Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1880-01-01
THE STATE LEGISLATURE.

me measures WnlCQ were not uUally acteu upon
do not appear to be OF any particular importance,
excepting the different bills in relation to the reg
istration of voters. It was wrong to neglect to
comply with the plain mandate of the State Con-
stitution, and 1t was impoitic, at least, to lose
favorable opportunity of limiting and regulating,
this omission can be set the passage Of several
measures Of the highest Importance. The chief
of these are here described:
The Joint Resolution amending the Constitu-
ton relative to the homestead, authorizes and re-
ouires such subsequent legislation as shall extend
the benefits of the homestead, to every head OF
family in the State whether land owner or tenant,
and such as will give the benefit OF the homestead
exemption in personally to every person, wheth-
or he is entitled to it for land realty or not.
This viii obviate the hardship of the present law
which operates to deprive tenants and non land
holders of the protection of the homestead.
The Columbia Canal Bill, as finally passed, cedes
the water power of the State to Messrs. Thomp-
son and Nagle, Northern contractors, and pro-
vides that they shall be furnished with $50 con-
victs to work at developing the power. These
will be clothed and guarded by the State, remain
ing under the direction ofthe Board OF Directors
of the Penitentiary, but will be fed by the con.
tractors who are to complete the canal and erect
q cotton factory within three years, not including
the time lost from overflow and other unfavorable
mishaps. When the water power is developed,
an amount equal to 500 horse power is to be
ceded to the State for public use and benefit The
tors only upon the completion of their contract,
they forfeiting their investments in case offail
ure to Comply. -.
The Charleston Canal Bill provides an sppro-
priation of $l5, 900 to be used in constructing a
canal across Charleston Neck, the money to be
expended only when contract Is entered Int"
by responsible persons to purchase from the
State sufficient amount of rock from the quar-.
les at Columbia to reimburse the State for the
outlay. The canal is to be built between Line
street on the south and the city boundary on the
north, and it will not cross any street without
the permission of the City Council. The Canal
Commissioners will have authority to authorize
any railroad running to this city to connect with
either terminus of the canal by q switch. This
Canal is expected to give the City unsurpassed
terminal and shipping facilities, without any
charges for wharfage.
The Bill to provide for the investment and use
Of the Agricultural College Fund restores to the
Fund an amount equal to the proceeds of the Ag
ricultural Land Scrip, given to the State by the
United States, which proceeds were invested In
State bonds, which were hypothetated and lost
10 the State, in Radical days. The State Treasur.
or Is required to issue to the Board of Trustees of
the South Carolina University a certificate OF
State stock for $l9l 300, bearing interest at six
per cent, which interest shall he used by the
Board for the purposes for which the Land Scrip
waS originally issued to the State by the United
States: The Board of Trustees is authorized to
establish College Of Agriculture and Mechanics
for the benefit of white students, using the Uni.
versity buildings and grounds, and establishing
scholarships to be used equally by students from
various sections of the State, either by counties OF
Congressional districts. The Board will also
have power to establish scholarships for white
male graduates of chartered colleges of the State,
the tuition to be free. This College of Agri.
culture and Mechanics is in addition to the Agri-
cultural College and Mechanics Institute for col.
ored students, which il in successful operation al
Orangeburg; and the two Colleges will be here:
after maintained out of the income of the Land
Scrip fund.
The Act to extend the time for the redemption
of forfeited lands provides that all lands hereto.
fore forfeited to the State for The non. payment
of taxes, may be redeemed by the payment o1
one-half of the simple taxes of the years 1879 and
1877 and the full amount Of the taxes, costs and
penalties of the year 1878, provided that such
payment be made on or before the 3lst OF May
$780, After that date unredeemed lands will be
sold for the benefit of the Sinking Fund OF the
State. -1
The Act repeating "the Act to alter and amend
the law regarding elections" repeals the two.
box" law, passed during the session of 1873, pro-
vidng for separate ballot boxes whenever there
tal electors. The old one box system is restored
The Bill to provide for the settlement OF the
Consolidated debt OF the State, provides for 8
final settlement of the public debt on the basis o.
the recent decision of the Supreme Court. II
provides for the payment of the interest on the
entire debt for $780, and the payment Of the un.
paid interest for 1879 on the valid debt. The de:
tails of the settlement are entrusted to Special
Commissioner James g. Colt, who will examine
the debt under the light of the decision OF the
Court and report monthly to the Treasurer. Fol
bonds and coupons partly valid, the holders will
receive Consolidation bonds for the portion de-
clared valid. The public value OF the Act lies
in the fact that it was passed by the common con-
sent of the whole General Assembly, and can be
safely regarded, therefore, as settlement that
the people, by their representatives, approve ol
and will faithfully carry out.
Provision is made in separate Act for the
funding of all State indebtedness which by law
is fundable, and for the consolidation and fund.
ing of interest on the unfunded valid debt from
1874 up to and including 1879.
The Act regulating the funding of the bills OF
the Bank Of the State authorizes their funding in
Consolidation bonds at the rate of fifty cents on
This relieves the State ofanother chronic trouble
The Act creating Department of Agriculture
places it under the control Of Board consisting Of
the Governor, the Master of the State Grange, the
President of the State Agricultural and Mechani:
cal Society, and two other persons to be selected
bv the General Assembly. The Commissioner Of
Agriculture and his clerk will be under the con.
troll of this Board, which shall also have power to
require County Auditors to furnish such stats.
tical and other information as may be needed
It shall investigate all subjects regarding agricul'
ture, immigration, &c, superintend and quaran'
tine diseased stock, take charge Of the Fish De-
partment, exact and issue licenses for fertilizers
treplacing the present phosphate inspector and
agent) inspect fertilizers. &C., and generally de-
vote itself to the advancement Of the Agricultural
interests of the State.
The Act to declare the law regarding liens, pro-
vides that hereafter, at the expiration of twenty
years, lien or judgment shall be presumed to
have been satisfied unless some acknowledge.
ment by the debtor, such as payment OF interest
or payment on account, be recorded with the
Indictment or lien.
The Act to require Railroads to furnish con-
sgnees an itemized statement Of freight Charges,
and requiring them 10 settle according to the
bill of adng expresses its scope in its title. The
penalties for violation of its provisions are first
penalty double the amount of the charges, to
be recovered by the consgnee by civil process
and second, that the agent so offending shall be
guilty of a misdemeanor, and punlshabie oy
fine of not less than Sl0 more than $lGO, or I'M
prsonment for not less than five or more than
thirty days, unless he be acting under orders OF
a superior officer, in which case the latter shall
be subject to double the above penalties.
The Bill to alter and amend the law relating to
iuries and Jurors provides that no petit juror
shall be REQUIRED to serve more than one week at
any term of the Courts Of General Sessions or
Common Pleas, and that thirty-six jurors shall
be drawn for each week. No jury, however,
charged with case shall be discharged peiore its
ty Of Charleston is exempted from its provisions.
The Act fixing the time for Legislative enact
ments to take effect, provides that on and after
the first day of February next, no Act or Joint
Resolution shall take effect until twenty days
after its approval, unless otherwise specified.
The Act regulating the running of trains on
Sunday prohibits the running or loading of
freight trains on that day, allowing each road to
run only one train for the transportation OF mail
and express matter and passengers.
The Act amending the law relative to stealing
crops from the field extends the provision of ex-
listing statutes (which make the stealing Of crops
growing in the fields felony to the stealing Of
crops gathered but left in the field.
The Bill to provide artificial legs for citizens
manned in the service of the State from 1861 TO
1865, was amended by the Senate so as to furnish
arms also, and so passed.
The Supply Bill fixes the State levy at four
,nI nm. l,o off opd tho Oanaral rOrntv lew