Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1879-12-18
THE SOUTH CAROLINA LEGISLATURE.
TuEsDAY. December @. 1879.

ale Lne SaIe OI lntoAlcdtluS llquoEs was auoP-
ted.
Mr.. Lipscomb presented bill to create a
department of agriculture, and asked that it
be placed on the calendar without reference
and printed. Itwas so ordered.
In THE House, Mr.. Simonton offered a
Joint resolution instructing the representatives
Of this State in Congress to advocate the ap-
plication of the funds, derived from the sale of
public lands, to the education of the illiterate
among the people in the respective States.
The enacting words were stricken out of the
bill to prevent the receiving of compensation
for wei Ching cotton, in bales, by persons
other than the public weigher
The bill to require special license for
dogs was recommitted to the committee on
agriculture.
The bill to prevent the running of freight
trains on Sunday, and to regulate the running
of passenger trains, passed to its third reading
as also id the bii t5 authorize and direct the
commissioners of York and Chester to trans.
fer certain stock of the Chester and Lenoir
Railroad Company to the respective boards OF
school trustees.
Two bills to prevent the carrying of con.
cealed weapons came up for consideration.
The enacting clause was stricken out of one,
and the other was laid on the table.
A long debate took place over the bill to
amend the statute relating to stealing from
the fields. Messrs. Humbert, Harper, Muller,
Murray, Donaldson and Bacon favored, and
Messrs R. R. Hemphill, Dargan and Gail
lard opposed the bill. 1t was urged in its
favor that its desigN was to extend the pun
ishment now provided for stealing crops, un.
severed from the freehold, to similar crimes
against similar property severed, but still in
the field, in which condition they are most
exposed and in need of protection, and that
the farmers dem anded greater protection than
other classes. theirs being the principal in,
dustry in the country. The opponents of the
bill contended that the punishment provided
was excessive, the maximum being FIVE years
and calculated to defeat the
of the provisions of the bill, and
that it was class legislation. The bill finally
passed to third reading.
A message was received from the Senate
announcing the indefinite postponement Of
II ouse bill to provide for the revision, digest
and arrangement of the statute laws of the
State.
The bill to fix the time for legislative en-.
actments to take effect, passed its third read
ing The time fixed is the first day of next
March, unless otherwise specified in the body
of the act
A bill abolishing the Office of referee, and
creating that Of master i'll certain counties,
also passed to its third reading.
The enacting clause was stricken out of the
bill to repeal all acts and parts of acts, which
apply the whole or any part of the poll tax
to the payment of past due school claims.
The bill for the relief of the counties Of
Greenville, Union, Pickens,
York, Chester, Lancaster and Chesterfield,
which have subscribed bonds in aid of GER
tain railroads, was recommitted, on motion
of Mr. Cleveland.
The enacting clause was stricken out of the
bill to relieve the counties of the State from
the expense of maintaining prisoners convict
ed of certain ofenses during their imprison-
ment in the county Jail.
"WEDNESDAY, December III.
In THE SENATE, q concurrent resolution
was received from the House and concurred
in by the Senate, that the two houses meet
in joint assembly on Thursday to elect a
Chief Justice, and an Associate Justice.
A petition, signed by all the clergymen Of
Columbia, praying that the General Assembly
would pass bill preventing railway compa-
MES from running freight trains on the Sab
bath, was submitted by Mr.. Witherspoon,
and referred.
The following bill, after evoking an anima-
ted discussion, which was engaged in by
Messrs. Cannon and Lipscomb, was passed
to its third reading:
Sec. l. That on an after the passage OF this act,
all cotton packed in bales transported by COM
mon carriers within the limits of this State, shall
be claesed as ''heavy goods" that is to say, an
article to be weighed and charged for and treated
49,, -
mon carrier carriers, or his or their agent or
agents. in violation OF the provisions or spirit OF
this act shall render said carrier liable to PEN
atty of fifty dollars on each bale of cotton offered
for shipment, said penalty tn be collected for the
said shipper in any court of competent jurisdc-
ton within this State.
The following was passed and ordered to
be enrolled for ratification Joint resolution
all amendment to Section %, Arti-
Gle IL, of the Constitution of the State OF South
Carolina, relating to homestead, and pro
viding that the benefits of the homestead ex-
emption may be shared equally by all classes
Of citizens.
Mr.. Cannon, of Spartanburg, presented the
petition of four hundred citizens in opposition
10 changes in the fence laws in that county.
In THE HOUSE, the bill to authorize Will
lam Howell and his wife, to adopt and make
heir lawful heir Mary Caroline Howell, pass
I'd a second reading.
Mr.. Barber introduced bill to abolish the
,fice of county auditor.
A concurrent resolution to 60 into an elec-
ion, on Thursday, for Chief Justice and an
Associate Justice, was agreed to.
The judiciary committee reported upon the
question of vacancy in the Chief Justice
hip, that vacancy existed. Mr.. Cooke,
rom the same committee, submitted minor
t7 report on the same subject, taking the op-
,oste view. Both reports were ordered to be
printed. Judge Cooke stands alone in the
in his position, the majority report
having the unanimous support Of the remain
Ter of the committee
The bill to enable Henry s. Elliott, Of
Beaufort to apply for admission to the bar,
,ame up. Mr.. Simonton said that this bill
vas one of a dozen, and offered an amend
nent making the bill general one so as to
.llow any citizen of good moral character,
Who can pass an examination before the Su.
,reme Court, to practice at the bar: The bill
vas adopted ffdees away with the necessi-