The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1904-02-25

20 the Honorable Senate and the House
Of Representative
On Monday, Feb. Sth, 1904, there was
presented to your honorable body a re-.
port Of the joint committee appointed
under concurrent resolutions adopted
) at the session OF 1898, .4to consider the
& several reports Of the commission on
the completion Of the State house and
facts relating thereto" OF which COM
naittee Hon, Robert Aldrich, Of Barn
vel, was chairman. and Hons. R. ].
Manning, OF Sumter, j. o. Patterson OF
BaInwell, J. Ne Rawlinson OF Rich
land and T. =. Williams Of Lancaster
were members.
This report contained the findings OF
said committee and rhe testimony up
on which said findings were based.
The sole testimony relating to the
Captain s.. S. Hunt, who SWore that
he was 6. resident Of Washington, D.
c., and for four years had held the
position of Superintendent Of con-
struction Of the United States capitol,
Washington. D. C.. Said Capt. Hunt
proceeded IL unqualified language TO
condemn each and every portion OF
the work on the State capitol which
had been done By the commission ap-:
pointed for the cenlpietion Of the build
ing-
No other or further testimony relat-,
e Msg to the work of construction GA the
building was taken, except that OF A.
w EdeDs, inspector of plumbing Of
s,,tthe city OF Columbia, who was ques-
toned in regard TO the newly erected
water closets.
The testimony OF these two witness
es was concealed from the public and
the undersigned until the said report
vas presented to your honorable body.
Upon this testimony the aforesaid
committee concluded among other;
things, that ...the testimony taken re-
vealed a dark picture, 1p. 49, "a mon
would regard it remarkable indeed If
there is not some remedy, civil or GRIM
inal, or both, to bring these maiefactors
to justice and to some extent to re-
dress the wrongs Of the State" (p.
13.}.
A REQUEST FOR A FULL. FREE
AND IMPARTIAL, INVESTIGA-
TON.
Feeling that they had been unjustly
reflected on therein, and if these con-
.ciusions had any foundation whatever
If there was even ground to suspect
such a condition Of affairs-that there
should be made a full, thorough and
searching investigation into this mat
ter, certain members Of the commits
sion for the completion Of the State
house met in the city Of Columbia and
adopted the following memorial, which
( was presented to your honorable booly
along with and accompanying resolu
ton providing for such an investiga-;
tion:
Gentlemen Of the General Assembly:
OF the joint committee "to consider the
several reports Of the commission on
the completion of the State house and
; facts relating thereto" we, the under
signed members of the commission,
authorized and directed "to complete
the State house." feel that the report
Of the committee does us a manifest
injustice, as it, Willingly or unwitting
~. 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 a hearing.
Many Of the allegations of error and
incompetency are easily explained. Ger
tain conclusions could not and would
not have been drawn had available
evidence been heard. Above all, we
feel that an impression that must nee
essarily result from the tenor and
terms Of the report would not exist if
it were allowed the opportunity to be
heard.
Therefore, believing that the gen.
eral assembly can have no intention Of
condeYnning US without a hearing, as
members Of the commission upon
whom you imposed an involuntary pub
lie duty, should be allowed to account
for that trust and to give their an
swer and explanation to any allegation
or inSinuatioa, do most respectfully
memorable your honorable body to
make provision for giving us hear
ing in order that further and all evi-
dence may be produced that may give
light upon the question before the
committee, and that our evidence and
reply to the report Of the committee
should become public record of your
honora BILE body of the same perma-
nency and dignity as the report itself.
Respectfully,
ri. 3. McSweeney,
G. Duncan Bellinger,
J. Harvey Wilson,
r. H. Jennings,
Robert j. CAN'T,
w. J. Johnson
When the said memorial was pre-
sented Hon. T. Y. Williams introduced
in the house of representatives, and
Hon. Robert Al6ricf in the senate,
the following resolution:
Whereas, certain members of the
former commission to complete the
State house have menorialiZed the
general assembly to make provision to
give them a hearing in reply to the
report of the joint committee to con-
cider the several repOrtS Of the COM
mission for the completion Of the State
house, and facts relating thereto,
BE It Resolved by the general as
senbIy of the State Of South Carolina
That any evidence, explanation, or 9TH