The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1904-02-26

To the Honorable Senate ana :ao House
OF Representatives:
On Monday, Feb. Sth. 1901. there was
presented to your honora BILE body re-
port Of the joint committee appointed
under concurrent resolutions adopted
at the session of 1893. Ito consider the
several reports OF the commission on
the completion OF the State house and
incts relating thereto OF which com
mittee Hon. Robert Aldrch, Of Barn
Well, was chairman. and Hons. r. J..
Manning, OF Sumter. ]. o. Patterson of
Hnrnwel, j. NJ. Rawlinson of Rich
nlnd ond T. Y. Williams OF Lancaster
were members.
cIiiS report contained the findings of
said committee and the testimony up
on which said findings were based.
TIC sole testimony relating to the
work included therein was that of
captain" S. S. Hunt, who sworc that
he was resident OF Washington, d.
G., and for four years had held the
position OF Superintendent of con-
Washington. u. c. Said Capt. Hunt
proceeded in unqualified language Ia
condemn each and every portion Of
the work on the State capitol which
had been done by the commission ap-
pointed for the completion OF the build
ing.
No other or further testimony relat-
ing to the work. OF construction on the
Du'iGinS was taken, except that OF -.
w. Edcns. inspector of plumbing cf
the city of Columbia, who was oucs-
TONED in regard to the newly erected
water closets.
The testimony of these two witness
oS was concealed from the puhlic and
the undersigned until the said report
was presented 90 your honorable body
upon this testimony the aforcsa id
committee concluded. among other
thlnSS, that the testimony taken re-
NcaIed Il dark picture" %. ll, -; mon
m.rnnS swindlc. (p. 49, and that lit
Wonid regard il remarkable indeed if
!here is not some remedy, civil or Grim
indl. or ooth. to bring these nalefactors
~ ~ Jus,ice and TO some extent to re-
urcss the wrongs OF the State" o.
~ REQUEST FOR A FULL. FREE
MND IMPARTIAL INNESTIGA-
Feeling that they had been unjustly
rejected on therein, and if these con-
c!nSlonS had any foundation whatever
II there was even ground to suspect
such a condition of affairs-that there
should be made Il full, thorough and
searching investigation into this mat
ter. certain members of the commits
SION for the completion of the State
mouse met in the city OF Columbia and
adopted the following memorial which
was presented to your honorable body.
along with and accompanying Il roSou-
ton providing for such an investiga-
ton:
Gentlemen of the General Assembly.
from an investigation of the report
Of the Joint committee ito consider the
several reports OF the commission on
the completion OF the State house and
iarts relating thereto" we, the under
signed members OF the commission
authorized and directed Ito complete
the state house" feel that the report
of the committee does us n manifest
injustice, as il. Willingly or mwitting-
~. unfairly condemns our acts and
the work approved by us without Civ
ing us an opportunity To be heard and
even refusing to allow us n hearing.
Many of the allegations of error ana
lhcompetency are easily explained. Ger
tain conclusions could not ana would
not have been drawn had available
evidence been heard Above all. we
feel that an impression that must nee
cssarily result from the tenor and
terms of the report would not exist if
u were allowed the opportunity TO be
heard.
Therefore, believing that tho gen
cral assembly can have no intention of
condemning MS without a hearing, as
members of the commission upon
whom you imposed an Involuntary pub
lie duty. should hc allowed to account
for that trust ana To give their an
.wer and explanation To any allegation
vi illHIiluillpt, 90 most Respectfully
melnoraizc your honorable body 10
make provision for giving us n hear
ing in order that further ana all evi-
uencc may be produced that may give
light upon the question before the
committee. and that our evidence ana
reply to the report Of the committee
should become public record of Your
honorable body of the same pcrma-
nen'y and dignity MS the report itself.
Respectfully
NJ. B. MCSWceneY
q. Duncan I'clinger,
J. Harvey Wilson,
X. II. Jennings.
Robert j. CAN'T,
w J. Johnson"
When the said memorial was pre-
scnted Hon. r.. Y. Williams introduced
~ the house OF representatives and |
Hon. Robert Aldrich in The senate. |
the following resolution:
Whereas, certain members of the |
former commission to complete the
state house have memorialized the |
general assembly to make provision to |
give them hearing in reply to the |
report of the Joint committee to con-
slider the several reports of tho COM
mission for the completion Of the State |
house. ana facts relating thereto,
BE II Resolved by the general as
Scmbly of the state OF South Carolina
That any evidence, explanation, or 9TH