The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1895-10-01


D cence. You will establish rule Il
Office holders. from which murderer
Y and felons will be exempt. The Legi
: lature may adopt a uniform law.
+, DIR. Zimmerman, of Edgefeld, sal
T. that there was q statute law requirin
Y annual returns to be made OF thos
holding trust funds. Any man who |
conducting his Office honestly will no
mind investigation.
: Mr. Klugh, of Abbeville, who is
| member of the committee, said that u
first the minority report impresse,
him favorably, but he was satisfied
that the whole case was covered in tn,
legislative report. The matter prop
} erly belongs in the General Statutel
End not In the constitution. The leg
lslatlve report provides that the Gen
eral Assembly may pass laws to re
move Tor cause, and he wanted to give
the right of suspension in addition tc
the right of removal.
Mr.. Is. IL. Til]man, in his customary
forcible manner, said that he did moi
intend to weary the convention and
would have had but little to say, but IL
appeared that certain members had
slept over the matter and come ir
with new ideas, and he wished only te
reply.
lie said that no matter what might
De said about the desires of the people,
there was no question about it that
they did not want thief in Office He
said that he could see no reason why
the Governor of the State should be
liable to suspension and an ordinary
county official should not be- He said
that ever since 1868 the provision in
the constitution which gave the Legis-
iature the right to pass regulations for
| tha rnnnvnl nf ofA 10
| but had never been used The pre-
sumption Is that it will be left as it
! now Is. lf the Legislature has not
and Will not, undertake to regulate
the matter then the convention should
40 SO. He said that the protection of
the widows and orphans demanded
some such regulation. He then went
for the system of bonds that too often
prevails in the State, and charged tina.
IT was only after some deficiency was
found to exist that it was discovered
that the bonds were made of straw,
and that the 6ondsmen had in some
way transferred their property. He
could see no possible harm in the pass
age of such regulation, and it would
relieve the Legislature of the matter.
The convention, he said, was not sub
ject to the same Influences that too
often affected the Legislature He
said that every one knew of the in
huence that county officials had over
members, and thought it best to get
rid of the whole matter at once. The
convention had already practically
agreed on what it wanted yesterday,
and he thought it ought to without de-
bate adopt the substitute of MIR. Gage.
Mr. Ragsaale, of Fairfield, urged
that the section as reported by Mr.
Gage should be adopted The grand
jury, he insisted, could be trusted. It
was wrong to presume that a grand
jury would not act with the best mo-
tives.
Mr.. Rogers, of Marlboro, said that if
the section was to pass it was now in
its very best shape. Constitutions
originated in the efforts of the people
to protect themselves against their
rulers. He wanted to know what be-
comes of the rights of the bondsmen
The bondsmen have right to protect
themselves and yet they are required
TO take any man appointed by the
Mr.. Talbert insisted that the con-
vention had no right to consider this
matter. He wanted to see ali matters
discussed on their merits and regard
less of factions. He wanted pure,
plain and simple. common-sense con-
stitution and no legislation.
Mr.. Rogers resumed his argument
and said that there was law, and law
sufficient to protect trust funds. He
insisted that the proposed ction
would work hardship on the ponds
men Of the suspended official. He said
that he would be unworthy of his peo-
stituency, regardless Of all factions.
He WaG a fnllOwnr Of No faction op6
would do his full duty regardless of
factions.
Mr.. Wilson and a great many others
had had an abundance of talking and
when Mr.. Wilson called for the pre-
yious question every 'one was quite
willing to accept the suggestion.
Mr. Bellinger called for the aye and
nay vote on the motion to indefinitely
postpone the whole matter. The con-
vention, by vote of 83 to 81 refused
TO indefinitely postpone, and after Mr..
Howell had an amendment making an
affidavit requisite before action was
taken the section was agreed upon.
1t was adopted in the following shape
Whenever it shall be brought to
the notice Of the Governor by affidavit
that any county officer or any other
officer who has the custody of public
or trust funds is probably guilty of en-
bczzlenent or the appropriation of
public or trust funds to private use,
then the Governor shall direct the i'm
mediate prosecution of such officer
by the proper officer of the circuit
in which he resides, and upod
true bill found the Governor shall
suspend such officer and appoint one
in his stead until he shall have been
acquitted by the verdict of q jury; and
| If he shall be convicted the Office shall
| be declared vacant and shall be filed
as may be provided by law"
This seemed to be satisfactory to all.
| Then came miscellaneous amendments
after the two days fight on the re-
moval clause.
Mr.. Derham, Of Horny, wanted to
change the word "shall" to "may,"
as to referring petitions for pardons
and communications to the board of
pardOns.
Mr.. Derham urged that, as final ac-
tion rested on the Governor, he may
not want to refer petitions to the
board.
Mr.. Efrd and Mr.. Aldrich saw no oc.
casion for the change, as the right to
grant reprieves was already permissi'
BILE without reference of petitions to
the board.
The proposed amendment was
adopted, and the board of pardons will
be still further weakened.
MUNICIPAL CHARTERS.
The proposed section on municipal
corporations and police regulations