The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1847-12-08

one common law would equally apply TO
all countries, but that in every country IN
! which right prevails, must have, so to cx-
press it, common law OF its own, possess
sing similar properties, founded on the IT,
sagcs and necessities Ofits citizens; it pro-
vidcs a remedy Tor every wrong, and would
be unwise to fcttcr it BY arbitrary rules,
the operation Of which cannot lie forcscen.
unless the evil admits of no other remedy.
! have therefore, nothing to propose to YOU
on this head, nor does any important de-
fccts i'll our sta,uary law, affecting the rights
ol property, now occur to me. Mankind
readily accommodate themselves to any
system Of laws which arc founded on cor.
rect morals, and arc Hiiown and unJ2r
stood: and the same dangers and difficulties
present themselves in reforming and modl-
lying the staluary laws rs in the common
law. Neither ought to be handled without
great caution and circumspcction. Ii'cviIs
DO exist, they will be found on Il careful cx-
animation, not so much in the laws them
selves, as in the machinery l'y which they
are carried into effect 1t is vain 10 expect
their Legitimate and successful operation in
the hands Of unsllilful artists, where the
machinery Is defective, or the power en-
ploycd is insufficient for the work TO be per
formed. Occasional complaints against
delays in the admin istra'ion of Justice has
suggested these remarks, but when it is
known they are heard ,hroughout the world,
wherever the laws are administered through
the agency Of Courts Of Justice, it gives as
ccssty for caution and dcllberation in meet
a. xl
through which it Is done. No community
will or ought to BE- satisfied with any system,
which does not secure reasonable despatch
in its administration, and if there be any
defects in our own, they ought to be cor
iccicd. The mere machinery Of The Jaw
does not affect private rights, and these may
be safely changed or modified to suit the
cxigcncics of the times
Ofthe patience, diligence, zeal and abli-
ty Of the Law Judges and Chanccllors, with
most Of whom have acted for many years.
[ can speak with confidence, and j pay
them no compliment in saying that 10 state
in this Union is served in this department
with more fidelity and ability, and if there
are any unnecessary delays, they will be
found in the want of sufficient time to de-
spatch the business with that caution and
circumspcc,ion which is indispensable 10
It's correctness. may have occasion du-
ring the present session 10 call your attcn-
ton more particularly TO this subject, and
will for the present iorbear to press it fur
ther.
DISTRICT POLICE.
Amongs: the subjects requiring your i'm
mediate attention, and calling for radical re-
form. is our District Police That it is
badly administered at least in some depart
ments, is universally known and acknowl-
edged, and am persuaded that if the defects
in the system !:self and the equally defective
execution of it had been clearly seen and
well understood, corrective would have
been before applied. The Commiss toner's
of Roads, oithc Poor, and Of Public Build
ingS, have discretionary, not 10 say unlimit-
ed power Of taxation over the citizens, and
yet in cffcc, they are accountable only
TO themselves, not only as to the fact. but
the uses to which they are applied. do
not intend to inpute any thing improper TO
any individual or particular Board of Com
missioncrs, but it is power susceptible Of
the greatest abuses, deiying detection, and
am satisfied that they themselves would
generally desire the strictcst scrutiny into
their accounts. They are by law req uired
TO exhibit their accounts to the Attorney
General and Solicitors, but this snecessari-
ly matter Of form. These officers are for
the most part necessarily ignorant of til,
propricty and necessity of the disbursement
of these funds, nor will the most spccious
vouchers suffice to demonstrate it, There
is no one 10 question their propriety, and
what they exhibit on their face is taken for
granted. The administration of the Free
School Fund is equally exposed TO abuse, and
there is one instance falling within my
own knowledge, in which Board of Com
missioners had been imposed on by one of
its members, by the fabrication ofreccipts
in the name Of fictitious persons, reprcsen-
ting the disbursement Of funds; and it is no
unworthy compliment 10 the honesty and
integrity Of our people, that instances ofthis
sort are so rare, when the facilities and