BILLS INTRODUCED. Mr. WHITTEMORE, pursuant to notice, introduced, Bill to provide for contesting Elections; Bill to define the salaries of certain officers. The above Bills received their first reading, were ordered for a second reading and consideration on Monday next, and to be printed. Mr. SWAILS, pursuant to notice, introduced Bill to amend an Act to authorize the Commissioners of Public Buildings for Williamsburg District, to sell certain portions of the public grounds, passed the 22d day of December, 1859; Bill to incorporate the Charleston Water Company, in the City and County of Charleston, S. C. The above Bills received their first reading, were ordered for a second reading and consideration on Monday next, and to be printed. RESOLUTIONS. Mr. CARDOZO introduced the following Resolution: Whereas the Governor has in his late Message brought to the notice of the General Assembly the necessity of further legislation to protect the interests of the State in regard to its receipts from Phosphates, in which he showed that the State received during the past but $1,989 from that source; and Whereas the immense wealth contained in these deposits might, with justice, yield a sufficient income to the State, as to pay the interest on its debt, and thus relieve the people of a considerable portion of their taxes; therefore, be it Resolved, That the Attorney General be forthwith requested to frame a law that will carry out the recommendation of the Governor, and thus protect the interests of the State and the people. On motion of Mr. CARDOZO, the Rule was suspended, and the Resolution considered. Mr. ARNIM moved to amend the Resolution by striking out the words Attorney-General," and inserting in lieu thereof the words "Committee on Mines and Mining." The amendment was accepted. After debate, participated in by Messrs. Cardozo, Hayes, Swails, Arnim, The question was taken on agreeing to the Resolution, and decided in the affirmative, UNFINISHED BUSINESS. The Senate resumed the consideration of the Unfinished Business, to wit: A Bill to amend an Act entitled "An Act to establish and maintain a system of free common schools for the State of South Carolina." On motion of Mr. ARNIM, the further consideration of the Bill was postponed for the present. GENERAL ORDERS. The Senate procceded to the, consideration of the General Orders on the Calendar. On motion of Mr. ARNIM, the Senate proceeded to the consideration, out of its order, of Bill to incorporate Harmony Lodge, No. 61, of Ancient Freemasons, of the State of South Carolina. On motion of Mr. SMALLS, the Bill was read by its title, and referred to the Committee on Incorporations. On motion of Mr. SMALLS, the Senate proceeded to the consideration, out of its order, of A Bill to amend Section two hundred and seventy-nine (279) of an Act entitled "An Act to revise, simplify and abridge the rules, practice, pleadings and forms of the Courts in this State." The Bill received its second reading, was considered as in Committee of the Whole, and by Sections. There being no amendments, Ordered, That the Bill be engrossed for a third reading. On motion of Mr. LESLIE, the Senate proceeded to the consderation, out of its order, of Report of Committee on Incorporations on a Bill to alter and amend an Act entitled "An Act to alter and amend the charter and extend the limits of the city of Columbia," appproved 26th of February, 1870., The Report was read, and the Bill taken up for a second reading. Mr. LESLIE moved that the further consideration of the Bill be postponed, and that it be referred to a Special Committee of three, to be appointed by the President, with instructions to report on Wednesday next. After debate, participated in by Messrs. Leslie, Swails, Nash, Mr. NASH moved that the further consideration of the Bill be postponed, and made the Special Order for Wednesday, February 1, at 1:30 P. M. After further debate, participated in by Messrs. Nash, Leslie, On the question of agreeing to the motion of the Senator from Richland, Mr. LESLIE called for the yeas and nays. The yeas and nays were taken, and resulted as follows: Yeas-Messrs. Barber, Cardozo, Dickson, Hayes, Maxwell, Nash.-6. Nays-Messrs. Arnim, Burroughs, Duvall, Foster, Johnston, Leslie, Montgomery, Owens, Smalls, Whittemore, Wilson.-11. So the Senate refused to agree to the motion of the Senator from Richland. On the question of agreeing to the motion of the Senator from Barnwell, Mr. ARNIM called for the The yeas and nays were taken, and resulted as follows: Yeas-Messrs. Arnim, Bieman, Burroughs, Duvall, Foster, Hayes, Holcombe, Johnston, Leslie, Maxwell, Owens, Smalls, Whittemore, Wilson.-14. Nays-Messrs. Cardozo, Hayne, Montgomery, Nash -4. So the motion of the Senator from Barnwell was agreed to, and the Bill referred to a Special Committee of three, to report on Wednesday next. Messrs. Leslie, Nash and Barber were appointed said Committee. On motion of Mr. WHITTEMORE, the Senate proceeded to the consideration, out of its order, of Bill to require the County Commissioners to report to the General Assembly. The Bill received its second reading, was considered as in Committee of the Whole, and by Sections. There being no further amendments, Ordered, That the Bill be engrossed for a third reading. On motion of Mr. WHITTEMORE, the Senate proceeded to the consideration, out of its order, of Report of the Committee on Finance on a Joint Resolution authorizing the County Commissioners of Lancaster County to levy a special tax. The Report was read, and the Joint Resolution taken up for a second reading. The Joint Resolution received its second reading, and was considered as in Committee of the Whole. There being no amendments, Ordered, That the Resolution be engrossed for a third reading. On motion of Mr. HAYNE, the Senate proceeded to the consideration, out of its order, of Report of the Committee on County Offices and Officers on a Bill to amend an Act to define the jurisdiction and duties of County Commissioners. The Report was read, and the Bill taken up for a second reading, The Bill received its second reading, was considered as in Committee of the Whole, and by Sections. Mr. HAYNE moved to amend Section 1, in the twenty-seventh lien, printed Bill, by striking out the word “Edgefield," and inserting in lieu thereof the word "Richland." Mr. ARNIM moved to amend the amendment by striking out, beginning on the 26th line, and ending on the 29th line, the following: Except in the Counties of Charleston and Edgefield, in which Counties the Board of County Commissioners shall appoint some suitable person as Clerk, and remove him at pleasure, whose general duties shall be After debate, participated in by Messrs Swails, Whittemore, Hayne, Cardozo, Mr. SWAILS moved that the enacting clause of the Bill be stricken out. After further debate, participated in by Messrs. Leslie, Whittemore, Duvall, Smalls, On the question of agreeing to the motion of the Senator from Williamsburg, Mr. HAYNE called for the yeas and nays. The yeas and nays were taken, and resulted as follows: Yeas-Messrs. Bieman, Burroughs, Duvall, Foster, Holcombe, Montgomery, Owens.-7. Nays-Messrs. Barber, Cardozo, Duncan, Hayne, Johnston, Leslie, Maxwell, Nash, Rose, Smalls, Whittemore, Wilson. -12. So the Senate refused to strike out the enacting clause of the Bill. ment. The amendment to the amendment was withdrawn. The question was then taken on agreeing to the motion of the Senator from Marion, to strike out, wherever it occurred, the word "Edgefield," and inser tin lieu thereof the word "Richland," and decided in the affirmative On motion of Mr. WHITTEMORE, the Bill was further amended by inserting after the word "same" "And the County Commissioners shall inform the County Treasurer of the orders drawn, in whose favor, the amount, and the order in which they are drawn.” On motion of Mr. WHITTEMORE, the Bill was further amended by the addition of the following: Strike out the following in Section 18, line 15, after the word "Constitution:" "He shall receive a reasonable compensation for his services, to be fixed by the Board, not to exceed three dollars per day for the time actually and necessarily employed." Strike ont "November," wherever it appears in the Act, and insert "September." There being no further amendments, Ordered, That the Bill be engrossed for a third reading. -UNFINISHED BUSINESS. The Senate resumed the consideration of Unfinished Business, to wit: A Bill to amend an Act entitled "An Act to establish and maintain a system of free common schools for the State of South Carolina." There being no further amendments, Ordered, That the Bill be engrossed for a third reading. The Sergeant-at-Arms announced MESSAGE FROM THE GOVERNOR. Messages Nos. 29 and 30, from His Excellency the Governor, were presented to the Senate by Mr. W. F. Hague, Assistant Private Secretary. Message No. 28 was read, as follows: Honorable President of the Senate: STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, COLUMBIA, January 28, 1871. SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith a copy of the Report of the Sinking Fund Commission for the fiscal year ending 31st October, 1870. The original Report was made at the beginning of the present session of the Legislature, and placed in the hands of the Printer for publication. He has not published it as yet, which accounts for the delay. (Signed) Very respectfully, ROBERT K. SCOTT, Governor. REPORT. OFFICE OF SINKING FUND COMMISSION, COLUMBIA, S. C., Novembr 18, 1870. To the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of South Carolina: GENTLEMEN: The Commissioners of the Sinking Fund, appointed under an Act entitled "An Act to provide for a Sinking Fund, and the management of the same," present to your honorable body a Report of the transactions of this Commission. This Commission was organized on the second of March last, immediately after the adjournment of the Legislature, and proceeded to dispose of the unremunerative property that belonged to the State. |