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?perattens ??*e?a * wo*dd bo' fr? checks sod balaocea-Asoft of re laUng power-which would pro! to so/no extent the hacuble&l citt ?nd the largest taxpayer. Because ll would, at least ia pi have given the whit?? thai r?ur?; tatiou which their ictelligeuce t . property demanded* Because the colored people, justice, ought te hiv? *ecMded tl mueh to the taxpayers. Because I saw that the time % ?i??f when the ce4e**d maa coi have and. retain their just share representation only through ?u system. Because it would promote pea K^y harmony and good will between I ra*;, and secure to each a oertt ratio of influence and voice in Sa affairs. Because the taxpayers of t State, in two conventions, fe asked for it, and it was acceptai even to tho most extreme Dem crate, "as a half loaf was bett than no bread." Governor Set recommended it. Governor Chat berlaio, while Attorney General ai as Governor, favored it As it was. a new syetarn, my jud meht led me to try it ia the gover ?'. ment Of towns and villages fire Hence I introduced MA Bill I amend the charter of the town t Anderson." [House Journal se sion 1872-3, page 288.] Tho Bi was acted upon favorably by but houses asid approved by Governt Moses, March 14, 1874. Amob ether things, this Act provided thi in tho election of Councilmen th voters'should be allowed, if the chose, to .vote under the cumulatif system. At the first sid second el? Etions under this Act che Democrat of Anderson, BO far as I know, di not object, but seemed rasher please , with the plan. I feel confident thc good resulted from its adoptioi After, my eleetiov to the Senate endeavored to enlarge this system c voting, and for that purpose offere s Bill to extend it to other town and villages in'the State; Gbverno .Chamberlain, in his annual me&ftg 1875-76, epoke of this system en Bill as follows: ."I commend to tao consideration of th Genormt Assembly tho question of imaeling Haw applying tho system or votins fcnoWn a 'cumulativeroting or 'minority represents lion' to tho election? of incorporated cit1', and towns In tho State. I do notfool prepare to do moro than to recommend that tba systeu bo tried on a email scale at present. As a mal tor of theory tho system, promises tho bea results, but I think our policy rcapootlno i should bo tentative at first. If it? practica resulta ?re satisfactory when applied to ou cities and towns, pabilo sentiment will sivstaii ?"-.'.'.."it* application to other clcotlons. A Jilli Intro iluocd by Sena.' irCocht.au, of Anderson, it nov boforo th? Senate which embraces this fe? tare among its provisions, and I commend i tis tho favorable action of thc Uouaral Astern ??fti-Wy." I also moved* to extend it t( the election of County Co m minion ere, but failed, to succeed in bett efforts, if the members of th( lC?rHouse of Representative*, Countj Commissioders, city and town, officer? had been elected In this mode, thc WSl State would have been spared mud * that occurred in the canvasses o? 1876 and 1878, and the whole ?copio might have been. benefited y avoiding so sudden a change ?H^In this connection, permit me tc refer to other Bills introduced bj me looking? to minority representa tion. As .is well known, the Aei KgLof 1872 dividing the State into five ?^.Congressional Districts was gerry* mandered, not in the interests ol the people, but for partisan pur ?l'oses, without any regard to.popu< ation, and in plaicv violation of thc law of Congress requiring Counties . to be composed of contiguous ter ritory. To remedy tbw deface and to give the minority a voici in Congress, [see Senate Journal session of 1875-76, paga 50J 3 presented "A Bill to divido thi State into'five Congressional Dis Il^?ri?ts/' which failed by reasor of the Committee not reporting upon it I .introduced the samt -bill during the session, Jsee Seuatt JV-Arnal, page 335,] whick Was re l>trted upon favorably, and pass?e tue' Cns?aio niter Suc-?? oppositii,:: When it reached tho House, it wat . so a in ended aa to defeat tho objeci for which it was' intended, througl ;v.?wie:efforts of. an aspiring carpet ; i Tue House ameodmeats secured t colored majority in every. Congres sional District, thereby establishing the color line to be the policj through which partisans, who haic no interest in tee ,8tate excep . stealoge, expected to obtain poa! t'en. . The Senate, by a dose vote concurred in theso^ amendments At the time this original Bill wai being; considered I am convineet that tho Democrats looked upon ii a* being ag aeknowiedgnisst the* tho white people were entitled to t fair coate of1 representation in Con grew and would have received it ai least ss an Improvement Theil appeals b?ihg disregarded, and ni hope left of obtaining any repre sontatiou, tho white people of thc State, aided by Borne Republicans by whatever means it is not acv nn??aaary to comment on or tritl oise, wrested the power from tb! Republican parry, whit had thus re faaed to adopt a fair and j UH repre . eentatioti in State or national affetra This supsase f?Hyjuirl indteposit?ot to do common justice hes r?sult?e ; disastrously to ibo colored p?cpli no far as political representttioi ../ goes. Bal charity should bo ey. tondedl to them, as they were de cet ved and misled by a set of office cockers unequaled in villainy, cun King and corruption by any tba , ever fastened upon any people. ' I ^!-t forth :r.y reasons fer iatroduciB^ ,,6r,d snpporting this Bill in Senat Journal,, pages 641 to 64& Tbs. next stop ? took in this di reoticn was to .secure a proper rep ?' ? . -i in th? Coastito?on. Whilst a mem ber of tho House of Reprcsent?Uv?, my coUeaga*, Mr. J. C. C. Feather stone, ecdee?Giwd to ? ?eure the passage of ai* Act to apportion Rep' tesentaUvea lu the several Counties in tho ratio cf population, but failed; Othsr members introduced mesures) looking to tho ?amo end, but. ali failed to pass. After my election to tho Senate I presented **A Bill to apportion Representative* in the va rious Counties iu this State in nc cordanoe with the provisions cf the Constitution of tho State,". [Senate ! Journal, 1876-70, pago 45. j This Bill became a law, being approved by Governor Chamberlain " March 2d, 1876. By virtue of Hs provi sions Anderson and Picken?, l>oino eratic Counties, gained ono Repre sentative each, Barnwell and Rich land; then considered. RepcbUcau, j one member each, whilst th?' four ! then Republican Counties of Chartes ! too, Beaufort, Georgetown and .Laurens lost one member each. At tba election for members of the General Assembly in 1876 the re sult was that the X>emopratt, by the gain of three members succeeded. The power of the three Democ *atio votes gaiued from the Counties of Anderson, Picken? and Barnwell cap be estimated when it is consid ered that when the Wallace House of Representatives was organized tho majority was barely over a moiety of 124 members, &e constitutional number of Representatives, mid by having that majority that House was recognized and declared to be the legal House by tho Supreme Court. As a further evidence of my sin cerity and earnest desire to give the minority representation,. 1 submit tho following extract from THE CO LUMPIA REGISTER, February ll, 1876, uudcr the head of " Legisla; ti ve Proceedings " Mr. Cochran seconded tho nomination of j Mr. Mcetio for Hogcnt of Ute Lunatlo Asyr lum. Uatd that ho withed tho Dem?crata to oe j I represented m all -iopart'jcata of tho btato government, from tao big?:st to the lowest poalUons. io that they wigu*, charo in part tn? I rcsponsib'dity of tho administration." KQKTHLY STATEMENTS. ; Under the administrations pre vious to my election, and for a time afterwards, the receipts and dis bursements of public, funds were involved iu mystery. I desired to Save the people know how the pub lie money was expended, feeling that it was their right, and believing it would to a great, extent prevent its boiog improperly or unlawfully applied. I offered a Bil), whilst u member of tb? House, [d carnal ses sion of 1872-73, page 268,] which provided, among other things, for the publication of weekly statements of amounts received and paid out hythe Stat*^Treasurer. This por tion of the J??l was defeated. After my. election ' to the Senate i intro duced {\A Bill directing end re quiring the publication of monthly statements by the State Treasurer. [Senate Journal of 1874-75, page 366.] This BUT was duly ratified and approved by Gov. Chamberlain, March 6,1875. AiW the passage cf this Act the State Treasurer pub lished a monthly statement of a moneys received, from whom and ? on what account, to whom paid and j on what account, with a staten/ent of remainder on hand and where deposited. These publications were j mad9 at the Slate capital and in I Charleston, and proved that, though I the money was being extravagantly ? expended, yet it was. honestly ac-1 counted for and so applied. I aleo introduced "A Bill to re quire all persons authorized by law to disburse moneys for the State to I publish monthly statements." [Sen ate Journal 1875-76, pago 531.] It j WOB acted upon favorably, and .was approved by GovernotCharaberlain, larch 24th, 1876. Uuder its pro visions, officers in charge of penal, charitable and educational institu tions were required to publish monthly a detailed statement of [ amounts received and paid out, to whom and on what account. Th?se Acts both accomplished much go^.i, j and pointed out wherein reductions could bo made in expenditures, <$0?fl TUE STATE ??I?.?T??. I was opposed to the militia, as organized, armad and equipped by I Governor Scott, and voted against appropriations in its support. Refer ence to House Journal 1872-73, page 342, will show ; that it was. on my motion that the contingent fund of the Adjutant and Inspector Gen eral was reduced to one thousand dollars; and on the vote to decrea&s .tho appropriation for-tho organiza I fclon of the militia from twenty thou 1 sand dollars to five thousand dollars ? voted in the affirmative THouse Journal 1872-73, page 359,] and filed tho following statement of M_L\-r__, rviti^ruun ?nc,ciua . "I roted 'jea' on tho qucsUoh of adopting tho motion (by Mr. My cw) to strife ? out 'twenty, thousand' for the organisation of too militia Mdluaertlru?? ** thuusand7?rthb reason that I consider twenty thousand doUur? ai? unreas onable amount to Expropriate for thal pur poso.aad enUroly unwarranted at this urns, especially,when v/c toko into noratderoUon now Twder^riild^ftUon. Vith^l?aW ??*M3 during this session, wo appropii$to a eonildera bia amount ovor and ahoy* tho amount raised 'by'lh* tax laVyof ?7? willi/ plating ns in a position, under the institution, to again Uvy th* utmost commence, ? . - ry'? . " " i (fibroid) JOHN lt. COCHRAN." . : r???TE?STl?KY. The support and maintenance pf i this institution for a few yews cost . the State of South Carolina ouo t millbu of dollars^ the State receiv [ big, comparatively speaking, no I compensation or return for this largo s expenditure of iisoriey. The somber of prisoners wa*', increasing rapidly - anti the expense in maiatt?alag . arid guarding them. increasing eor mm- ?^^f 1-fir?teocy cf ?fo?mi ip tho bnUdlnjj t&e privets ware crowded into ele&l qqarterivnnd their. ksaltb endan gated therefexv For ti? purpose oJ relieving the State, ia some degree of this expense ?od to sacare br?tst health and ?aoagetneut of th'e.*o? viet1; X ? iuced the following resolution, (Senate Joumal,1870-76, '^fc?^t?? 6 viaeial arodHioo of Us? 8Ube eiury^xpendHe^ awatji U^StuJail tba tTono? tuTe^e?aJ7fe*flaf5fl^ * eu be jBfrte le derive ? Mt ?vr . WttsiM* labor o? tho ?rlwaor*} tod vtujwll U piala that st tbyr-toor kQcrca?o of il? popuUOea obtaining doriax.the past BU asen th*. Uv* ar even AX h tumored prb?nors may bave to be provided for durlug the pre?ex*ft?cal year.antt that eveu a more moderate rat? of Increase would in a few years become ?W bardcasomo and oppiotnvet wd whereas the. exporiouao of other States has lcd almost universally, to the policy of contracting for Ul? support of ?Ut? prisons with priva?* pfcrUee as tho moat .anrtaetory and ccoisoislpal provision'or tho same: therefore. ? ii* a rt toiled hy tho Sea?!?, the. BOOM of coiutnt or the Govoraor, bo dh*0ted to OAoef ?ah? whether auy contract eau be made with any responsible party or parties fV tuelwj?ng of tbfcoonvlct tabor and tho xpjtelenasjco of the said P?nitenUary OD terms just and ?d ven tes eons to the prison er? and to the State : Md lo their dlserethw the <ald Directors of ?ho Bute Penitentiary ?md the Governor are here by authorised to draw and execute such ron tr-wt v.nd submit the Mme to the General Assembly for ratification." Thia resolution was adopted, but failed to oceorapliob the object for which it vf as intended. The nu tu ber of convicts continued to increase in a distressing ratio, ind their proper treatment and government, in a manner consistent with the latta of humanity, and at tho same time to pavo tao people of the State from unnecessary expense in their sup* port, becan_a a question second, to noue in importance in the economy of State government. After muon reflection, and obtaining all the in formation within my means, I pre sented to the Senate "A Bill to util ise the convict labor of tho State and to let out the same by contract." [Senate Journal, session 1876, page IO2.3 Tho Bill finally received thc necessary readings, became an Act, and was approved by Governor Hampton, June 8,1877. The Act provided under certain - circum stances for the completion of tho Penitentiary, and authorized the Di rectors to take immediate charge of the inmates, property, ?c. But in order that you may more fully un derstand tho object, scope and in tention of this Act, and to prove that the subsequent alleged ill-treat ment of convicts is not because it was net forbidden, br through- the fault of the law, I submit several Sections of this Act: "Bio. 4. That tho said Board of Director? sso hereby authorized and empowered to loaso or biro out, upon such terms aird conditions ss they may think moat advantageous to tho Blata, sad Hm mUaeeare tho health and con finement of tho prisoners, any or rU other convicts in tht Penitentiary, except the con victs un-?er eontenco for murder, rape, orson and manslaughter, under tho following rales, regulations rr.d restrictions, with all others trapoEcd by th?saldBoard; thatthesaid Board of Directors shall make an annual report to tho Gv-iiural Assembly a; tho regular sessions of all their actings and doings, showing tho number and names of convicts birod oat, to whom hired, for what purposoand for what consideration; and as often as any sams of money are received for the labor or hire Of said convicts, or any of thom, the same shall be iiald to tho Treasurer of tho State, of which a full account shall be given ha said annual food, clothing, lodging nndomodw of punish ment to bo carefully provided for in any and all contracts; second, convicta shall bot be re quired to labor meru than ton hours a day, or on Sundays or holidays: Provided, That con victs shall not be hired oat for agricultural purposes. ' "?BC. Cv That tho contractor or contractor! shall bo required to enter into bond ia tho sum of fifty thousand dolla?, with good and sufficient sureties, to bo approved by the Board, for tho faithful performance of said coatracti and any contractor or contractors who shall ba guilty of maltreatment neglect or cruelty towards said oonvlota shall be liable to indictment, and on conviction shall bo pun ished by imprisonment for a term not more 'than twelve months nor. less,than one month, and by fino not moro than OJO thonrand dol lars and not leas than etty'dollars- at the dis cretion of ?10 Court." lt is evident th*tif the law had ; been complied with no trouble could ?have arisen; the convicts would have been more humanely treated, their health and condition improved, j and tho State relieved in a great degree of the burden of supporting them. Much has been accomplished in relieving the State and in having the aid of this labor in constructing railroads,' drainage of lands and other public enterprises intended for the development of tne manufactur ing, agricultural and mineral re sources of our State; but it is with deep regret, that I am compelled to believe that in some instances the convicts h "vc >iS6" inhumanly trott ed. The sVbjeet Is one of .grave importance, and I can only hope that future ?iegislatures, warned by tlie fearful experience of tho past will devise and maintain such a plan of government of tho institution as will make it a place of punishment, severe by its seclusion from inter course with others, rlftid in discip line and constant labor of ten boure eaoh day, and, at the same : time, whether the convicts ar? within or without the walls, that no charge of inhumanity, cruelty or withholding tbs chance to reform abs?i ever be justly mode against the people, of this/State. If this can he accom plished, at a proper exponent is all; we can hope from any ponai institu tion. My effort* have been directed in the hope that at least 00 much may be obtained. ?vurit?AnY Uris. Among the strange events occur I l|ttin 1871 and 1872 in this State, and the bare mention of which will cause surprise and wonder among ?r.H??y of cr." ptep?e, wee as ggyg iz?d scheme to arrange for the ces sion of all that territory West ol Seneca River to its head waters to ' the State of Georgia. A Joint Resp: tatton to appoint a Commission, with power vp arrange and finally to determine, the line between "the States of Georgia and South Carc 1 lina, waa adopted and approved bj G9V. Scott, January 8,1872. Thc action of these, Comiuisaionera wa? declared, under tho Joint Resolution, " binding . upofi ike people of iht State of South Oaro&uir U wai > gui vu propenug. thF/Dgh oerta?r . obviais, lo j^io Tu *.bo schema J f wac greatly surprised : to karu thai i many'good ci Usen* living; West P 1 the Bonces/ Biter ibbld ?oquiesce ii this eeealob to the State of; GeorgU a? the only means Left th>>m. to es c?po from wh*t .they believed to bi great oppression aud exorbitant tax ation. I. opposed the ?eherne foi many reasons--among thom thal South Caroliua could net afford tc lose any portion of her territory] - a _i_ "...j;,!? .vj ber- intelligent while population would have beeb disastrous indeed, No portion of tho State is now in s more prosperous condition than thai proposed to bo ceded, and now he? did tho people do moro to restore good and honest government than those living between the Seneca and T?galo Rivers. I determined, ii possible, to defeat this wild and des perate undertaking. To do so,] introduced, as shown by House Journal of 1873-74, page 8, thc following: "Bill to repeal a Joint Resolution to require tue Govornoi to communicate with the proper au thorities of tho State of Georgia .with a view to a readjustment of th? boundary line between the States oi Georgia and South Carolina, and authorising tho appointment of three Comtnisaionera." The Bill to repeal passed and waa approved by Gov Moses, March 17,1874 : and thui the Integrity of our territory was al least saved from threatened harm. FENCE LAW. This question appeals particularly label personally to many of roy lat? KpjjAstituents, Rud hence J. desire thai my views and acte shall be s or uti I nixed and fairly judged. Believing I after all the information I could ob I iain, that the people at large wonk I Mi benefited by a change of tho law I ^Introduced "A Bill to regulate th fence lat? in Anderson County,' [House Journal 1873-74, page 250. This Bill met with opposition, bu H finally passed, and was approved b; I Governor Moses. Under this Act this question wa submitted to the voters of Anderem County, and, although a mojorit; ? voted for tho mensure, a large pro' portion of them claimed that the; aid sb under a misapprehension thercfovo tho Commissione rs, for fea injustice might be done, and havinj ?.feign regard, for tho right: of th people, ignored the result. After roy; election to tho Sena! I went io North Carolina to .sc I for myself tho actual working of euch a law there. This only coi firmed my former convictions an I induced me to persevere. Again ?proposed a Bill [see Senate Jou nal 1874-76, page 359,] which fixe I the boundary lines of land as tl ?lawful fence. It received a majori! ? zr?te in the Senate, but was defeat? in^ the House. v. . Again, et the regular sessiob ?1876, [Senate Journal, page 79,1 ?presented "A Bill to authorize Cou ty Commissioners to submit to t qualified electors of their sever Counties a proposition to alter t fence law and to provide for effect ? atine the same. This Bill v, acted open favorably in tho Sena ljunended in several particulars I the House, and approved by Gov nor Hampton, June 7tb? 1877. ? \ election waa held udder this law, a ! the people, by their votes, adopf it. No comment is necessary nc Experience has abundnotly vorif the wisdom of such a measure, a I doubt if, after another year's t of the beneficent results bf the n law, there will be found a eorport guard in Anderson County ia fa of the old system. Compel judges are of the opinion that County has saved the past sea alone iu securing mutton that wo I.hutvo been .lost under the old sys! at least ons hundred thousand < lars. Many other Counties h taken adyontasa of this Act, ? Tows. STATE, COUNTY AN1> OTB EB FOI By reference to House Jour -ession 1872-73, sage 203, it wi] found that I introduced "A BU ^gu?ate the deposits of State. Coi _fkd other funds/' This Bill quired the State Treasurer to dej the moneys received by him in bi ? lb bu designated by a State Bo ouch banka to give bonds for do I the amount of their, avarage posits. Section 7 of said Bill quired tho State Treasurer to uah mon''dy statements of anio received, from whom, to whoa*-; and on what account, it alu quired County Treasurers to do ail moneys received in a bank wi tue limit? of the County in w such collections wero made, or, ii did net exist in such County, to be deposited in the nearest I in good standing, no money J withdrawn oxeopt upon an. < signed by a majority of the Co ?~<-Lil?uMM AA?ntSM?<M?l) XAJIIIUJt^IVWV.^ www? -"fo - ~-' their Clerk a,ud ike County ' surer; and required him to pu mouthly statements of amount ceived and paid out. It nisi atilrcA PAasis ofL?iurLShsriiS I budges of Probato to dsposi * public moneys received in ban) , publish monthly, a statemei araduuts received and paid out; ; wheo received and to whom i Any State or County officer fa ? neglecting br. refusing to cc > with tho provirions of tills Ac ? to bo punished by fine and imp ? ment. When one contempl?t t innumerable Josses sustained! , people from 1872 to 187? th i the failure of banks o??taimi i f^to's racmeyBPnder^^dbfa i I other State and County ;cJB<$r?, it " will not ho qu^ioaad that tl. i aotmeat of maha raWiBre'ra-'above f referred to waa absolutely n?eessary : to protect the iotor?at of the peopled , I succeeded In securiag ita t*4*Kgti in the House? but it waa defeated tn the Senate. I also Introduced "A Bill to pro vide for ihedopiwit andaafe-kecpiog of the moneys of the Stale.w$?M$ main features of this Bill threw safe guards around the deposits of the :? . - ITU.:!._... ? OVIO ?j aWBBTB. ania nw; , ?wu?vr dueed tn the Senate, f Journal, Ses Bien 1874-5. page 6810 This ww also defeated. Skvlog endeavored ia ?ay capacity as a member of the House and as Senator to provide against and prevent Ices in thia roan* ner, I reel that I have fully dis charged ray duly in the premises, and am act in any way responsible for the failure of the ns ensures intro duced or the unfortunate resulta fel lowing their rejection^ CO'JHTY TREASURERS AND AI/DIT OKS. Reference to House Journal of 1872-73, page 58, will show that I introduced "A Bi|l to abolish the office of County Auditor end trans fer the duties of said office to.the Clerks of Courts In their, respective Counties^ The Clerks, bring aleot ive officers, would have in a large degree the confidence of tho people; and being in charge of all ?he land records in their Counties, they would necessarily be conversant with the (value of real property, and could assess; it as well as the personal property with greater accuracy and fess expense thsn the Auditors, and their appointment to the service would break up or prevent tho col lusion supposed to exist in many eases between the Auditors and Treasurers. . The Bill, however, failed to pass the House. During tho regular session cf 1874-78 faa shown on page 33 of Senate Journal] I proposed "A Bill to make the offices of County Treasurers and Auditors elective. This Bill being defeated, I again, at the session of 1876-77, jj3enafce Journal, pago 102,] introduced "A Bill to provide fer the election of County Treasurers and Auditors.'* This was also defeated. I. tried agata {Senate Journal, eesaiou of 1877-78, page 27,3 by presenting a Bill with the same title as the last introduced, which passed the Sen? ate .but was bot acted upon lu the House. REDUCTION OF B?XAB?E9. . After relating* my policy and votes in regard to retrenchment and reform generally in tho State gov .ernmenb it may seem unnecessary tc further specify, ?ad yet I think il proper to refer to other actions o! mme in the same direction. M5 vote and voioe were invariabl given in favor of a reduction o salaries to the lowest minimum con sistent with the proper performanei of the duties of the eoveral offices At the session 1875-76 [S?nat Journal, page 280,] I introduced "I Bill to fix the enlsrics of cextaii officers, with tabular statements ii ?relation thereto." Although no passed In the form in whiob ?ofi?rei xt, yet its provisions in tho mai Were reported by the Fijance Con mittee as amendments to a Bill fror tho House on the same subject an eventually became the law. The Committee not having adojp ed that portion of my Bill referriu tb tho commissions so be ollowe County Treasurers, when it wc being. considered iu the Senate, f shown on page 825 pf Journal, moved to amend the amendment I Section 2 by striking out ti words 'twenty-five , hundred do Ilara' and inserting the won ' two thousand,9 in reference tc tl commissions of County Treasure! so that it should read ' they shall n r?-ceive moje than two.ihdusnnd di lars,1" ana my amsnameni to tj amendment was adopted. Tl alone saved the State annual nearly 816,000. During tho sar. session, when thia BUI w tinder consideration, I also offer : to fix tho amount allowed the Au? tor of Anderson County for. as?e menta at $400 instead of, 87i Several Democratic Senators mov to include their Co?uti?s, whi operated to postpone tho considej Hon of the Bill. When my amen ment came up I produced a te gram from tho County Commissii era of Anderson County, also a 1 ter and telegram fr??a Mr. T. Webb, thou Auditor, that 0400 ? sufficient r?mun?ration. Notwl standing, my amendment was vol down--13 to 10. One would natur ly ask'tho reason. I answer, sleij to prevent a cbtnpavlc?u being mc between thu expenses of the Count where tho reductions were propel to be made and tho expenses' of 1 Counties represented by thosew opposed the reductions, and to g to: the friends of certain r-f?nat larger amounts for assessing ti: were 'necessary. I merely refer this that yob may.have some c coption of the obstacles in tba v opposed extravagance *? During tho extra session of li . -?Senato Journal,' page 18,] I . ID duced ?*fA BUI to fix and red salaries of certain officers." 3 ' Bill passed the Senate, but In ! House of Representative was fcrrod to tho Committee, pf W i and Means, reported upen unfa' i : ably and rejected. .Being scrpri .lat ?JHa, X asked Senators Qi i .Witherspoon, Jeter, Butler ? f' ethers to see than* friends sn j also asked/Mr. Sheppard io move a /. TvckmiideraUon, which be kindly vcnaeutvd to do. He did KO, hgt the nicufcsuro waa thsa postponed uptU the next soosJon. This did, not satisfy mt\ I called upon Mr. N; B. Myers, ft Republican, who had joined tho Wallace House of Hep. ressntalivee, and who had prov A himself a staunch friend of referi? upon many occasions, to take charge of tba measure and. if possible. nu?h it. through. He immediately wads emotion (HouseJournal,page 12tkj|fl iuat the Bill be placed upon the Calendar and printed, which moiioii prevailed, Tho Bill wa?, ?t my request, reconsidered by the Com mittee of Ways and Means, and I was invited tc bo present. Tbs result was that a majority of the Committee favored the Bill, with sumo amendments, It was acted upon favorably by the House, be came an Act, and was approved by Governor .Hampton, June 7,1877. ThistAct fixed tho salaries of Slate, officers, their clerks, Judges, Solici- ! CotSBty' Treasurer*, Auditors, School Commissioners, and tho amount allowed each County for '?lajniinpients. The follow?g com parisons will demonstrate the effect and saving to the State fey tho Acts referred to. B*l*r!cs of 8Ute o?ecro, Ac. before tho. passage of finit Art 1875 for Mah year..".."?317^501 00 Balarie*. -A-o., after tbe para?t of first Actoachjcar.,..".. 204.376 00 Annual reduct ton.&3.S30 00 Batar!?, Ac, after tho pu??ago of . ? flrit Ait.......$3?iM CO Balarles, Ac., atlc? the passa*? cf ? , tawnd Act ?877......r^v-v 153.830 00 Additional annual reduction .. ".tUD.426 00 UNJUST- AK? FRAUDULENT CLAIMS. It might bo sufficient to say that during my term of service iu the, I Houso of Representatives and Sen ??te tho Journals will show a steady and persistent opposition on my part to ail claims presented that ap geared to bo unjust or fraudulent, ut to give you a better conception and idea of tho nature of some d? I Bthjese claims, I shall have to go somewhat into detail : "Claim oj the Souih Carolina Bank and Trwi (hmpany."-?Qi\Q among the most noted and perhaps most unblushing claims presented for payment to tho Legislature had the above caption, but was more familiarly known os 41 Hardy Solo mon's claim." It purported to be made up of large amounts of pay iertificates and other evidences of .cdehtriducia. tba rrreater Dart of Wilch waa of a doubtful and suspi cious character. ' The claim came before tho Comraitteo of Ways cud tfeans of tho House of Representa lines'. Being then a member of that Committee, l opposed thoclaim, and, with Hon. Ii. M. Smith, submitted a minority report. [See House Jour* nal, extra session of 1873, pago 93.] Amongst other reasons set forth against the passage of the Bill pro viding for the payment of this claim, tho following will appear ; ?. .. . " That although tho Bill itself pretends In bo based upon a quantity Of pay oert?lle??*s, bills payable or Trossary notes of tb? lato Trcasuror, Niles O. Parker. Dot H ?Ingle ono ot them has been produced for oar examination as to, its validity or legality, ?1 tV?i*Er. n?H?<rUv rf p?sP?SOTU**T repeat edly and formally demanded them. Tnnt ino j wording of tho Kill itself ls so obscuro and tu doflnlto that lt U lmposslblo for your minority cst therein mentlonw. ana urns nscsflfttn vrhvjh ls tho greater amount. . * * "That theprorbiOMofthoBccondSootionof said lilli ar? eo mandatory upon tho 8tata Treasurer that they doprlvo him of ail illscro tlon ?nd preclude him from makin? any ta Testifiation whatever as to tho legality of tho claims presented Cor pay in cit.. "Wo would further call tho attention of Smr honorable body to tho nnxoltlcd condt onof tho countrr.sad.otpoclallr tho embar rassed and critical condition of tho fln.moesof the Bute, at an Insarmour.tablo objection to tba psseag* of such an extravagant and doubt ful mclure." rcg ; This pretestoaour part andover efforts to defeat this measure; al though we were aided by otha* members, were of no avail ; tho Bill passed. Subsequent investigations have demonstrated that tho sum of eighty thousand dollars was catered upon tho boolla of tho bank, of which Hardy Solomon was then Prwidowtf na 41 I?gishititf? espouses," anti -tho, ^~AA,xfu^i : "nnw?d a. lai'??o portion bf it was expended in brib ing members of the General Assem bly to vote for . tho passage of tho Bill. What a comment ou such legittlatlon-that 880,000should have hean oxnended to secure an appro* priatlon'of $125,000-^and bow ut terly futile any. honest effort tb de? feat iii That we were correct in our suspicious, founded on the vogue and indefinite wording Of tho Bill, j was Boon apparent; as Treasurer Carders discovered a duo bill for ?25,000, in tho haadwriting of ex Treasurer Parker, held by Ino hankel for which payment wai demanded, the samo being issued without any ?b?cher? fe? y?e same being found '$$thc Treasury. Cardozo protested against psy:=g tbs sam?, but th? matter being decided against him, he could do no more than succumb'tb the inevitable. It has also been proven that' legal claims hold at that time by that back, which were included hr the schedule of tho claim as passed, amounting to -?early 520,000, ".ere abatr?otfcd bv its officers and co ii cc ted as deGuNc* raes, in violation of tho express pro visions of the tax levy, and a ?iko j amount of fraudulent pay certifi 1 catas ieaued Cheine ?nte-dated) and jsubnUtuted in place of the l?gal I claims, and thus collected as a part I and parcel of tho original claim. "A ?ill to pay the claims held by j* Woodruff was another of this class. I opposed it before the Com mittee and on th? floor of the House, and, with others, fought it from first to UaV By reference to Hones Journal, session 1873-74, piges 491 . <?o 498 inclusive, it will appear that at ons tiao the opponents of the Bill were in a hopeless minorityr bot gained strength steadily until. the rmft^ofX rallied' v?rV "5ii?r??f'?'t?''Uv opj^ .1 ilowever, under tbs swllfu? man agoiaeui pf Representative H. Ii; ?iye/e, the co?t?e*waa prolonged until we gabled coufid^?c? and agreed to take a vote; V?t, te our surprise, the EUI passed its second jread?aK by the clc^Q vote of 40 yeajBMHBH to4-3nays. .\TJnr>*? the third rending we still opposed it, and succeeded in having lt indefinitely postpone^ by a voie ci 42 tn SO. niucn pr'?ois work WAS accomplished'between tho second and third readings of tho Bill, and other . members joined Le&rtUy ia its ?nal Many similar claims were opposed in hko manner, as the Journals fully show? It was astounding and humiliating to.witness claims, without merit or common honesty, rushed through by Concurrent Resolutions. Although no appropriation!} wero made to pay them, nevertheless, by their pue-jege, . ? I jtt$trge floating indebtedne.-^ wau entailed on the people of the State. This was generally accomplished at the close of a suasion and amidst tho hurry end confusion attending such scenes. Many suen. claims passed, como for large amounts, without scrutiny f.hd common care. To euro such a slate Of things I presented two Bills with the following title : " To provide the manner of pas<aing claims against the State by tho General Assembly." [Sanato Jour nals 1874 and 1875, pago 609; 1875-6, page 313.] The secoud Bill I presented was passed, and was approved by Governor Cham berlain. It provided that all dalma exceeding a given amount should be passed only by Act or Joint E.'.Jclution, and that ali vouch ers pertaining thereto should, before a certificate could bo Issued by thu officers of the two houses, be filed in tho office of the Comptroller General. This Act had the effect, for a time, of cheeking and correcting so great ari abuse in the management of the passage of claims by the Legislature. I think it bot inappropriate in this eol&ectien to "state that payment of many of the claims which had .been improperly passed before tim Act .waa rendered impossible by the sub sequent exposures of the Committee to Investigate Frauds. A UKG1GTBATIO?T I.A.W. Artlclo VIII, Section 3, of tho Constitution of this Bt&te provides that ;< lt shall ba the duty of tho General Assembly from time to tittie to provide for a registration pf all electors." Thia provision and the duty it enjoins soern plain and unequivocal. Tho'Journals will show that from the time I took my seat in tho General Assembly I ?cy?red and advocated, the enact ment of a proper registration law, because it contemplated and pointed ont the most certain mode by which tie purity of elections could bo 4<t?red; so far as tho number of eligible voters was concerned. It offered a safeguard aa well for tho s&fei S& iha cck-?Dd w&ar. of ihr. . l?t?te, by removing all illegal at* ?templa to swell a majority.beyond the number of authorised registered voters, so that in no olectiou pretend ing to be fair and just could tho nura ber of votes castappearlorger than th?? number of actual registered voter?:. That it was tho true'policy of tho Republican party of this State .tc? have such , a law enacted, I have often urged and pressed upon them. The present condition of affairs Will doubtless prove a forcible reminder. The first distinct move. I made will bo foand ia Houso Journal 1873-74, page 448, as a member of a Committee appointed to report what legislation was necessary. Among other things that Committee recom mended "A Bill to provide for'a registration law." This was disre garded. j Senate ?Journal ?I574-70,"pge 14r>. will show that I introduced "A Bill ... to provide for the registration of tho electors of this State in conformity with the.provisions of the Constitu tion." This Bill waa referred to the Committee, on the Judiciary, of which B. F. Wbitlomoro waa Chair man. The Bill never saw the light afterwards. Again, at the sessiou of 1877, [see -Tournai of Senate, pager 18,] I introduced "A Bill to provide for. tho registration of electors in conformity with Artiolo VIII, Sec. tion 3, of the Constitution". This Bill waa likewise suppressed in Com mltteo, Whitteraoro being Chair man. Again, as will bo found, by . reference to Senate Jountsl 1877-78; pago 748,1 offered a third Bill with, tho same title . as the bvit named. Whittemore by thia time had fled the State. The Bill was reported on favorably tv>d po?sod the Senate, bat was defeat?.i in tho House by being retained in Committee, al though I am confident ot that time a majority of the House favored the B.measure, and it ia within my knowl edge that Governor Hampton ap proved it. Thus a-plain and direct; provision of tho Constitution baa been ignored and disregarded by DO WI political. imriics Jiu ?ure uxmrv* The sequel will shaw whether ic ia tide or wiso at any lime or for any purpose or pollsx to r?eglcot the en forcement of any part of the organic DR?-ISTAOB OP LAm#. Among tba many subjects agitated and discussed to preservo the public health and increase the production . , of swampleads,. drainago. excited ' mach attention and interest, espe , oblly in Andorocn County-tho , pioneer in thia among the upper tier