Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1878-12-19
Correspondence Of the Kcowec Courier
Letter from Columbia.
.:O0:-

COLUMBIA, Dec. IL, 1873.
Mcssrs. Editors: For the last three Sundays
we have had rain, and yesterday was by no
means an exception. However, tho weather
on an average, has been very ino for the
season. In visiting the churches Of this city
ono is struck with tho idea that either they
have supcrabundnnce of churches or they
are not great church going people.
Almost everything about hero presents the
samc appearance that we SEQ, no matter
where we look, Wis that tho people are not
strangers to the hard times wo hear so much
| talked about. In conversation with many of
those who reside in this and other sections of
the State, we arc led to the conclusion that
others are suffering from tho pressure Of
tho times even moro than we, and where
cotton is almost exclusively raised tho people
feel that they cannot exist without the lien
law. and though believe great deal Of our
present financial distress may be traced to
the operations of that law. when it was
brought up in the House there was scarcely
q corporni's guard to oppose its passage
The Legislature is very good working
body, but fear it will fall short of the cxrcc-
tatons of those who created it in the matter
of economy. Thsye'is one of two things very
apparent, either the last Legislature went to
the extreme of retrcnchmcnt or this ono fails
to como up to the standard.
BY fur the greater part of the legislation SO
far has been of special or local character,
though somo bills of general interest have
been acted upon. Among those which nearly
concern us l will mention tho ono whicl,
passed the House in regard to tho redemption
Of forfeited lands which stipulatcs that parties
who have forfeited lands to tho Statcmay re-
deem them by paying onchalf ofthc taxes for the
years 1876, 1877 and 1878. Another is The
bill which prohibits parties who live under
the operations Of the fence law from allowing
their stock to roam upon the lands Of others
who arc not so situated.
The great questions Of this session are the
creeks, rivcrs and marshes, and tho repeal
Of the joint resolution creating the Bond
Court. The former has passed the second
reading in the House, and the final vote on
the latter is ordered for 3 O'clock P. NJ. to-day.
There has been good deal Of discussion on
this bill, which seemed to worry the old mem-
bcrs exceedingly, rs they wore it thrcudbare
ono year ago. Both parties seem aangune
Of the result Of the vote which is to come or
this afternoon. and really if their respective
strength is to be judged by the votes already
taken it is hard to tell which side will win.
There now remain only seven working days
in which tho remaining business of the scs-
sion is to be done, unless tho resolution to
adjourn is rescinded, which hope will not
DO the case.
Tho bill fixing the per diem, &C., Of mem
bers passed the House. 1t fixes the pay at
five dollars per day and the session is limited
to thirty days The appropriation bill has
been reported, and that together with the
supply bill will probably constitute tho rcs
naming matters Of general interest. One Of
our great troubles in the past has been too
much legislation, and trust that all will SO
see it and govern themselves accordingly.
COLUMBIA, December l6 20 P. M.-The
Boud Court was sustained by vote of 81 to
50 in the House to-day. 1t is assured, how
eyor, that no tax will be levied for interest
on the dispoted bonds. B.