The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-12-26
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
sNATcHEs AND NOTES OF A LITTLE THAT
WAS DONE


Legislation of a General Nature and
aLOcaI EcarinS---AbbeviIIe' Place
in the Picture.
COLUMBIA, S. c., Dec 18th, 1855.
The House has been engaged all day ON the
APPROPRIATION Dill, and SO far has given all
that has been asked for, except as to the
amount Tor finishing up the interior OF the
State House, which was placed at Thirty Five
Thousand dollars instead OF Eighty Three
Thousand which was thought would be SUN.
clent 10 complete the Interior / believe, too,
the health department asked for Two thous.
and dollars which was reduced one half
tried TO get a reduction Of the appropriation
for books for the County Auditors and Treas
urers TO the extent OF Seven Hundred dollars
taking the position that there is no necessity
for such large and expensive book as i
now used for the Auditors duplicate, but in
stead the Auditors duplicate should
oe, In i9ct, what 1t purports to be, q duplicate
In other words that the Auditors duplicate
should contain, as does the Treasurer's dupli-
cate. simply the names Of the tax payers with
the aggregate OF personal and real property
returned by each. with the tax extended, in
stead OF every Item :of personal property
with the value thereof, as we'll as the number
OF acres OF cultivatablc land, old fields and
woodlands, houses, lots, &c, and their several
values; ncceSSitatinS book that costs fully
twice rs much as the Trcasurer's duplicate
but 1t was no 60. The principal opposition IL
the measure came from member of the Alb
beville delegation and his chief argument was
that the Comptroller General was presumed
TO know better than any one else what ht
needed and ne had asked for so much
The Dill TO reduce the number of Trial JUS
tices for Abberille County and make the Of
flee sllar1ed one, as also the bill restricting
the right OF dover TO the land of which the
HUSBAND dlcd, seized and possessed passed
with slight amendments. a third reading in
the house, but have yet to run the gauntlet OF
the Senate. In the debate on the Clemson be.
quest, Mr.. Benet acquitted himself most
handsomely, and congratulatory notes and
other evidences of approval have been show
cred upon him. The Speech OF Mr.. Abney,
ly effort from his standpoint, and served 10
place him among the foremost men of the
house. While supported the bill l did So
reluctantly, as am not so sure but that il
might have been just as well to have waited
until the next Session of the Legislature be.
fore taking action on the matter Of tue be-.
quest.
COLUMBIA, Dec. Eth.
The supply bill came up to-day and passed
TO It's third reading. The State levy was fixed
al 5T mills which Will make our taxes in Alb
berille County just eleven mills, including
every lhing-a fraction more than they were
for this year.
There will be an effort made to reduce the
ernor down, including the Clerks in all the
departments, but from the outlook 1 don't
think there IL much chance for IL To pass.
Whether the Legislature will adjourn sine
die on the 22nd inst. or take q recess until ear.
ly In November next Is yet to he decided. !
rather think the latter proposition will pre-.
vail. There arc several very important meas
ures. by far the most important that have
posed OF, and yet there are but a few moic
days to 20 upon before the usual time for ad.
journing.
Here are the township Rail Road bond mat
ter; the State pension BILL the salary rcduc-
tion question, and the Rail Road anti-consni
daton bill (Which has passed the Senate), yet
to be acted on. This latter bill IS q very i'm.
portant one, as 1t prevents any Rail Read
corporation from absorbing the roads of an
other and thus doing away with competition in
the matter OF freight and passenger votes,
without first getting the consent Of the Legs-
lature. General Hemphill's speech ir the
highly spoken of on all sides. r. i. II.
COLUMBIA, Dec. 81. 1855.
The last stroke of the Speakers garcl an.
nouncing the termination OF the regular Scs-
sion of lsSS of the Legislature of South Carroll
ma, (the Senate having adjourned q short
while bcforoO reSouDded throughout the mag.
ni1icent hall of the House OF Representative
at a few minutes to four y. NJ. to-day. After
hurried "sood.bye" and expressions of Il
hope to meet again 1T the next Session, was
INDUCED In by the few who remained TO the
last, the gas! was turned OF, and where but a
few moments before was all life and anima-
tion. now raigned the stiffness of death. The
majority of the members present at The wind
up, wore Il fatiGued expression, and well they
might, as they had had but little rest for sew
eral nights, the House being in Session until
midnight or after both Friday and Saturday
NJ ''' ''''' '' '''' N'' 'N "'''' '' '-''' ~
This Legislature. it has been we'll said, was
remarkable a> MUCH for what it did not do, as
for what IL did. While, of course, ! think il
made mistake in not doing some things
for instance, in not passing my dover bill, &c.
Still must say that it did good service in re-
jecting the many absurd schemes that were
proposed, some Of which if adopted would
have wrought serious injury TO the good
name and credit of the State. For instance
the Township bond bill as originally intro
duced. This bill provided for remitting the
matter validating these bonds 10 the town
ships that voted them. Now | could have ne
objection TO such proposition were it confin
ed to the township where they had got moth
ing, and, where there is no probability d
their ever gcttin. any thing, for these bonds
(as is the cuSe, In my opinion, of the Ninety
Six Township bonds). as do not think thai
amy individual or people should be required
TO pay money to build railroad when there
is no probability of such IL road being built
hut did not, nor do now think that any in
dividual or community should be subjected
to the temptation to repudate contract, ol
other party had performed his part of the
contract. In other words, don't think it was
right TO give those townships an opportunity
| to get round paying these rail roads bonds
where they have the roads for which they
had Obliged themselves. The following is the
bill as it finally became law, which in my
opinion, is characterized by ull that is right
| quitablc and just.
The following Is the bill at it finally passed
Section |. That the township bonds hereto
| fore issued by Comfy Commissioners, rs the
corporate agent ofany township in this stat e
| in aid of any railroad, by vote Of the inlIabi
tants OF said townships respectively, huvil.
terest and the principal thereof shall be paid
according TO the terms of the said bonds ol
| tax by the assessment, leYying and cOllec
| tion OF an annual tax upon the available pro
perty in said townships as may be necessary
in like manner and by the same county Offi
| cialS as the tax levied for county bonds III ai(
| of railroads as assessed, levied and collected
books as the township railroad tax, and whcl
collected shall be paid over by the Treasures
| of the county to the holders OF said bonds az
| the interest thereon may become due, and &C
cording to the terms thereof
| All dividends received by or for said town
ships, or stock in railroad companies whlcl
have been aided by the said township bonds
or debt Shall be applied by the county IL
which said townships are respectfully stu
ated, primarily toward the payment or re
tircment of said bonds OF debt, and tho sur
plus shall be expended in the improvement
OF highways within the territorial limits
said townships.
| Section 9 That no tax shall be levied, unde
| the provisions OF this Act, to pay the interes
on any township bonds eutil the railroad il
aid of which they were issued shall Dc com
pleted through such townships and acceptet