The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1884-12-17
NO. l2.

| New factory buildings were gong up in
the Pcnitcntiary now. and applications
had already come in for 200 more con-
vlcts at fair wages. He appealed to this
House, FOR the honor Of the State, to the
mcmbcrs, as Christian men, to stop this
horrible system.
Mr.. Blake. Of Abbevillc, believed that
the bill would not accomplish what its
author desired to accomplish The gath
cring Of all the convicts in the Pcniten-
| tiary would result in disease and death,
and it was an act Of humanity to scatter
! them.
Mr. Lee, of Sumter, thought that If
reform WAS intended the whole system
Of leasing should be abolished The
bill before tho House did not seek to
throw additional safeguards around the
convcts it simply provided an expen-
sivc system Of guards which would rem
der the employment Of them impossible.
Nothing was said in the bill about caring
for the health Of the convicts. He
would vote against the bill-believins
that it would he humanity to the con-
victs. Mr.. Lee intimated that the result
OF the passage Of the bill would be to
bring additional labor to the Columbia
Canal.
Mr.. Haskell said that no such picsyun-
ish notions induced the bill. The men
were wanted to work in factories Mr..
Moulton wanted one hundred more
stocking makers. Mr.. Dibert fifty more
shocmakcrs. Harness makers were
wanted and abundance Of employment
could be found for the convicts inside
the W, lis Of the Penitcntiary.
The discussion Of the convict bill was
then resumed. Mr.. Parker offered an
amendment striking out the clause in
the bill which declares that "the party
| hiring the labor shall have no control
over it," and supported his amendment
with forc;ble speech. The a:,er3.-
mcnt was accepted by Mr.. Haskell.
Mr.. kenncey, of Charleston, moved
to postpone the whole bill, and the yeas
and nays were called. The motion was
lost, 80 ayes to 76 nays, and the discus
sion was then resumed.
Mr.. Nc irady said we could not shut
our eyes to the dangers to which these
poor people (the convicts) were subject
ed. He trusted the whole system would
be stopped. Every consideration Of
civilization protested against this sys-
tom, which was one Of tho things which
is held up against the South.
After a number Of amendments the
bill passed its second reading in the fol-
lowing form:
''Scction 2732. No convicts shall be
hired out as provided in the foregoing
sections, unless such convicts shall be
ard remain under the supervision of q
sworn officer and guards appointed by
the superintendent Of the Penitcntiary,
and every contract shall specify the
hours Of labor, and the time occupied
in going to and returning from work,
and no convict SO hired out shall he pun
ished except by such officer. The pay
allowance and rations of such officer
and guards shall be included in the hire
of such convicts, and shall be paid and
supplied by the person hiring them the
amount Of pay of such officer and guards
to be paid by the person hiring convicts
monthly in advance to the superintend-
ent Of the Penitcntiary, to be
by him paid to such officer aud
guards, such officer and guards to be
responsible to the superintendent Of the
PcnitentiarY and to hold their Offices
subject to removal by the superntend.
ent That the directors Of the Peniten-
tiary shall rcscnd all contracts now in
existence at the earliest day they can,
and in every new Contract enforce the
provisions Of this section and shall
hire no convict to be employed at
any work or at any place, until
the physicians Of thr Prnitentjary shall
have declared in writing that such work
and place is reasonably safe and healthy,
Tho superintendent and directors of tho
Penitcntiary shall prescribe the rules
and regulations to bo observed by said
officer and guards in all cas,s.
The committee on the judiciary re-
ported unfavorahly Mr.. Grnyd"n's bill to
require insurance companies doing bus
mess in this State to obtain a charter un-
der the laws Of the State. The bill was
placed on the Calendar at the request OF
the author. The committee also sub
mitted bill which is intended to reach
the point so often argued in insurance
law suits, about tho value Of property
destroyed by fire and covered by insur-
ancc. Under the law Ms it now stands if
a. insurcs his house for 10000 and it is
destroyed by fire, the Insurance company
does not pay him $4,000, but the value
OF the house, provided the value is less
than $4,000. At least this is how tho
! law is understood by the insurance COM
panies. The bill in question provides
that 'all fire insurance companies doing
business in this State. which shall re-
ceive from and after the passage of this
Act the premium on any policy Of insur-,
ancc against loss by fire on any houses,
buildings or structures Of any kind what:
| ovar shol II bp estonned from don p;n~ bho