MR. BELLINGER’S COMMUNICATION. 
 
 ELECTION LAWS. 
 
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 Columbia, S. C., November 28, 1859. 
 wTo the Honorable James Simons , Speaker of the House of Representatives ; 
 
 the Honarable Wm. D. Porter , President of the Senate : 
 
 B Hear Sir: — I take this method of presenting the Body, over which you 
 fireside, a Compilation of Election Law, as ordered at the last session. Some 
 Explanations are necessary, and I trust will be allowed. 
 
 I First, No special direction was given at the last session in relation to the 
 lumber of copies to be printed. After conferring with some of the Commit- 
 pbe of each House, I urged, and, (as far as I was authorized,) directed the 
 State Printer to print five hundred copies, which he has done on the usual 
 terms, and holds the same subject to the order of the Legislature, thus put¬ 
 ting the Legislature and the public in possession of the work some twelve 
 months sooner than otherwise would have been done. 
 
 Second, No order was made as to the distribution of the work. Having 
 had some experience in these matters, I would suggest, that after supplying 
 the members of the Legislature, (who will require about two hundred copies,) 
 and after furnishing one copy to each Chancellor, Law Judge and Solicitor, 
 two copies be placed in the Law Library in Columbia, two copies in the Law 
 Library in Charleston, and two copies in the South Carolina College Library, 
 that then five copies be reserved by the Compiler, for the use of the State, 
 and that the remaining copies be equally divided among the forty-six elec¬ 
 toral Districts. Hereafter an abstract can be easily prepared, so as to 
 furnish full information to each set of managers of election. 
 
 Third, At the last session, when the Compiler was asked by some of the 
 Committee how much he would charge for his labors in the Compilation, he 
 answered, “five hundred dollars/’ thinking that amount sufficient; but, not¬ 
 withstanding he had been accumulating materials for this purpose for the last 
 thirty years, and from this preparation and knowledge he flatters himself 
 that he was able to make the work much more complete and comprehensive 
 than he could have done without such preparation and knowledge—yet, when 
 he came to perform the work, extending as it does from the beginning of the 
 existence of the State Government to the present time, and embracing vari¬ 
 ous constitutional provisions, many Statutes, much English and American 
 
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 law, many Legislative resolutions, contested election cases and forms, the 
 Compiler found that five hundred dollars would not compensate him for the 
 mechanical drudgery of searching the Records, and copying and indexing 
 the materials; and he respectfully submits that the mere inspection of the 
 work, consisting of pages, will sustain this assertion. He, therefore, 
 
 asks of the Legislature such increased compensation as in their judgment 
 and discretion will be reasonable and proper. The Compiler would beg leave 
 to state, that but for a serious accident, by which he was severely injured, 
 and from which he is still suffering, this book and this communication would 
 have been presented on the first day of the session. 
 
 With these remarks he has the honor to be, very respectfully, personally 
 and politically, 
 
 Your obedient servant, 
 
 E. BELLINGER, Jr. 
 
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