Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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WINNSBORO, B. 0. Saturday, December 122. ; : 1877 R. MEANS DAVIS, Editor, JNO. 8. REYNOLDS, Associate Editor. SOME PEnsoNS are laboring under the impression that Fairfield is the only county in which delinquont tax sales have boon advertised. This is entirely erroneous. All our ox changes teem with those advertiso monts, the list being longer or shorter as the people of each county have boon more or less able to pay the taxes. The Difference. A gentleman who is thoroughly conversant with the financial history of South Carolina, and who occupies a position of groat importance, has furnished tho Columbia Register with a statement of the actual ro forms accomplished by the Domo crate. Horo are the figures: Tax levy 1875-6 under Chamberlain, 11 mills, on basis of $120,000,000 as the total taxable prol)orty of the Stato.. $1,320,000 Deficiencies under Chani borlaiu for 1875-6.... 450,000 Total amount oxponded under Chamberlain for 1875--6............... $1,770,000 Tax levy 1877 under Hampton, 7 mills, on basis of $120,000,000 $840,000 Amount in Stato Tronsu ry at the end of fist fiscal year undor Hamp ton, remaining unox ponded.............. 115,000 Total amount expended Hampton's government $725,000 The difference between the ex ponditures under Chamberlain and Hampton amounts to $1,045,000. The dlffer'enco as to taxation be tween the present government and that which Chamberlain endeavored to foist upon us is this. Where a man is now assessed ten dollars for taxes, he was assessed soventeen dollars by the Chamberlain Logisla ture now defunct. Instead of pay ing five dollars in July, 1877, and five dollars in October, 1877, he would have been required to pay his whole seventeon dollars in Febru.. Ary, 1877; and if delinquent he would have been sold out in Juno last, instead of having his timo ox, tended to January next. Moreover, the costs on executions, in Fairfield, at least, we are informed, are small that over before. Under the ltadi cal regime, the auditor and treasur or received about $4500 a year, besides costs, while the same offi cers now receive about $1,300 and costs. People who are not satisfied with this showing are hard to please. "Ah quo j'aime le Militaire." The Abbevillo Medium is par' exccellence the military organ of South Carolina. Its senior editor, the Hon. R. R. Honmphill, is brigas. dior general of the the ninth brigade of South Carolina mililia, compris ing the counties of Abbevillee, An,. derson, Oconee and Pickens, while the junior editor, J. C. Hemphill, Esq., also holds the important posi tion of adjutant general of the sama brigade. Brigadier General Hemp. hill was born under a lucky star. The handsomest editor and spiciest paragrapher in the State, chairman of the delegatiois from Abbevillo in the , State Legislature, and nowv brigadier general of the ninth brigade, it becomes necessary for him, with Alo,cander, to sigh for other worlds to conquer. But; whilo felicitating our brother of the quill upon the honors heaped upon him, wve cannot forbear to utter a word of warning. The Holy Scriptures, in which, during the progress of the usury debate, he manifested himself so firm a believer, say, "Put up again thy sword into his place ; for all they that take the sword shall perish by the sword." After this, brother, wilt thou persist in drawing thy sword, and in turn-. ing the classic plains of old Fort Pickenp into a Champ de Mfars, wliore,on gaily caparisoned charger, thou wilt review the serriod columns of the ninth brigade?i Fly not thus in the taco of Pr,.ience Tho pon is mightier than the sword. Resign they commission, dismouut from thy Bucophalius, bestride again, the editorial tripod, and wield once moro thy trusty gray gooso.quill. Peace has her victorios more rc nowned than war. Put away the sword. States can be saved without it. Heed tih words of Holy Writ. For nll they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. The Legislature and its Work. The Legislature on Thursday took a Christmas holiday. The members havo ocen hard at work and have accomiplished a good doal. A largo majority of the measures advocated tend iii the right direc tion. But ,wo fear somo unwise legislation has been attempted. Tie usury law is looked upon by many as the panacca of all cxisting' evils. But the sanguine supportors of this measuro are bound to be disappointed. Where will they find capitalists to lond money at seven por cent. ? Will not the increased risks attondant upon lending money at a higher rate o4 interest than permitted by law have a tendency to raiso the rate of interest and to compcl th!e giving of much better i3eurity than boiero tofore'? It is perlhaps Well, however, to havo this law enacted. Thousands would never have boen satisfied without it ; and wo believo that the ex. perieneo of a year or two with it will cause them to demand its abolition for good. A number of ' members have evinced hostility to the public school system. They soem to o -- gard it solely as a boon to the colored race. In this they are badly mistaken. It is equally necessary to the advancement of the whites ; thousands of whom look upon it as the only means of edu cating their children. Exporienco in other States and nations teaches that the public school system is the true one; and as South Carolina is bound, sooner or latter, to colio to it, it is unwise to .throw any obstacles in its way. A proposed constitutional amend . mont, giving to judges a life tenure of office, has been defeated. This is, porhaps, very well. The world does not movo as .lowly nlow an inl ante-bellum days, and rotation in office is the gcneral rule. The term of the juiges should, however, be ~ lengthened. Let the supreme judges 1)0 elected for nino years, an election being held for one everyr three years. Let the circuit judgesi hold office eight years, and if a I total change of the judiciary at any one time is thought too violent, let one judge be elected each year, or two judges every alternate year.r The life tenure reposes alnost too C much confidence in the judlge. He 1 can then be removed only by im-, peachmnent or address ; and there are many imperfections which unfit e a man to become a good judge, and ' yet are not such as would warrant the disgrace of a removal. Elec-. tions, recurring at long intervals, will be a sufficient incentive to a r judge to perform his duties to the best of his ability, and at the same time will remove from him the temptation to become a chronio lobbyist. The elections should re main in the hands of the Legisla ture.f Special legislation should be I abolished ; and the effort of the Logi'slature to accomplish this by delegating the poweor to other aus thoritios to act in special instances, such as erecting gatos across high waps, or changing the names of persons, is commendable. The graver matters, such as the adjustment of the State debt, and the levying of taxes, are postponed for consideration after the recess. Thme- oldest greenback five is under glass at Nashville, Tenn. Tihe teller of the Third Niational Bank in reom iving a deposit hoticed a flye marked letter' A, No. 1, . and; dated March 10, 1803. It ~ws sent to the treasury department, where it was identified as thme first five issued under the legal-tondler act. It has been handsomely framed and will be presented to the Historical Socenty. Death of Professor Reynolds. 1 Our community was shocked by tho receipt, on Thursday, of[the tidings of the death of Professor J. L. Reynolds. which occirred in Greenville on Wednesday morning from ieuralgia of the heart, after i vory brief illness So widely known was Professor Rioynolds that it is scarnely ecessary to do more than ronder our sad tributo to his memory. Tho Rev. ames Lawrence Ry nolds, 1). D., wa:i born in Charles ton on tho 17th of March, 1812. Io was the third son of George N. 1Zynolds, Sr, and one of a famiily all the iil,ers I of which wore distinguished for more < tiin ordinary ability and for success in i the different pursuits in which they on- F gaged. Passing almost his entire 'lifo inif South Carolina, Professor eynolds re ucived his acadeimie education at the f Charleston College,from which he gradu ated with the highest honors, and fitted. himself for the ministry of the Baptist Dhurch, at the Theological Seminary of Newton, Massachusetts. Returning to his native State, he ben the ipislor of the Baptist church in Cobuubia, rolin 1uishiig this to accept a profcssovshilip in tho Furman Institute, then near Winnsboro. 3 Becoming ikore %Vidly known, Professor yllynolds wI; cli:ed presidentof Georgtown Colle,o, 1en Itucky, and subsequently accepted the [)astorate of the Second Baptist Church in Richmond. During all this time he was raining a mind richly endowed by iature, and addinig to it fresh stores of knowledge. As a reward lie was invested 1 xith the professorship of Latin in the iouth Carolina Colleg- --hen a I:. luished lonor--and held th'i position ut(i tle closo of that institution. Upon ,he organization of the University, Pro 'vs.;or R niolds was tran-iferred to le .hair of Logic nnd Mnhd uiand Moral hilosophy, Which he contin-led to till ltitil the native professors felt con trained to resign, and the classic camptus ell into the hands of strangers and Ciens. Since then Professor Reynolds ( as resided in Girenill, filliing profes- I .0r'ships in t.he Firman University and he Bapt.ist Theolol)ical Seminary. 4 In the field of literature, Dovtor 11Ray iolds was an earnest worker. Besiles it uiber of sormons tal addresses which vere published in p imphlet form, hc montributed tQ different periodicals, 1eligious and secular. Prominent among is works in this depart metl are his con ribmtions to the % )wlher: r (rorerlj lA rir-1.. io was editor of the onfur'dte BAp/im, luring the war, and a contributor to the Vn'rkinly ('ristiln, a paper publihed in "olumbia a few years ago. Ite Was the uthor of a series of suhool r-.advrs, vhich havo been well received and1( avoral. , lipt iced. Besides being a most useful member of i he literary world, Professor Reynolds v r-as a t-Wor of ltrOngtth to the religious f l(noiiinltio i with Which he W'Is (o.I ectdl. Whether as a scholar, a theolo- a hut or a pulpit rttor, lie ws equally ist.ingnmished: His writt en prottutjions nd his utterances were characterizedI by peculiar grace and a majest.ic flow oIf mrest Englishi.. W~hilo, to str'anigers, 1 'refessor Brynolds1mnijfl..h- a ((ourithy uservo, to his intimate frienda lhe wa~ hie soul of geniality, iad uossessedl a een relish for wit and hnmor. \Vhliile le piublic will miss him for his eminent ervics to learning and( religion, in J rivato circles his loss will be flt because i his eminent social qualities aind do. ~ mestic virt.ues. 'T'here are not maiui. hristian goentlemen of t.he old1 school aft; and each one departing leaves ehind1 a void that cannot b)e tilled. Dr-. IReynolds was maurried in early t ife to a daughtor of the late Benjamin miithi,Esq., of Charleston, and he leaves widowv, a son' and a dlaugh4lteri to Imournl is loss, rendered still more severe, from io promise given by his apparent r' robust hecalth thlat ho would be spared ni earth for a m uh longer term of' use ulness. C HE STATEB LEG1SLA TUR?E. WVEDNESDAY, December 19, 1877. a SENATE. A number of bills were received rom thle House, among them a bill iroviding for conducting capital ixecutions in private; a bill prescrib.. nig the p)owera' of circuit ju(l'es mutside of thle circuits in wl-' ebj , f a exside; a bill to prevent thme um e' - lestruction of birds' niests u I a ai >ill declaring the title of the C' ium, lI umbia canal. The Sonate rejected the House v -osolution to refer Corbin's election i o the investigating committoe. he Soat resolution refers it to bcommittco on Federal relations.~] , The bill providing for the election >f county treasurers and county muditors was made the special order or January 18th. A bill relating to urors received a second reading. Vhe bill to amend the charter of Dolumbia, and ordering a new mu uicipal election, was made the spo - uial order for January 28d. The il bill securing rent for land was made Il ?e special order for January 21st. i The report on Patterson's ease a was referred to the committee on i LPodoral relationa.a In thovening session a .commit- 1 coo of conforone on' the malarins of I ttachcs was appointed. A consti utional amindmont fixing the term :f probate judgos to four years was rdered for consideration to-mor -ow. Adjourned. I-IousE oe REPRESENTATIYEs. Mr, Pope rose to a (uestion of >rivilege. Ho aid Messrs. Blakoney, erwin and Bradloy proented a pat or giving thoir reason for not vot ng in favor of mending the chargos afriinst Patterson to the U. S. Son - LtC, on the ground that they could ot concur in the proposition of law i,ontained in the conAitteo's report, Aid they thotugl.b!h Legislaturo I0hould not a)l,eAl > elic U. Senato It this timo. A number of billf.s woro introduced, Lmong them, by Mr. Gaillard, to mcourage the working, digging and nining of Phosplites in certain ,troams of the State. A favorable report was presentod mI a bill to securo advancos fo.t aig -ieltural purpoises. The proposedI constitutional toinndmont giving judges a life tenl ro failed to receive a two-thirds roto of the members elected, and waNs ost. A bill allowing certain township:; >f Fairfield to be benefited by the oneo law, was pmss,,d and sent to ho Senate. Also v bill appropriat ng $2500 to the Btate Ag'riciltural ociety. At the evening session a number of >iel o w ' i reaia secondt time. am1ong hem a bill to exempt from iil tax ill who havu lost on or moro limbs. Adjourned. Tuasisa.v, Deceiber 20, 1877. Sr.:wArE. A mniber of bills worO received roiml the House id properly re erred. Resolution to investigate the onduct of 1). T. Cobin in his ieort o be lected to 1he United Staltes illt fron thlis Sh , o , te 12th lay of December, 187G, and i, he vas g1ill of briberY of meibers of he GOnal A.sellbly, was slopted. md Messrs. Lipscomb, Crittuni'ln, 'Vylic, Fraser and Taft apt ointed S s11ch collMittee. Mr. Taft asked to he excused, and bir. Williams was put in his plahe, mi motion of Mr. Crit tenden. A imunbc-r (A hills, Of li:lited in. crest only. were passed to i third cfading. Adjonrned. HoUSE OF REREsxNTAIV The conferenco commiitte re.. orted an atgreement on the Legis dativo appropri'ation hill, which ,as ordered to be enrolled for rati cation. A unineI)r of bills were introduced nd referred. A bill to reduce and x tho :alarIes of certain officers Thle school amIfendmenClt issed its biird reading by a vote of 88 to 23, nd( a mfotionl to reconsider wias ab1l b.y, thie i-.uine vof., being fouri wrie t han two.- th irds ofiall thle momil-, era elected. Theil HIouse-i concuired in the Son to resolution p)ost polning dolinquont rIx sales to the first Mronda:y ini 'ehruary, The I-ouse then adjourned to tile Gth of Janiuary. Twvo barons are .sotting typo in lie ofico of the San .Francisco A p)atenlt ciditori stove, whieb nily burns a basket of poems1 at day, WVhat the na ds .is a patent Ivings bank ci'. patent lamp himnouy, noit,ht of wh'ichd can be roken. Honey worth $1,100 from boos tortht six dollars is the record of n Onondagna (N. Y.) man for last oar. If a whale seventy feet long was truck by ., harpoon in the tail, a econd would 01lapso before the disr. urb)anc could11( reach the brain. "Is Govero- Rico in ?1" inquired seody---looking-man of the clerk of he Brunnswick, B3ostoni, a fow nights go. "Yes," saidl the clerk; "ycs, o is." '"Well," said the man, talking out, "I'm glad of it ; it's a tot night, and ho might catch cold lie oas out." A Lowell (Mass.) firm sent a lot f old bills we4t for collection. .he list came back wvith the result Loted against each name, one being amarkod "deaLd." Three months fter the same 1bil1 got int,o a nowv at that was forwarded, and when he list came back the name wvas narked "still dead." At Paterson, N. J., on the 17th nat., an oil train was b)urnod. The laming oil flooded the street, burn ng houses in some instances half , mile from the scene. The oil ears rould burst, the flames would shoot ,hundred feet high. The paint vas blistered on houses a mile dis ant NE WS OF THE DAY. Turkey desires peace ; but says she is uot whipped yet. Bixby & Co., of blacking fame, havo failed. People aro too poor to shine their boots nowadays. The British Parliament will moot in January, instead of in February, owing to possiblo complications growing out of the Turkish war. J. T. Farley, Democrat, has boon ok cted United States Senator, from California, to succeed Sargent, Re, publican. Ho takes his seat in 1879. A poor follow, named Charles Hoffnan, was shot in New York, recently, whilo stealing horso,rad ish, which Io intended to soll to savo his famly from starvation. Tle Georgia lawyers are divided in opinion as to tho effect of the constitutional, homestead just adopt ed in abrogating the homestead laws tilready existing. The death of Bi.hop lMarvin, of the Moi,hodist Episcopal Ciiurch South, will requiro the election of tire Bishops by tho General Con forenco, which mouts at Atlanta, Ga., in Maty. While Lord Derby and another gentleman wero driving at Turn-, bridge Wells, England, on Sunday, the horses ran away, and the coach man was instantly killed, but Lord. Derby and his companion escaped u il a slight shaking. The governor of Georgia has do teriined not to call the legislaturo together, and as the now constitu tion makes no provision for a vacan cy casioned by the death or resig ntion of the governor, uneasin ess is felt as to what will happen in such a colt ingency. The Administration at Washing ton has taken into serious conisid eration the grievances of the Chines in alifornia. Should necessity do, mmal it, Le naval forces at San ranicoA w-ill assist the local au thoitie: in preventing a recurrenco of seriouls tiouble. The twelvo years' feud betwoon Ser-ators Blaino and Conkling end ed with tho former's generosity to. ward th latter in the Senate, tihe other day, in his speeeh1 against the President's Now York nominations. Mr. Conling has buried tho hatch. ct. "Anything to boat Hayes." The New York city chamberinii has recoived from tihe Stato attori oy genoral a ch. .ek for $444,982 18, being aiouits received from Peter 13. Sweeney and Alberl A. Wood w.ird, in settlement of suits against them to recover part of the money stolen by the Tweed Ring. Two luindrod girls and boys om pl)nyed in te cigar manufactories in Nowv York, where the cigarmnakers are on a strike, wvero malt.reated on Sunday by a gang of strikers. The police went to their assistre:~e, and thie aissailants flied. T1ho girls and bo)ys were badly beaten. TIhme Houso Commii ttoo on Indlian AiThirs hans .sublst:mutiall y agreed to r'eporit a bill, on thme reassemblhing of C. Ingreis, allowing five Indian tr'ibes in the Indian Territory to be r<pre sentted by a dlelegatte in thoe .House, The bulsiness buefor'e Congress re" 1 4in to the interests of' the Indian Territory, in the opinion of the sub, ciommlittee to w~hom the subject was ro ferr ed, is such as to make it advi s:able that tihe Indian tribes should hiave ofhliia represenlCftationl. As it is, they can only be heard by attor nc.ys, and the custom has growvn of calling ove-:7 effort of their friends aL steal or a job. The committee theorofore concludes that justice to thme Territory as w~ell as the credit of Congress demands the admission of an Indian delegate. SArauums oti C OUN'fY TREASURERiS AsN) CoUNTY AUDITons.--.re trust the Logislature will not adjourn sine die, until they have made some p)rovision to increase the salaries of county treasurers and county audi tors. The duties of both these of1 ics are r'esponsible, arduous, and t heir pay was reduced by the Logis.. laturo to scarcely nmo'e than sufli cioen for theoassitance theyaro obliged to have, to be able to perform the duties required of them by lawv. If the two oflicers are to remain sepa.. rate, the salaries of both should be increased, so that good and r'esponsin ble men can affordi to keep them. It is very weoll to be economical and saving in the dlisbursomuent of pub lic funds, but it is not economy to reduce salaries so low that officers cannot live upon them, while the proper discharge of the duties of the ollicers prevents the occupmuts from resorting to anything else to make a living. County trcasur'ers are re quired to give good bond, and lia ble to make serious mistakes in the hurry and confusion always attend ing. the collection of taxes, and for these liabilities, if not for the actual labor performed in the office, the officor should receivo;a just compen., sation.--Sn)aamnlwn' Ier.nu