Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1884-04-10
Mlistellaneuns &eadina.
PROCEEDINGS OF CONGRESS.

In the Senate, on the 9th, a minority re-
port was presented from the committee on
foreign relations, relative to the action and
report of the ma jority of the committee on
the subject of the exclusion of American
meats from foreign markets. The gist of the
minority report is that latter surrounding
ourselves for more than twenty years with
virtually all the products Of Germany that
compete with ours, it is rather late for us to
advance retaliation against government
which merely follows our example," The
report gave rise to debate which continued
until adjournment.
In the House, a joint resolution to appro-
pirate 100000 for the relief of the sufferers
by the overflow of the Mississippi river was
objected to as being unconstitutional, and
and on the vote was lost by yeas 95; nays,
115. But, by unanimous consent, IL was
re-introduced by Ellis, of Arkansas, and
referred to the Committee on Appropria-
tions. Under the call of States, a number
bills, of no special Importance, were intro
duced and referred.
In the Senate on the 25th the educational
bill was discussed during the entire session,
and went over without final action.
In the House the bonded whisky bill was
discussed in Committee of the whole.
In the Senate on the 26th, the educational
bill introduced by SenotOr Blair, Of New
Hampshire, came up for further discussion.
Among the speakers was Senator Butler,
of South Carolina, who opposed the bill.
He said that the common school system OF
South Carolina was as good as any IN the
United States. A constitutional provision
created tax for an educational fund, and
that fund received in addition an income
from the poll tax. Butler read from the
proceedings of an educational body the ac-
knoWlegments of colored teacher to show
how much the people of South Carolina had
done for education. The people of the
South, he continued, had to solve aproblem
that no other branch of the Caucasian race
had ever been called upon to solve before.
They had made mistakes, no doubt, and as
long as human nature was as weak as it was
he supposed they would continue to make
mistakes. But if he knew his own heart
and the hearts of his people, they meant to
deal fairly with this question. The slaves
had been illiterate, of course, and as freed
men they had been illiterate; but the next
census would show a great Improvement,
for the older people were passing away.
The House joint resolution reapproprating
for the aid of the sufferers by the Mississip-
ri river floods $125,000 not expended for
the relief of the sufferers by the floods of the
Ohio river was read three times and passed.
In the House, after a lengthy debate, q
Joint resolution providing that Sl25, 600 of
the unexpended appropriation for the re-
lief of the sufferers from the Ohio floods
may be expended by the Secretary OF War
for the relief of destitute persons in the
district overhowed by the Mississippi P2PI river We
and it's tributaries, was passed. The re-
| mainder of the session was devoted to the
bonded whisky bill.
10
| ton of Blair's educational bill was resumed.
Senator Hampton spoke in favor of the bill.
| It was with sincere regret, he said, that ne
| found himself unable to agree with his COL
| league (Butler) in regard to matter of so
| much Importance to the interests of their
State as the measure now before the Senate.
| He most fully agreed with all that his COL
league had said of the pluck and energy of
South Carolina, of her recuperative power,
of her earnest effort in the cause OF educa-
| ton, and of the great results which she had
achieved under the most disheartening con-
ditions. His colleague could utter no eX-
ry to find full echo in his (Hampton's) heart.
No one could have higher appreciation
| than he had of the heroic courage, the sub
lime fortitude, the silent patience, the un-
| finching adherence to right, which his
State had manifested during a time when
bad men were throttling her to death. But
she had secured her place again, where she
had once been among the great slsterhood
of free and sovereign States. Knowing and
approaching all this, he sympathized fully
with the ringing words in which his col
league had recounted the efforts of his State
in the cause of education. Hampton pro-
ceeded to add to the recitals of Butler with
respect to the educational achievements of
that H.
ministration of the State Government cost
S24O, 900 a year, while there was expended
for public schools and charitable institu-
tions S600,00O0. He animadverted with
great severity on the carpet-bag regime in
South Carolina, characterizing it as q peri
cd when fraud, corruption, vice and crime
ran riot throughout the State. The public
school Of the State had cost more than twice
the administration of the State Government,
and those schools, maintained at so much
cost, were open to all alike, no distinction
being made on account of race or color.
Might he not ask what State could make
better showing than South Carolina under
difficulties that might we'll have appealed to
the most sanguine and courageous? AS an
instance of magnificent municipal achieve
ments Hampton cited Charleston, which
had spent on it's schools one-third more than
the prosperous and classical city Of Boston,
and did this while pressed down with q
debt of $5,000,000. But, after all this was
told, and after hearing all the facts that had
been 50 ably and eloquently presented by
his distinguished colleague he (Hampton)
had been obliged to come to conclusion
directly the opposite Of that reached by
his colleague on the pending bill. He had
no doubt there were 250, 900 children Of the
ages of ten and sixteen in the state requiring
education, and this could not be given to
them at less cost than five dollars per capita
annually This would involve an eXpendi-
ure of 81 ,25O, ,O0O. The amount thus far spent
on schools had been 5000, 900 annually. How
was the State to raise the increased sum in
her present exhausted condition? In the
face of all these facts, the people of South
Carolina were authorized to ask aid of the
General Government in behalf of those
whom the Government made citizens and
adopted as it's wards. The debate was fur
ther continued by Pugh, Vest, Blair, Call
and Harrison, until the hour Of adjourn
ment.
In the House, after the morning hour,
the bonded whisky bill was debated without
action, until the hour of adjournment.
In the Senate, on the 2Sth, Palmer, from
the Committee on Woman's Suffrage, re-
ported favorably the joint resolution pro-
posing an amendment to the Constitution to
extend the right of suffrage to women.
Cockrell said this was the action of the
majority of the committee. The minority
of the committee would hereafter present
their views. The resolution was placed on
the calendar Senators Lamar and George,
of Mississippi, spoke in favor of the educa-
tional bill and after an executive session,