Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1878-12-19

Mr.. Beard--A bill 10 authorize tho County
Commissioners Of Ooonee County to lovy and
collect special tax to pay past indebtedness.
bill to provide for the establishment of q
State Neurological Bureau and minoralog.
ioal survey Of tho State and o bill to further
alter and amond tho school law of South
Carolina woro rejected.
Mr.. Donaldson mado q favorable report on
joint resolution to provide for tho payment
of tho past duo school claims of Piokons
County.
Mr.. Muller made favorable report on
bill to repeal section 2, page 244, chapter 81
Of tho revised statutes.
Mr.. I. NJ. IIutson made favoroblo report
on o joint resolution requiring County Trcasr
urcrs to pay out school funds in their hands
to school expenses of current year.
Mr. George Johnstonc. from the Committee
of Ways and Means, reported bill to mako
appropriations to meet tho ordinary expenses
Of tho government for tho fiscal year COM
monoins November l. 1873, which was read
the first time and ordered for consideration
Tomorrow.
Mr.. Buist from the snme committee, mado
q minority report, which was ordered for
consideration Tomorrow.
a bill to grant MD to to the State Agricul>
turnl and Mechanical Society was passed
Tho Senate returned to this House, with
! amendments, q bill to provide mode Of re-
| voking letters testamentary and Of adminis~
| tration when an executor or administrator
has removed from tho State and to moro
| cifcctually protect tho interest Of minors and
fanatics and persons non compos mcntiS, and
bill to extend tho timo for funding the
unquestionablo debt of the State. The
amendments were concurred in, tho titles
changed to acts aud ordered to be enrolled
for ratification.
A bill to abolish tho offco and compensation
Of tho Office of Chief Constable of The State.
rs now provided by law, and provide for the
temporary appointment and pay for such
officer was ordered to q third reading.
A Joint resolution appropriuting the sum
of $500 for improving and planting trees
upon the grounds surrounding tho State,
copitol was read the second time and the title
amended by striking out tho word five" and
inserting in lieu thereof the word "threo"
bill to regulate the hiring Of convict labor
was ordered to third reading.
A bill to amend aud net entitled can act
to establish uniformity in tho sessions of tho
Circuit Courts" was ordered to third reading.
a bill in relation to lands forfeited to tho
State for nonspayment Of taxes was read tho
third time. passed and was sent to the Senate.
The bill to repeal the joint resolution pro-
vding for tho settlement Of the State debt
l,o ,;,l a., I
NJ. Moody, of Union, moved to lay on the
table the pending motion t. strike out tho
cnac,ing clause Of the bill; yeas So, nays Sc
Mr.. Shaw, Of Edgcicld. then obtained the
floor, and spoke at lcngth in favor of repeal
ing the joint resolution, lie said tho House
would recognize his entire familiarity with the
measure under discussion in all its bearings.
lie had given it, in Wow Of its great gravity
and supreme importance to tho people Of the
State, the proCoundcst consideration. In
view Of its solcmnity, he had reduced to
writing the argument he would submit to the
House, SO that he should say as much as he
deemed ncscssary to the consideration Of the
House and nothing more. lie then read the
argument. covering the following position:
First, that the joint resolution adopted
by the last Assembly was adopted in view
OF the threatened disruption of tho Demo
cratic party of the State, owing to irrccon-
cilab!e discrepancies in tho party touching
the question of paying some two millions
Of the public debt reported by the Bond
Commission as of doubtful validity. That
it was well known that tho adoption of the
joint resolution was political measure of
of nf IL 1
question referred to the Bond Court As
such, he had discharged all the objects had
in view in its adoption.
lie then considered the question of the
constitutionality Of tho court thus erected,
and referring to the constitution of the
constitution of the State, contcndcd that il
vas a court outside of the provisions of
that instrument and without any power to
enforce its DEGREES. Yet the Legislature
has erected this court, and if it was court,
it unseatcd the three Circuit Judges sitting
therein. lie also claimed that the $500
appropriated for the payment of these
Judges WAS in direct violation of the con
stitution.
lie then contcndcd, even supposing that
the court decided for the validity of the
bonds in question of tho State Supreme
Court aud the United States Supreme Court
confirmed the same, that the question
would not then be settled; for it would re-
main ut last for the Legislature to lc2y tho
tax for the compliance with the decree.
This he was assured would mover bc done.
1t, therefore, at last remained for the Leg
i,laturc to determine this question at issue
before they would consent to levy another
dollar Of tax upon the people of the State,