Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1878-12-19
vorces in this State, were read third cim'
and sent to the Senate.

vorces in this State, were read third time
and sent to the Senate.
A bill to provide for the revision, digest,
and arrangement of the statute laws of the
State of South Carolina, came up next as a
special order, and after some little discussion
passed its second reading with some impor.
tant amendments. These amendments pro-
vide that the Code Commissioners shall be
appointed by the Governor With the approval
of the Supreme Court, instead of being elected
by the General Assembly. The compensation
is also changed from $4,000 each, to three
dollars per day spent by the commissioners
in the consultation in the City of Columbia,
together with the travelling expenses and
such other com mpensaton as the General As
senbly may think proper after the work
shall be completed and reported at the next
session. t." -i.i a r....r..N .Is..-
A bill to grant aid to the State Agricultu-
raj and Mechanical Society, and ii bill to
continue the agricultural lien law il force,
passed second reading. ~" ,-.'-'a a- .."#
A bill to prevent and punish the intermar
rying of the races, produced quite heated
debate. Eckhard (colored,) of Charleston,
and Simmons (colored,) of Beaufort, bitterly
opposed the bill: on the ground that the sub
ject which it sought to control was one which
social usage and society would regulate, and
that it unnecessarily drew the color line
Mr. Gonzales, Of Charleston, also opposed the
bill on the ground that it was unconstitutional
Mr.. Richardson opposed the bill on the ground
that the present was not the time for its pas
sage Mr.. Garrison favored the bill for the
reason that he thought the races should not
iptermarry, and for the additional reason that
whites and blacks from the adjoining coun-
ties of North Carolina, were in the habit of
coming into York county and intermarrying.
Mr.. Dargan moved that the bill be recon-
United to the judiciary committee, to report
whether the provisions of the bill were not
contrary to Section /, Article l, of the Con-
stitution. Mr.. MCGOWAN favored the motion
and the bill was accordingly recommtted.
... ....s TUESDAY, December 10.
In THE SENATE, the bill reducing the per
diem of the members of the General Assembly
to SO per day was taken up, and gave rise
to lively discussion. 1t was finally laid
on the table, .. .a;., .ll ... ...-#
The bill to punish assault and battery
with any firearms, committed on streets or
places of public resort, was passed and sent
to the House. . ..... t....,. ,.H.......
In THE HOUSE, the special order-Mr.
Callison's bill to abolish the Bond Court and
re open the public debt settlemeut-was taken
up. Mr.. Brown, of Anderson, supported the
bill, arguing on the line that the State debt
was more than the people were able to pay,
and more than they intended to pay. Gen.
; Kennedy, Of Kersbaw, replied at some length,
! showing that the interest as well as the honor
Of the State required her to abide by the
settlement that had been made. The further
consideration of the subject was postponed
until Friday. .....
The bill to prevent unjust discrimination
by common carriers, was passed to q third
reading by vote of l02 to 7. This bill is
substantially the same as the one passed at
the last session, but which has been declared
illegal in consequence of its not having been
signed by the Governor and returned within
due time.
The judiciary committee reported bill to
abolish the office of chief constable Of the
State as now provided for by law, and to pro-
vide for the temporary appointment and pay
of such officer ...
Mr.. Bradley introduced bill making hard
labor punishment for offenses, Of which i'm
prisonment in the county jails is now the
penalty.
The committee on agriculture made an un-
favorable report on bill to establish Blu.
reau of Agriculture.
At the hour of H., ID. the House proceeded
10 Ihe lan.iA..-c Slatsxl SeuAtor for
the term of six years, commencing March 4,
1879, the result of which is reported else
where in our columns.
A bill to create railroad commissioner
for the State of South Carolina and to define
his duties, was ordered to third reading.
WEDNESDAY, December II.
In THE SENATE, Gen. Gafy's resolution
proposing to abolish the Court of Claims.
came up for consideration. Gen. Gary arose
and said, among many other things:
II introduce these resolutions in the inter-
est of the taxpayers of South Carolina. l
do not want any senator to take my say 80.
When l asked one of the distinguished law
vers of this body who had received large
amounts of money from the State for his legal
services in connection with the Bond Court,
if he, as lawyer, regarded the Bond Court
as constitutional, and he refused to answer
my question, then the only thing left for me
70 do was to PROFOUND the same question to
The judiciary committee. And now / want
them to answer my question, for 1t is mat.
ter of the utmost Importance to the people of
the State. IL it not worth asking whether
the court is constitutional, and if there are
not vacancies in our judiciary department
caused by three circuit judges accepting po
sitons on the Bond Court and receiving each
five hundred dollars for his servicesS My
aim is to throw all the light that l possibly
can on this subject, and my word for it, the
brighter the light which shines upon it, the
blacker and more Infamous will be the ac-
ton of those who seek to force upon our peo-
pie fraudulent debt"
Mr.. Taft, of Charleston, next obtained the
floor and made strong speech in opposition
to the resolutions. Gary again took the floor
and made another effort to demolish the Bond
Court and all who have any respect for that
tribunal.
Mr.. Witherspoon said he was opposed to the
resolutions on the ground that it forced upon
the judiciary committee responsibilities that
they ought not to bear.
Mr.. Lipscomb next spoke In favor of the
resolutions. He thought Mr.. Witherspoon's
position very strange one. That the Judicial
ary committee ought to be compelled to answer
any questions which the Senate called upon
them to answer. That the people wanted to
know at once whether or not the bond court
was constitutional. If it is constitutional
then let the judiciary committee say so; and
if not. Let it be abolished right now. Mr..