Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1880-12-02
The Legislature

both houses proceeded at once to organize.
Aftor their organization and the reading
of tho message Of Governor Jeter, the Sens
ate at 1.30 P. NJ. attended in tho House al
tho opening of the returns for Governor and
Lieutenant Governor. Thoro being no notice
of protest from any county, the tabulation Of
the returns as submitted by tho Secretary oil
State wos received as correct. aud they
showed the following as the aggregate vote:
FOR GOVERNOR.
Whole number of votes cast, 12l,80l
For johnson Hagood, ll7,432
For l.. w. Blair, 4,277
Scattering, 2
FOR LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR.
Whole number Of votes cast, 12l007
For John d. Konnedy, ll7,623
For d. q. Gist = 1882
General lIagood was thon declared to be
elected Governor and General Kennedy
Lieutenant Governor.
Of course no legislation has yet been per.
fected, but wo may gather the bent Of the
legislative mind from tho character of the
bills of public Importance noticed or intro
duced.
On Wednesday in the Senate bill wac
introduced to provide for tho issuing ol
commissions to take testimony in criminal
actions. This is q needed law, rs oftcn do
fcndants arc unable to secure testimony from
q distance or from other States, and though
tho constitution provides that person
charged with crime shall have tho right to
meet tho witnesses against him faco to face,
and the State muy not therefore examine by
commission, ssill tho dcfendan. should not
DO dcbarred from proving his innocence, if
possible, in any way. tho State having tho
right of cross examination.
Also q bill to define the crimo and fix tho
punishmont of ducling. This proposes to
mako duoling q statutory oflensc, and makes
the killing of either party murder in all
presentas principal, seconds or aids. IF either
party DO wounded, however slightly, then
all parties are punishable by Imprisonment
in tho penitentiary for period not exceed
ing twenty years, aud shall be deprived of
holding any ofico of honor or profit in this
State. A statute will moro likely bo res
pectcd than the common law, tho violation
of which in the past has been 80 often wink-
ed at. Still public sentiment must DO far
ther educatcd before any law On tho subject
will bc oGectual. Such law, however, is
desirable and would prevent many hostile
meetings and finally become absolutely ros-
trictive.
An important bill, locking to tho revision
of tho statute laws. has been introduced in
the House. Our statutes arc in utter confu-
sion from repeals, amendments and changes
and they should bo revised and codiGcd at
once.
A resolution providing for the calling of a
Constitutional Convention was introduced in
the House. We are satisfied the constitution
needs many amendments. and much money
could be saved by such course. We arc sat-
isiied, too, the shortest modo to accomplish
this e0ectually is through q convention, but
it could be effected by appointinga a commits
sion to propose amendments to be ratified in
the usual way. Tho latter is the cheaper
course, and We pressed it earnestly two years
ngo, when the homestead amendmcnt was
proposed. 10 work year by year with single
amendments will require a score of years to
make all the changes needed
Bills have been introduced in both houses TO
prevent and punish tho carrying of concealed
weapons. The last Legislature after much time
spent, rejected similar bills. Since then tho
grand juries of large number Of tho coun,
tics of the Stnto, by their prcscntmcnts,
backed by tho great body Of tho press, have
urged the passage Of such law, and we
trust the public wish thus expressed, will bo
carried out. 1twould save many lives, much
misery and deal of expense to all tho
people.
In the House bill to amend the General
Statutes, 80 as to compel executors to give
bond, has been introduced. This should
have been the law years ago. but tho Act
should contain proViso that tho testator,
could by special direction in his will, exempt
his executor from giving bond. Often men
desire to appoint their wigcs executors and
they would always find it difficult to give
bond.
Bills have also been introduced in the
ilonse to prevent the sale of seed cotton
in less quantities than 625 pounds, which is
unwisc and will not pass; toamcnd the law
IN relation to distress warrants; to regulate
tho per diem and mileage Of witnesses in
State cases; to regulate the salaries of County
Auditors, School Commissioners and County
commissioners; to amend the law dividing
the State into five Congressional Districts
to require the Comptroller General to turn
into the State Treasury all fees derived from
insurance companies or agents for licenses
This is right and will annually amount to
considerable sum.
a largo number of other bills of local o,
minor Importance had been ntrod1ccd up t