The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-12-02
FROM TIE LEGISLATURE.
OUR REPRESENTATIVES AT WORK IN
EARNEST.

OUR REPRESENTATIVES AT WORK IN
Monumental Cheek Of the Comptro1l.
er.General-The Temperance Ques-
tion-The Circuit Judges and their
Tenure of OMce-Caucus of EcOnO-
mists.
COLUMBIA, s. c., Nov. o, 1885.
Editor Press and Banner:
last Tuesday at twelve o'clock. In the House
the most of the members were present., ma,
as we had on the calender about ninety bllls
and resolutions continued from the last ses'
them. Nothing was done on that day, bow
ever, that would interset your readers.
On Wednesday the House called the nil 10
require insurance companies doing business
in this State to take out q charter Of incorpor'
alton under the laws Of the State.
Among the bills introduced are by Mr..
HemphfIl A Bill to- require the Board or
Trustees of the South Carolina College to
BY Mr.. Graydon A Bill to require Railroad
Companies to provide separate accommoda;
tions for white passengers A Bill to amend
section 2l07 of tho Revised Statutes In reIa;
ton to the fees Of witnesses In criminal
cases. The object Of this bill is TO give all
witnesses who are actually. arrested anu
bound over BY the defendant In cases OF felo'
ny the some pay that is now allowed BY law
to- witnesses for the State in all cases. Some
of the Circuit Judges hold that they are emil;
tied to 1t as the law stands, while others hold
that it is manlfcstly unjust for tire State to al
low q defendant to use Its process to arrest a
man and conf pei him to attend Court. wheth-
er he wishes to or not and refuse TO pay nm
for keeping him there. AlsOa bill to regulate
the fees Of physicians and surgeons for testl.
fylng as experts in criminal cases. This bill
proposes to give physicians a fee OF f1ve DOL
lars for testifying as experts before q Coroner's
iury after Il post 1nU7ten examination, and for
testifying m the Court Of General Sessions q
fee Of ten dollars in all cases when they are
bound over or Summoned by the State, ana
!, v u ae u1 tnio o9a m a Gger ny to fhe the ee neadicne
and mileage allowed TO other witnesses.
There is SOME doubt as to what they are emit
tied to for testlfying in Court, and this bill Is
intended to declare the law.
Four new members have taken their seats.
Mcssrs. Lyles and Walker. of Richlandt Mel
son, of Kershaw, and RlchardsOn, OF Ciaren-
don. They till vacancies caused by the re-
signations of Messrs. Youmans and Marshall.
of Richland, and BOykin, OF KershaW, anu by
the death Of Mr.. Hurvln, OF Clarendon.
We received on Friday the news OF the
a member Of the present legislature from
Darlington County. Mr.. Williamson was tho
County Chairman Of Darlington for a NUMBER
of years, and was elected several times 70 the
House OF IepTeSeU GdGltSS. TIC lIhO IL hiS
member of the House, and was very popular
on account Of his genial disposition anu ANA
BILE manners as well as on account OF MS IN
t~elligent and conscientious discharge. OF his
House in his honor by Mr.. e. w. Brown, OF
Darlington, and feeling eulog'es upon MS ne
and character were delivered by Messrs; q. w.
Brown, PettiGrew, Aldrich, Spencer, Ficken,
| and McIvcr. The resolutions were unnnl-
mously adopted, and as q further token OF re,
spect Tor his memory the House adjourned
for the balance of the day.
The Valued Policy, BIZ was taken up on
Wedne sday, md mad the special order for
next Monday. AS we have q favorable report
from the Committee OF the Judiciary, the
friends of the measure hope to secure us pas;
sage. BY the way, Comptro'ier Genern,
his report to the General Assembly four
pages of resolutions Of boards of underWrit'
ers and insurance commissioners and Foiun-
teers his own opinion as to the law. ne ENDS
by respectfully suggesting that no such law
be passed. How is that for monumental
check 1t would put a government NIUE or
traditional town COW TO the olusn. we are
very glad to have his recommendations upon
matters connected with the office which he
now fills, but his interference with matters Of
general legislation, his championship OF inc
Side advocated by the insurance agents, ana
his attempt to instruct the sworn representa-,
tives of the people as to their duty, Is regard
ell by all the members of the House with
whom I have l have talked as a breach OF the
privileges of the House: Until the G0is ,n,Inr
General the right to say what laws snail or
shall not be passed, we vii! claim ana OK
ercise the right to say what bills we will pass
and what bills we will reject, and IN the
mean time will thank the Comptroller Gener
al not to interfere with matters that ore nc
concern of his.
l will write you as to the result on Monday
night. The bill to submit the question Of
license or no license to the qualified voters o.
Abbeville County was made the special order
for Tuesday next. The delegation In inc
House are divided on 1t, and Senator Max
A pctiiinn of sundry citizens of Hodges to
prohibit the sale of liquor there, has been
sent down. 1t was referred to the ;AbbeHllie
delegation. Thew have unanimously report
I'd q bill TO that effect. AS The petitlot Is
signed by nearly all the property holders OF
Hodges there seems to be little doubt thai the
bill will pass.
On Tuesday the House passed a concurrent
day for the purpose Of electing a Chief Justice
and Circuit Judges for the Fist, Second,
Fourth, Sixth, Seventh and Eighth Circn1is:
The Senate refused to concur in 1t, and will
wait until the General Assembly either acts
or refuses to act on the recommendation OF
the Governor In his message that Two adul-
tiOnal Circuits be created. 1t seems That there
will not he any opposition to the re-elect1on
of Chief Justice Simpson. or to the present In
cumbents In any Of the Circuits except the
Second. a strong effort was made hy Ihe
friends or Gen. Jas. Il. lIlar, ScuItor IoLl VI
nngcburg, and of Hon. John +. Fickcn, mem.
Der of the House from charleston, TO INDUCE
them to become candidates in the First CIR.
cult, but they would not consent to 1t. The
are both able men and fine lawyers, anu
either of them would fill tho place with cred
it to himself and honor to the state.
In the Second Circuit the cantidates are
Judge Aldrich and Gen. Jas. w. Moore, Sena.
tor from Hampton. An unsuccessful but a
very earnest effort was made by their rGspec'
tive friends to bring out also Judge id. Ma
her, Of Burnwell, Col. William Elliot. Of Beau
son, of Aiken. Our people know Judge AL
drich so we'll that it Is unnecessary TO speak
of him. Gen. Moore Is a very pleasant gentle
man, Is said to be q fine lawyer. and those
who ought to know say that he would I'LL the
position ably and acceptably. -.
There Is undoubtedly Il strong feeling with
some of the members that a Grange ought To
he made in the First and Secs,nd Circuits. vi
those who are in favor of rejecting the IN
cumbentS some say that the tenure or a
! Judges office ought to be made as long as pos
sible; others say that it looks ungratcful TO
turn an old man out of office when he has
given up his practice, worn himself out IN the
Service of the State, and would be unable 10
recover the clientage which he had before his
election, and, In fact, could not hope to be
able to make a living again at the Bar while
still others are Influenced by purely personal
considerations. On the other hand, those who
favor u change say that at the end or an IN
cumbent's term he Is In the same fix as II he
never had held it; that he has no real claim
on the office; that the question to he decided
is. who is the best man for the place; that In
deciding this question the experience or the
incumbent as a Judge is All important factor,
but should not be allowed TO Orer-oalance
other more wcighty considerations; thai the
State pays q f1rst-class salary. mere than can
be made by most lawyers in the smaller
towns, and that she has q right to demand