The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-12-04
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE.

THURSDAY MORNING, DEC. 4, 1879.
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
THE LEGISLATURE.
Getting to worl, slowly-The Prospects O
Short Session-The Election OF Chic
Justice-The Local Option School Tax
Other Matters of Interest.
The session of the Legislature SO fal
has accomplished comparatively very
little. On the first day of the session
nothing beyond organizing and referring
all of the business upon the calendar
back to appropriate committees. The
members Of the House and Senate were
promptly in their places, and everything
moved off as well as could have been ex'
pected, except that some members of the
House objected to the introduction O
any bill or resolution without the neces
sary notice Of one day, which practically
lost one day, for had the objection MOI
been made, enough business was ready
to have occupied the committees during
the afternoon, which would have giver
: the House q calendar on Wednesday,
whereas that day was consumed in the
introduction Of bills and other matters
of fcourse.
FIXING ADJOURNMENT.
The following preamble and resolution
was offered by Mr.. Murray, of Anderson.
and came up for consideration on
Wednesday:
Whereas tho present condition of the
State of South Carolina demands con-
tinuation of rigid economy in every de-
partment of our government; and
whereas we recognize the necessity OF q
short session of the Legislature as one
means by which this economy can be
promoted; therefore.
Be ;tresoired by the House of Represen-
tatives ofthe State of South Carolina, the
Senate concurring, That this General AS
the 23d day of December, A. D. 1879, at
o'clock Pm.
On the consideration Of this resolution
the following debate took place, showing
the spirit Of the House upon the question
oflong or short sessions:
Mr.. Davant moved to amend the reso-
luton by adding the words "or as much
earlier as possible" Not adopted.
Mr.. Cooke moved to amend by adding
cor as soon thereafter as convenient"
On motion of Mr.. Murray, this amend
-ment was indefinitely postponed.
Mr.. Humbert moved to make the reso-
luton the special order for December
IS.
On this, Mr.. Murray called for the ayes
and noes, which were taken and resulted
as follows: Ayes, 90; noes, SO. So the
motion was not adopted.
Mr.. Walker moved to make 1t the spe-
cial order for December 8.
Mr.. Walker said: I, for one, am not
certain time till know what duties and
work are to come before US, so that we
may know whether we will be able to
accomplish them in that time or not.
Mr.. Murray said that there was no
probability than any more would be
known about the work Of the session on
the Sd of December than now. Last
session the adjournment was only effected
by passing such resolution and work
ing up to 1t. If we make up our minds
that the country demands short session
and that q short session will be for the
interests Of the State we can do it. call
the previous question on the whole mat
ter.
Mr.. Cooke said that no one realized the
importance of short session more than
he did. While it might be that the gen.
ueman from Anderson (Mr. Murray
needed a lash over him to bring him up
to his duty, he (Mr. Cooke) did not need
it and he did not think the other men,
bers did. He thought the resolution
might well wait for a week or ten days
till the amount of work before the Gen.
eral Assembly could be estimated.
Mr.. Murray suggested that those who
think they need the lash least are really
those who need it most.
The question was then taken on the
motion to make the resolution the spe-
cial order for December 3, and decided
in the negative.
The yeas and nays were then taken on
the adoption Of the resolution and decid-
ed in the affirmative, by vote Of sS to g..
This resolution then went to the Sem
ate, and its consideration was there post
poned to the 18th of December. 1t is,
therefore, uncertain whether the session
will close before Christmas or not. If it
does not so close, the responsibility for a
long session will rest on the Senate and
not on the House. We think the ma
jority of the Senate are in favor of ad-
journing before Christmas, and that
when the resolution comes up on the 18th
it will pass. We know that our Ander-
son Senator is highly in favor of an early
adjournment. The questions to arise
during this session are not yet fully de-
veloped, though there are some very
grave and important subjects now under
consideration. In the Senate the treat
ment Of the
GREENWOOD & AUGUSTA RAILROAD
convicts has been creating considerable
interest, and Gen. Taft, the Republican
Senator from Charleston. offered the fol-
lowing preamble and resolutions in rela-
ton thereto:
Whereas, it appears that fearful mortal
ity has prevailed during the past season
amongst the convicts leased from the Peni-
Tertiary; and whereas, it is alleged that
such mortality has resulted, in a great
measure, from the insufficient and unwhole-
some food, improper clothing, ill-ventilated
lodgings and cruel treatment inflicted on its
victims and whereas, it is further alleged
that no inquest has been taken of any one
of the many casual or violent deaths which
have taken place amongst them; and
whereas, it is the duty of the General AS.
scmbly to provide for the redress Of griev-
ances and for the prevention of their con-
tinuance and repetition-particularly in the
case of those who, being restrained of their
apply to the authorities of the law for relief
and protection. Therefore, be it
Resotued, by the Senate, the House of Rep
resentatives concurring, That a committee
Of three on the part of the Senate and -
on the part of the House of Representatives
be appointed to make immediate inquiry
into the circumstances attending the deaths
which have taken place among the convicts