The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1885-12-10
fhE sSSba1I 'dISsBaALY. 4
Sf6b,day, Novol8BSk 80.

measures, all. but half a dozen were
4 disposed of before two O'Clock. There
was very little speaking. Nobody
seems to have been thoroughly thawed
out yet. Debate ~ ut discount.
There actually was not a word of
argument on the joint resolution pro-
posing q constitutional convention.
Tho special order for the day was
the second reading OF Senator You
mans joint resolution calling Con-
stitntional Convention The report of
the committee had been favorable.
There was no debate. The yeas and
nays were demanded. and the vote
resulted: Yeas, II; nays, IA; not
voting, 4.
The Chair announced that the Joint
resolution had passed its second read
ing.
Senator Smythe made inquiry wheth-
er the resolution, conId come up for a
third reading, having failed to secure
the two-thirds constitutional majority.
The Chair stated that in his view tho
constitutional provision applied only
to the final passage of the resolution.
The yeas and nays had not been called
to-day under the constitutional man
date, but at the demand of two MEM
bers. On tho final reading the Chair
would order the vote by yeas and nays
as required by the Constitution. In
the view of the Chair tho requirement
OF . two-thirds majority did not apply
TO the votes during the transit Of the
resolution through the Senate, but
only TO ths last vote when tho question
OF passing it'must arise - |
After short executive session, in
which the Governors nomination of q
supervisor of registration for Aiken
county was confirmed, the Senate adj
journed. .N
aoUsE or REPRESENTATIVES,.
The entire day was spent after the
usual formula of tho morning hour in
the discussion Of the bill to utilize the
labor of prisoners couincd i'm county
jails and the insurance bill. The first
named was passed and tho latter de-
feated. The convict bill was taken up
first The bill in brief provides that
all courts and municipal authorities
which under existing laws have power
to sentence convicts to confinement in
prisons other than the penitentiary,
shall within their discretion impose
the further punishment of hard labor,
ana the convict so sentenced shall be
required to labor upon the highways,
roads, bridges and other public works
OF tho county, or upon the streets or
other public works within the limits Of
the city, the work to be under the
supervision of the county commission
ers or the municipal authorities, as the
case may be.
Mr.. G. w. Brown, tho author of the
bill, supported it in short speech, in
which he showed the advantages of the
meaaure.
Then followed long discussion and
the usual tinkering Of tho bill. Mr..
Douglass, of Fairfield, advocated its
passage in q very clever and earnest
speech, In which he pointed out the
necessity which existed for the passage
- OF such law. 1t would give, he
urged, to the counties and municipsli-
ties an Increased laboring force, and If
the House passed the bill he wonld
seek 80 to amend it that the peniten-
tiary would be relieved of quite a
number of short term convicts, who
could ho utilized to solve the vexed
question OF public roads, which had so
long asitated the public mind in South
Carolina.
Nj. sAnsel, Of Greenville, who has
just arrived at the capital, opposed the
bill in his usual vehement style. II
would, he said, cucumber the counties
with the cost of building stockades.
hiring guards, ETC., and it's practical
result after all would be to commit the
State to tho principle of working the
public roads by taxation, and he didn't
believe that the people Of the State
were reaoy yet to commit themselves
to the theory.
Mr.. Haskell, of Columbia, said that
the more he looked into the bill the
more he was convinced chat it would
De fruitful source of trouble TO the
State. tie moved to rccommit it.
Mr.. BraWley doubted whether the
measure would be of economic value
IN It's practical operation; that, he said,
was the Judgment of the judiciary
committee last session, and that was
the reason 1t had been reported mn
favorably. With certain amendments
howeTer, he thought the scheme might
be worth trying. The amendment he
suggested provided that such convicts
should DO employed as labor only in
those counties or towns where it shall
DC made to appear to the satisfaction
= OF the Court that suitable provision
can be made for the use of such labor.
The amendment was lost.
'Mf. douglass offered an amendment
authorizing the superintendent of the
pehltentlary TO turn over to the sheriff
OF county such convicts rs are sen.
fenced 10 terms of less than one wear.
upon the demand of tho county com
mlesioners. Agreed to.
After some further discussion the
motlon to Kill the bill was lost, avcs
80, nays 81, and after undergoing some
additional amendments the bill was
passed ann ordered to be engrosscd |
for third reading.
After an extended discussion. in |
which number of Representatives
participated, motion to table motion
6, @ reconsider the vote was then adopt.
ed-LyeSs 81, nays 65-Which pnt n
pIFsalr,llamtsn!tary IFsl, estoppel on tho valued
Pol1cy bill, go far as the House Of
Representatives Is concerned, for Tho
session at least. '''''
&Tdosday, December l..