Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1890-03-20
Legislative News.

& olntions of the General Assem-
bly, Of South Carolina passed at its
recent Session
3ss sas An Act to provide for the re-
vision, digest and arrangement of
the Statute Laws of South Carolina"
ismost important legislation. The
Il 2Constitution Of the State requires
that this revision and digest Of the
laws of the State shall be made
every ten years. Ex-Judge Mahcr,
sSof Barnwcll, learned lawyer, was
; elected by the Legislature to per-
ssfoim this important duty, and we
have great confidence in his ability
md experience as laywcr, and be-
lieye that the duty will be we'll and
simpartially discharged. lie is to be
paid $4,000 for his services. lie is
required, as provided by the Con-
stitution, to form a penal code by
making revision and consolidation
Nof all the laws in force in this State
$relating to crimes and the punish
ment therefor, and shall revise,
gabridge and simplify the rules, prac-
stice, pleadings and forms Of use in
this State in the trial of crimes and
Smisdemcanors. The penal code and
Efthe digest and revision of the Stat,
Ssute Law is to be reported to the
sl4egislaturc for the final action Of
that body.
THE "Act to provide for the build
ing and maintenance OF the Clemson
College" appropriatcs
sa43,000 for that purpose. In the
canvass preceding the session of the
Legislature, which passed this Act,
@the friends of the institution con-
tended that it could be put into
E0peration at very little expense to
sthe people, by using the funds be
longing to the farmers under the
control of the State, to wit: sl2,-
1000, interest on the fund given by
the Congress of the United States
for the purpose of founding an
Agricultural College; the Hatch
fund, $4,000, for an Experiment
Station; the fertilizer tax, $4,000;
making in all $4,000 But the
& aopponents Of the farmers said, "run
Syour hands into the treasury of the
State and take the money from
there" hoping in that way to make
B capital out Of their view Of the way
the appropriation should be made.
THE contest will continue until these
appropriations come from the proper
source, SO that the people may sec
THAT they do not have necessarily to
{ pay heavy taxes for even the bcnc-
& fits of the Agricultural College.
81 An Act was passed authorizing
the Board Of Directors of the Pcni-
itentiary to lease or purchase farm
non which to work the convicts of
the State, saying that the price for
I5tae same shall not amount to more
THAN $4,000, and that the convicts
I shall not be leased or hired hereafter
Ito work in the phosphate mines,
ss%Alfs such Legislation, especially buy
,sssing q farm upon which to utilize the
labor of the convicts, is wrong. The
Iconvicts ought to be kept in the
i8Penitcntiary at hard labor and close
f3confincmcnt. The hiring and lcas-
ing of convicts has been Il scandal to
@the people of the State. They
$ should be put to trades or other
II Siiabor in the State prison, and not be
istreated by avaricious contractors like
dogs, and abused in shocking man
3sner. The State, owning the phoS-
a.pbate rock, could well afford to enter
lSqpon the manufacture Of guanos,
Eand sell the same at cost to the pco-
/ pie of the State. We commend
this view to those in authority.
The Legislature continues to
Hchange the time for holding the
4 Circuit Courts in the Sth judicial
Il Circuit. The courts for Oconcc will
'Ebe held at Walhalla on the fourth
Monday in February, the first Mon,
day in July, and Che first Monday il
October. All persons interested il
1.-THE courts "will take due notice and
4 govern themselves accorlngly.'
An Act requires that the polls al
.ss$all State elections shall be opened a
3 seven o'clock in the forenoon an,
close at four o'clock in the after
4 noon Of the day Of the election, an,
shall be kept open during these hour
b without intcrmission or ad djournmcnt
and all persons offering to vote shall
4be sworn by the managers that the,
are qualified to vote, and have no
II5SFvoted during the election.
RIG An Act to amend the law in re
lation to the "probatc of deeds o
tSOther instruments i'm wrltiue 70