Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-12-09

with the spirit, if not with the very letter Oh
the Gospel.
The legislature of South Carolina convened
at Columbia on Monday the 2Sth ult. and on
the following day received the annual mes
sage of the Governor. His Excellency repre-
sents the political affairs of the State to be IN
a flourishing condition, and earnestly calls on
the legislature to give its efficient aid to the
great republican principles of general dit
fusion of knowledge, and to that vital source
of domestic wealth and happiDess-internal
improvement. In adverting to the present
condition of the militia, which we believe Is
alike deplorable in every state and territory
in the Union, he recommends that, those who
are able, should be compelled to arm and e.
quip themselves, and that the disability OF
others be Immediately removed by the public:
and he urges the necessity of adopting the
system of drill and instruction, ordered by the
War Department for the Army of the United
States.
His remarks upon the Criminal Laws Of the
State are worthy of notice, and we trust will
have their merited effect. The punishments,
he says, are not graduated to the crimes, and
the ends of justice are defeated by too severe
infections The people Of this District have
long felt the full force Of this position, as well
as the subsequent observations on the same
subject. To punish the theft, he continues,
OF triAing sum of money, and the murder of
citizen in the same manner, is to confound
all the relations of crimes and punishment
The disproportion is almost infinite. The
feelings and opinions Of the present age, are
totally at variance with the'spirit and practice
of such laws. They owe their origin to ages
ofbarbarism, and are unworthy ofthe present
The laws relating to the trial of slaves are
also passed in review, and many changes, sug
gested by experience and the present enlight-
ened condition of the world, are judiciously
recommended. Ihas long been considered,
a stain upon the character of South Carolina,
that she persists in treating this class of her
population rather as brutes, than as men pos
sessing the same physical and mental organi-
cation as ourselves. 1t will add lustre to the
name of Governor Manning, should he Prove
instrumental in producing so phlanthropic
change. He proposes that capital offences
should be allowed the right of trial by u-
ry of twelve men, and the right of challenge
through the owner or guardian, and that all
trials should take place at the District Court
House. where the correcting influence of the
public eye, and of public opinion, should
guard over the invaluable tre asure Of life.-
lie further recommends that execution by
burning should be prohibited by positive le-
gislatve enactments, as disgracetul relic of
the dark ages, and thinks that time ought to
be allowed by the sentence of the Court, for
application to be made to the Executive for
the exercise of his prerogative of pardon.
Onthe subject of the proposed amendment
to the constitution Of the United States, touch.
ing the Presidential Elections, he thus tenn
perately and sensibly gives his opinion:
set may be well, and it cannot be improper
at this particular juncturc ofpublic affairs, for
you, in your legislative capacity, to give ex-
preston to the feelings of this State, on the
highly important and interesting subject of so
altering and amending the Constitution of the
United States, as to elect the Chief Magistrate
Of the Nation, eitherby electors, taken direct
" from among the people, and sent bound by