livingston, j. c.
: Maxwell, Meetze, Todd, Witherspoon
la. sc .s s7.. 9+''
Eoo Nays4Messrs. Bird, Carter, Cor
win, Duncan Gailliard, Green, john
ston, H. ]. Maxwell. Myers. Swails,
i Taft, Warley, Williams, Whlttemore
IA. noes - ie ~.
So the resolution was not agreed to.
On the question of agreeing to the
resolution (hy Mr.. Swails) relative to
Associate Justice Willard Mr.. Max
well moved to amend by striking out
the words "a committee of five be
appointed by the President of the
Senate" and inserting, in lieu there
of, the words the Committe on the
Judiciary are hereby authorized and
required"
The question was then taken on
agreeing to the resolution as amended
and decided in the affirmative.
At2:20P. NJ. the Senate adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPR PRESENTATIYES.
Mr.. r. r. Hemphill introduced a
resolution that alter to-day the House
hold night sessions from s to IL P.
NJ. Rejected. @s
Mr.. Callison-Bill to amend an act
to provide for the redemption Of for
feited lands.
Mr.. Allen-Bills to incorporate the
Eown OF JvnI,eor..~,s..-ra n ! q L
\ \ to renew arrt: rmu1Id- chaFteraof
Honea Path.
Mr.. Bradley introduced resolu-
ton that the House do not meet to-
morrow, as it is memorial day.
Adopted.
The Committee on Agriculture re-
ported Iavorably on bill from Senate
to authorize County Commissioners
to submit to the voters of the counties
propositions to amend the fence law.
Also, rep ,rted favorably on bill to
incorporate the town Of Batesburg.
A bill to amend the criminal law,
being the unfinished business of yes,
terday, was taken up. The pending
motion was to strike out the enacting
clause.
Mr.. Hamilton moved that the
House go into secret session. Re-
jected.
Mr.. ]. J. Hemphill-There was a
time in the history of South Carolina
when people were punished for crimes,
when this chicken.hearted humanity
that now seems to prevail did not
prevent their punishment. 1t is right
that man who ravishes woman OF
bu-ns up the hard earnings of a life
time should be punished severely.
Can we say now that arson and rape
are so severely punished as to deter
men from committing them? What
is the punishment for such crimes
Why, the felon is sent to the peniten-
tiary and stripes are put upon his
clothes instead Of on his back he
stays there few years and then is
turned out upon the community to
commit the same crime again. 1t is
very sickly humanity that looks only
to the care of the criminals, and
leaves theyinnocent unprotected.
Mr.. Blue-The only question mem
bers should ask themselves is whether
it is necessary at this time to make
the law more stringent than it has
lately been. I would be the last man
to increase the number of offenses to
be punished by deat'l if it were not
absolutely necessary. Convicts are
now treated so wellin the penitentiary
that many Of them when they come
out express desire to do some act sc
that the courts may send them back
Z again. / am in favor !oflpunishing
burglary, arson and rape withldeath
and as to theft of live stock, / think
the punishment for that is entirely
too light. Why pigs are getting 4tc
be natural curiosities inGSogth Caro-.
lima, and if something is not done
soon they will entirely disappear, and
circuses will make more money ex.
hibiting them than any other animals
Mr.. Gray have searched the
, criminal codes of the different States
: and Of the world. and especially .that
of England, and I have found nj
such provisions in any Of them a.
: are contained in this bill, / woull
be in favor of putting man in th,
pchitentiary for life for arson Of rape
for l think The Spresent punishmen.
!, for those crimessist too light But
am not in favor of Furnishing then
, with death. We know that the mos
of these crimes are committed By
colored men. We know that TIL
!, are at heart alkind race and apt t
follow the examples; of those abov
j them. The reason why these crime
| ara now so freonentyis that tho law !;