The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1904-02-24

To the Honorable Senate and the House
OF Representatives:
On Monday, Feb. Sth, 1904. there was
presented to your honorable body n 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
facts relating thereto" OF which COM
well, was chairman, and Hons. r. /.
Manning, of Sumter, j. o.. Patterson of
Barnwell, j. NJ. Rawlinson of Rich
land and II. Y. Williams of Lancaster
were members.
This report contained the findings of
said committee and the testimony up
on which said findings We're based.
The sole testimony relating to the
work included therein was that OF
Captain" 5. S. Hunt. who swore hat
he was n resident of Washington, d.
c.. and for four years had held the
position OF superintendent of con-
structlon Of the United States capitol,
proceeded in unqualified language to
condemn each n every portion Of
the work on the State capitol which
had been done by the commission APP
pointed for the completion of the build
ing.
No other or further testimony relat-
ing to the work of construction on the
building was taken, except hat of A.
W.. Edens, inspector OF plumbing OF
the 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
was presented to your honorable body.
Upon this testimony the aforesaid
committee concluded. among other
things. that 1.-The testimony taken re-
Ncaled n dark picture" Up. 49,. "a mon
strous swindlc." Up. 49,, and hat ct
would regard it remarkable indeed if
there is not some remedy, civil or Grim
mai. or both. to bring these m~alefartors
10 justice and to Soine extent &c re-
dress the wrongs OF the State" q.
49,.
a REQUEST FOR A FULL. FREE
AND IMPARTIAL INNESTIGA-
TON.
Feeling that they had been @uniustly
reflected on therein, and if these con.
illusions had any foundation whatever
III there was even ground to suspect
Such a condition of affairs-that there
should be made q 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 IN Gmorial, which
wa presented to your honorable body
along with and accompanying a resolu-
ton providing for such an inyestjga-
tion:
Gentlemen of the General, Assembly:
From an investigation of the report
or the joint committee "to consider the
several reports of the commission on
the completion of the State house and
"a a. - lnfIn 49, ~ .En H.
signed members of the commission,
authorized n directed ITO complete
the state house, feel tina the report
OF the committee does us a manifest
injustice, as 1t, Willingly or unwitting-
ly, unfairly condemns our acts and
the work approved by us without Civ
ing us an opportunity to be heard and
even refusing 10 allow us a hearing.
Many OF the allegations of error and
incompetency are easily explained. Ger
tain conclusions could not IL would
not have been drawn had available
evidence been heard. Above all, we
reel that an impression that must nee
'essarily result from the tenor and
terms of the report would not exist IL
II We're allowed the opportunity to be
therefore, believing that the gen
eral assembly can have no intention of
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 ~insinudtion. do most respectfully
memoraliZe your honorable body to
provision for giving us a hear
ing I'm order that further and all evi-
dencc may be produced that may give
light upon the question before the
committee. and that our evidence and
reply to tho report of the committee
Mould become 81 public record of your
body of the same pcrma-
nency and dignity as the report Itself.
Respectfully,
NJ. r.. McSwecney,
G.. Duncan Bellinger,
j. Harvey Wilson,
". III. jennings,
Robert j. CAN'T,
w. j.. Johnson"
when the said memorial was pro-
Hon. L. Y. Williams introduced |
In the house of representatives., and
Hon. Robert Aldrich In the senate,
the following resolution:
Whereas. certain members of the
Former commission to completes the
state house have mcmorializcd tho
general assembly to- mako provision to |
them u hearing In reply 10 the |
report OF the joint committee to con-
slider the several reports of the conn
for the completion of the State |
house, and facts relating thereto,
he IL Resolved by the general as
Henbly of the state OF South Carolina |
u evidence, explanation, or 9TH