Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1882-02-16
The Work Of the Session.

. nine working days and cost the State, fol
legislative expenses and printing, about
$lG5,000. The session was just twice as long
as any previous session since 1879. The main
cause was the extra work in the consideration
Of the reports Of the several Joint Commis,
sions appointed at the session Of 1880 tc
examine into und report upon different mat'
ters of interest to the State, and involving
in their preparation and consideration Q
serious expenditure Of time aud labor.
In summarizing the public work of the
session, therefore, it will be appropriate il
tho outset TO group together the reports Of
tho Commissions and show the disposition Of
them. The most voluminous wus the report
of the Commission to roriSe tho General
Statutes and tho Code Of Procedure. Tho
Micro reading Of this took over thirty days,
tho rules being suspended in both Houses
to allow the third reading to be by title only
Tho host Of amendments which were offered
in The House and The Senate and the discus
sion Of tho reports Of tho subsequent COM
mt,ccs Of conference to adjust tho differences
between the two Houses, consumed much
additional line. In fact tho bill was not
ordered for ratification until tho Inst days Of
the session. The value Of tho work fully
justities the labor. and tho bill which vas
also passed, providing for tho indexing Of
tho Statutes will complete tho best digested
and arranged body Of laws that tho State
has had. The next in order, and certainly
the first in Importance, was the report of the
Commission to revise and amend The election
laws of the State. Tho main features Of
this measure, ns adopted by both Houses are
The registration of electors; eight hullot
boxes at elections; the scvcrrr,, &c State 'r,a
Federal elections, State and Fcdcr. uil4 .ers
being voted for 10 different places and the re-
suit of the election being passed upon by diff"
ferent sells Of Commissioners. Next comes
tho railroad bill reported by the commission
70 revise, omend and colloto tho railroad
laws of the State The work of the Com
mission YVES very complete ant the amend.
ments made by both Houses wo,o thor
cushly discussed and earnestly considered
The bill has been fully described in tho
Nc,"s and CO... p aud in the shape in Which
it passed tho bill is recognized us being Just
to the railroads, while aftording ample pro-
tcc,on to tho public. 1t is said to b. ,he
best railroad Act in the United States. Next
is tho militia bill, reported by the commission
to examine into and revise and consolidate
the military laws Of tho State. The work of
this commission was likewise very borough
and the bill, as it passed, is expected to add
greatly 10 the efficiency Of tho military
eystem. The appropriation of Sl2,5O0 in
aid of the militia, mado in rnother bill, is
well-tmcd and will give needed encourage
ment to The volunteers. .Thero is clso the
bill to provide mode for the assessment and
taxation of property, carefully prepared
digest OF the laws tn this subject, reported
by The Commission appointed TO consider and
report amendments and improvements.
The measure, as passed, is calculated to
simplify to. a large extent the laws relating to
tho assessment of property. and viii facilitate
the leVying and collection of taxes. The
Constitutional Commission had broad fold
to cover in its report, including the election
law above alluded TO. This commission re-
ported: 1. A Joint Resolution to amend
Section 2, Article 10, Of tho Constitution of
this State, SO Us to provide for State Board
of Education ind the appointment of County
School Commissioners. This Joint Resolu
tion was defeated. II. A Joint Resolution
to amend Section 8, Article VIII, of tho
Constitution of this State, respecting the
qualification Of electors. This Joint Reso-
lotion was passed by the requisite two-thrds
vote in both ilcuses, and will be submitted
to apopuiar vote at the general election in Nos
vemLcr next IF adopted by the people and
ratified by The next General Assembly. all
persons convicted Of felony will bo discuali-
fed EioT voting. Ill. A Joint Resolution
proposing to add Ar icle Ky II to the Consttu
ton of tl.s Stale respecting tho term of oflsco OF
members of tho General Assembly and o,he,
State officers. This Joint Resolution, as il
passed the House, fixed The terms of Office
for nembcrs Of the General Assembly and
State and county officers at four years. II
the Senate the Joint Resolution was defeated
but was subsequently rcconsidered ant
in q modified shape, the extension of the term
Of olHco being tricken out and On amend
ment added providing that members of TIT
General Assembly, State and county officer
shall 10 elected once evory two years at sue,
time and place rs tho General Assembl,
from time to time may provide. The objec
of this amendment was to enable the Legis
lnture to fix the State election on difforen
day from the Federal election. But th
House refused to concur and tho Join
Resolution failed to pass. w. Tho Commission
also reported Joint Resolution to amont
Section 8, Article IL, Of the Constitution O
the State. prescribing the minimum area o
new counties, which was rejected. V. A h,!