Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1882-09-07

dom OF religion aid or person ana popular
education He believed that thepublic schools
should be 50 supplied with funds as to be
carried on ten months Of the year; and he
almost believed that we should have compul-
sorry education. AS to the proposed cOnstitu-
tional amendment, that is matter for the
peoples consideration. He would say, frankly,
that he favored it; but as it is a matter to
come up hereafter, he did not think it proper
to discuss it now.
SENATOR ]. F. HART
was next introduced. He said: differ from
those who have already addressed you. l am
not a candidate. But I am glad Of this, the
first opportunity afforded me, to express in a
public way, my grateful acknowledgement to
the people of Y ork county, and especially to the
people of this precinct, for the generous sup
port and confidence which aided to place me
as your representative in the State Senate.
While occupying that position, l shall strive
as my best judgment dictates, to advance the
welfare and happiness of the people who have
confided to me their trust. While have but
little to say in indication of views upon ques-
tions that may arise, shall adopt as the
ruling principle of my action, conservatism in
the change or enactment of laws. After care
full delberation and investigation Of proposed
legislation, if have doubts as to it's wisdom
or efficacy, I shall oppose changes. consider
it a safer rule Of legislative conduct, when in
doubt, to do nothing, rather than incur the
risk of going wrong.
During the extra session Of the General
Assembly, a bill to re-arrange the COngression-
al districts in this State was passed. l did
not believe it provided a reasonable or safe
adjustment of party majOrities, and l opposed
it. hope that the result may show that
was wrong, and the majority that adopted 1t
was right. There was also adopted joint
resolution to submit to the voters of the State
a proposition to amend the Constitution so as
to empower the General Assembly to create
new counties, at any time, by altering the
boundaries of existing counties, provided that
no county should be created Of less than four
hundred square miles area, and one one-hun-
dred and twenty-fOurth part OF the population
of the State nor should any old county he re-
duced below such limits. The Constitution
as it now stands, restricts the General Assem-
bly, in the creation or alteration of counties to
| 625 square miles.
In the Assembly, I opposed the adoption OF
this resolution, and have seen nothing in the
measure since to change the views then ell
! +ertained. l am opposed to comforting any
greater power on the Assembly than it now
has, unless guarded by suitable restrictions.
Had the proposed amendment provided TOR
vote of tWO-thirds of the members OF each
House, elected and voting, as necessary to
create new or divide an existing county, l
should have regarded the measure as one OF
far greater safety, both in its political and
local aspects, than as now proposed. II this
amendment should be ratified by the people, a
majority of a quorum in either House, would
be sufficient, at any session of the Legislature,
to cut up county into as many fragments as
it's area would permit, whether the people at
| fected willed it or not. The Senate has 34votes
and quorum is Is Senators. A majority OF
this quorum is ten. The House has has 124
votes, and a quorum is made by 63 members.
A majority Of this quorum is thirty-two. SO
that ten Senators and thirty-two members IN
either house, might, under certain conditions,
be sufficient to create new county. II the
constitution be altered in this particular, it
should either require two-thrds vote OF
each House, or the assent of majority OF the
people of each county to be affected, before
creating new one
Under the Constitution, as it stands, the
counties are integral parts of the State govern
ment. They have their local municipal gov
crnments elect their local officers impose
their own taxes and in many respects, are
sovereign over their own affairs. Each county
community is the nucleus of small State
within itself, with board of county commits
sioners as it's local Legislature. | cannot con-
sent to invest, possibly, small fraction OF
each House of the Assembly with power to
dismember such existing governments at their
will. There should he some restriction upou
this power Whether you lodge that restric-
| tion in tWO-thirdS vote of the Assembly, or
majority vote of the people of the county to
| be affected, l shall not discuss. Either plan
would secure practical safety to the cOmpunl-
ties likely to be injuriously affected. Such re-
strictons are the more necessary because II
mistake is made i'll the creation OF Il new coun-
ty, it is one more difficult to correct than mis-
takes in ordinary legislation. After county
is once dsmembered, it's fragments are not
likely to ever be restored, however much the
popular will may demand it.
As a political question, l have long been in
favor of making the State Senate body rep
resenting the property and intelligence OF the
State, so that whatever change OF pOlltlcal
| power might occur, there would be practical
security against the adoption Of unequal or
unjust laws, high taxation or plundering OF the
public treasury. But do not believe that the
proposed amendment, if Iatied by your votes,
will secure that result The creation Of new
counties will not, as rule, be agtated on po,
litical grounds. They will not be considered
and advocated for the reason that large
county may be divided into two counties, each
electing Senator representing property and
intelligence; but their creation, boundaries
and shape will be governed purely by local con-
siderations. An enterprising railroad town,
after acquiring considerable population and
business, aspireS to become a county-seat. The
territory on either side of it, for distance
of, say ten miles, is cut off from other coun-
ties and annexed to it. This will be done with
out regard to the political complexion of the
new county to be established, or without re-
gard to it's effect upon the new or old counties
! in the election of members of the General AS
sembly, or of county officers
In illustration of the force of the argument,
apply it to a proposed division of York county,
which use only for illustration. WeWill say
the eastern section proposes the formation OF a
new county from portions of York, Chester
and Lancaster, with Rock Hill rs the county,
seat. Taking the townships from those three
counties adjacent to Rock Hill, you will have,
in four hundred square miles, population or
1853 whites, and 7,943 colored. This new
county will be subject, unquestionably, to the
control of colOred voters.
The people beyond Broad River also want
portion of northwestern York to form new
county, with Gaffney City, as theconnty-seat.
Taking the territory they propose for an area
of four hundred square miles, and you nave
population for the new county of s, ,324 whites
and 4,979 colored. This new county would be
controlled by white voters. But let us exam
inc what is left of the original county OF I ork.
1t will have a colored population of S.7O9, and
of whites, 1909. You have created two new
counties out of portions of York, in one OF
which the whites have majority, and III the
other the colored people have a majority, and
Won have left the original county with a col
ored majority. You have provided for three
| w one exists now and two of the