The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-02-19
THE FACTS AND DATES.
EIr. scudday Dives the History or the An
deTeon Prohibition Bili.

interrogatOries Of the IHTELLIGESeER,
published some time since, did nothing
more than answer the questions propoun.
ded rs 70 the report made TO the Lcgis.
la,ure upon the bill referring the liquor
question TO vote of the people Of the
County. now consider it duty to
myself, as well as to the people, to
furnish more detailed account Of my
connection with the bill, and to correct
two errors continued in the communica-
tions of Senator Moore and Mr. Clink.
scales, which they have, think, unn.
tentionally committed.
1t is true the petitions were received
by me on the 10Th December, aud were
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 Leg gislature. Up till then
had received no communication from
any one, or had 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" 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 had consulted with
Mr.. Parker. of Abberillc, who had &
similar bill already on the calendar for
his County. had it understood with him
that if his bill was reached, allowing
Abbeville County vote, before l could
get the Anderson County bill up ready
FIR hearing, that should have Ander.
non 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 1t was dated December ll,h. 1t
would have been received by me Friday,
the 18th, 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 30 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, l went
down for the purpose Of introducing the
bill 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. / did 80, had the bill referred to
the delegation, and then was compelled
to 60 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..
Clinkscales 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. 1
obtained the views of the delegation on
the bill the night Of the day 1 introduced
1t. reported it back to the House on
the same day. hearI 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 10Th
December, and presented it to him on
the morning of the 18th December to
obtain his views. Why should 1 hold
the bill three days2A The following card
of Mr.. Sloan, Clofk of the House, ex.
plains itself:
COLUMBIA, Feb. 4, 1885.
lear 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, @. H.R.
On Tuesday, December 10th, went
over to the Senate with copy of the
bill to get our Senator to introduce it
there, with view of having it acted on
by the Senate frat. 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 s'me for the general intro duc,ion
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 a member. Tho uniuten.
sionsl error Of Maj. Moore. referred to
above. occura where he sage, presented
the bill to him on the 10th of December,
four days after introduced It 10 the
House. That 1t was an error appears
from the endorasmen. made BY Maj
Moore. and Senator Smylhe. chairman of
tho Judiciary Committee, on the back of