The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-04-08

measure rallied very unexpectedly
and reconsidered that vote. For d
time it appeared as if the Bill would
pass, the vote on reconsideration
being 40 yeas and 81 nays-many
opponents of the Bill being absent.
However, under the skillful man.
agement of Representative N. B.
Myers, the contest was prolonged
until we gained confidence and
agreed to take vote; but, 10 our
surprise, the Bill passed its second
reading by the close vote of As yeas
to 43 nays. Upon the third reading
we still opposed it, and succeeded in
having it Indefinitely postponed by
a vote of AZ to 36. Much of this
work was accomplished between the
second and third readings Of the
Bill, and other members joined
heartily in its final defeat. Many
similar claims were opposed in like
manner, as the Journals fully show.
1t was astounding and humillating
to witness claims. without merit or
common honesty, rushed through by
Concurrent Resolutions. Although
no appropriations were made to pay
them, nevertheless, by their passage,
a large floating Indebtedness was
entailed on the people of the State.
This was generally accomplished at
the close Of q session and amidst the
hurry and confusion attending such
scenes. Many such claims passed,
some for large amounts, without
scrutiny and common care. To cure
such a state of things l presented
two Bills with the following title:
"To provide the manner Of passing
claims against the State by the
General Assembly," [Senate Jour-
mails 1874 and 1875, page 599;
1866, page 313. The second
Bill I presented was passed, and
was approved by Governor Cham
berlain. 1t provided that all
claims exceeding given amount
should be passed only by Act or
Joint Resolution, and that all vouch-
ers pertaining thereto should, before
a certificate could be issued by the
officers of the two houses, be filed in
the office ofthe Comptroller General.
This Act had the effect, for time,
of checking and correcting so great
an abuse in the management of the
passage Of claims by the Legislature.
I think it not inappropriate in this
connection to state that payment Of
many of the claims which had been
improperly passed before this Act
was rendered impossible by the sub
sequent exposures Of the Committee
to Investigate Frauds.
A REGISTRATION LAW.
Article VIII, Section 8, of the
Constitution of this State provides
that "lt shall be the duty Of the
General Assembly from time to
time to provide for registration
of all electors" This provision
and the duty it enjoins seem plain
and unequivocal. The Journals
will show that from the time I took
my seat in the General Assembly 1
favored and advocated the enact
ment of a proper registration law,
because it contemplated and pointed
out the most certain mode by which
the purity of elections could be
secured, so far as the number OF
eligible voters was concerned. 1t
offered safeguard as well for the
white as the colored voters Of the
State, by removing all illegal at
tempts to swell a majority beyond
the number of authorized registered
voters, so that in no election pretend
ing to be fair and just could the num-
berofvotes castappear larger than the
number of actual registered voters.
That it was the true policy Of the
Republican party of this State to
have such a law enacted, I have
often urged and pressed upon them,
The present condition of affairs will
doubtless prove a forcible reminder.
The first distinct move | made
will be found in House Journal
1894, page 44S, as member Of
Committee appointed to report what
legislation was necessary. Among
other things that Committee recon-
mended "a Bill to provide for a
registration law" This was disre-
garded.
Senate Journal 1S74-75, page 145,
will show that l introduced ga Bill
to provide for the registration Of the
electors of this State in conformity
with the provisions of the Constitu-
tion." This Bill was referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary, of
which B. F. Whittemore was Chair
man. The Bill never saw the light
afterwards. Again, at the session of
1877, [see Journal of Senate, page
1871 1 introduced "a. Bill to provide
for the registration of electors in
conformity with Article VIII, Sec
tion 8, of the Constitution" This
Bill was likewise suppressed in Com
mittee, Whittemore being Chair