The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-02-19
THE FACTS AND DATES.
Mr. scudday Gives the Hlstory of the An
derson Prohibition Bill.

lhrs SCUQQdy dlEbb utHtoIS VA VIZ na-
derson Prohibition Bill.
MR. EDITOR: In my reply to the
interrogatories Of the INTELL1aENeER,
published some time since, I did nothing
more than answer the questions propoun-
ded as to the report made to the Legis.
lature upon the bill referring the liquor
question to vote of the people of the
County. I now consider it duty to
myself, as we'll as to the people, to
furnish more detailed account of my
connection with the bill, and to correct
two errors contained in the communica-
tions of Senator Moore and Mr. Clink-
scales, which they have, think, unin-
tentionally committed.
It is true the petitions were received
by me on the 10th December, and we're
on that day sent to the Speakers desk.
This was the first notice had that the
matter would be presented at the last
session of the Legislature. Up till then
had received no communication from
any one, or had I been spoken to on the
subject before leaving Anderson for
Columbia. The letter accompanying the
petitions said, "If you favor granting
the right to vote on the question, please
give notice at once of bill to provide
for an election. We will send you bill
by to.morrow's mail, that you can
change, if you think necessary" l at
once gave notice of the bill, as required
by the Rules, and expected to receive the
bill blythe next days mail. However,
in the meantime I had consulted with
Mr.. Parker, of Abbeville, who had a
similar bill already on the calendar for
his County. Ihad it understood with him
that if his bill was reached, allowing
Abbeville County vote, before I could
get the Anderson County bill up ready
for hearing, that should have Ander-
son County incorporated in his bill.
The bill for Anderson County did not
reach me until Saturday night, the 18th
December, although the letter accompa-
nying it was dated December 11th. 1t
would have been received by me Friday,
the 12tb, had the mail.carrier of the
House not Joined the Charleston excur-
sion. He returned Saturday, and deliv-
cred the letter to me with the mail that
night. My suffering at that time with
an abscess in my head was so intense that
my physician, DR.. Maxwell, advised me
not to go out in the night air. This
caused me to get Mr.. Watson to take the
bill, and In less than an hour after its
arrival he made an effort to introduce it
that night, at my request. The usual
objection was made to recurring to the
morning hour for the purpose of intro.
ducing the bill, and the consequence was
it went oyer till Monday, which still
left myself time for its passage, had there
been no opposition in the delegation to
it.
On Monday, December 18th, went
down for the purpose of introducing the
bin in the House, and to have copy
made to present to the Senate the next
day, as the Senate was not in session that
day. I did so, had the bill referred to
the delegation, and then was compelled
to go to my room. That night, desiring
to have the report of the delegation sent
in as early as possible, went down for
the purpose of consulting with the dele
CATION about the bill. Mr.. Watson, Mr.
Cliukscales and myself were in our seats.
Col. Rucker was absent. The bill was on
| my desk between Mr. Watson and Clink.
scales, and remained there three or four
hours, awaiting Col. Rucker's return. ]
obtained the views Of the delegation on
the bill the night Of the day introduced
it. reported it back to the House on
the same day. / heard no objection
made to the bill on account Of not hav.
ing time to pass it.
The unintentional error of Mr.. Clink-
scales, referred to above, occurs where he
said I introduced the bill on the 18th
December, and presented it to him on
the morning of the 18th December to
obtain his views. Why should I hold
the bill three days2A The following card
of Mr.. Sloan, Clerk of the House, e1-
plains itself:
COLUMBIA, Feb. 4, 1885.
Dear Sir You introduced the "Pro
hibition Bill" referred to December 18th,
and reported it back the same day for
the delegation. See House Journal.
Very truly yours,
JOHN T. SLOAN, C. II. R.
On Tuesday, December 18th, l went
over to the Senate with q copy of the
bill to get our Senator to introduce it
there, with view of having it acted on
by the Senate first, and when the Senate
bill should reach the House it would
take precedence by being put among the
Especial ORDERS" and thus secure it's
passage in spite of the crowded calendar
of the House. Maj. Moore informed me
that the time for the general introduction
of bills in the Senate had expired on the
day before, and it could only be intro
duced by the Judiciary Committee, of
which he was member. Tho uninten.
tional error of Maj. Moore, referred to
above, occurs where be says, I presented
the bill to him on the 18th of December,
four days after I introduced it in the
House. That it was an error appears
from tho endorsement made nv Mai