Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1856-03-05

sary to impose afine Of FIVE dollars for each
attendance ut meeting, aud 4 fine OF fifty dollars
for refusal to serve during their term. Such
would be the case in the election by the people of
the Commissioners of all the Boards. The whole
affair would he mockcry and totally inpracticablc.
Who, that followed m honest occupation, could
summon the resolution to abandon it long enough 70
vote for an Esrheator or Coroner Who would
60 to election precinct to give his suffrage for
the Commissioners to approve the securities OF pub
Tic officers? Such Board is scarcely known to
one tenth Of the District Admit though, that all
these, and the other elections claimed for them by
the IRformcr. might be held and attended to with
zeal and punctuality by the people, and further add
nit, stated, that there are three four hundred
District or local officers to b. elected in Edgefell
every two years. The farmers might, then, lay
aside the plough and the hoe, and devote themselves
exclusively to elections: and such scene of famine,
riot and confusion, we would have as ",o frghtcu
the rcirr of Chaos and OIL night"
II would be better, gentlemen of the Informcr, to
live under ille governme Of the fotten,os, or OF
the wild Arabs or Of the canbas in the most luri-
Gus Island If the SEA, than under government
resulting from the pracca! operation of all the prn
ciples you avow. assert that life, liberty and the
pursuit of happiness would be better secured among
tho savageS Of the western forests Of the Fccgcc
Islands than under government like youls; and ii
you have the miraculous success Of persuading any
respectable portion of the inhabitants Of Edsrfeld
;,,.o nj | Sl,.lb bn
ready to say, that men can be taught any thing
however monsrous-can be made dupcs by any
one however shallow, (of course impute want Of
understanding to you) and deserve to be made VIC
Tins by any body, that aspres "to that bad emil
ncnce."
You assert, in the Intormer, " that three of the
local Boards Of Commissioners, lave authority 10
tax the people limitably," and that there is If.
ticient way for the people to reach them when they
abuse their truths" appeal from that bod decara-
tien to the grand juries ofthe country. The Commits
siencrs compelled by law, to render report Of
their actngs aud dunss to the Judges of the Court
of Common Pleas and il any misconduct in office is
detected bill ofindictrneut is ordered to be given
out against them for,hwith. And, besides, every
citizen Of the District has the power and right to
inform against them, and cause them to be III
dicted either for neglect Of duty, or tyranny, or
corruption. know Of no greater responsibility,
than such officers are placed under, and cannot
conceive how it would be increased by b,stowing
their election upon the people. If these posts Of
labor were Offices to be sought account of their
profit or honor, then perhaps the people might have
some higher control over their incumhents BY COM
pelling them to appeal TO the ballot box for their
promotion hut | have shown that there is no
motive Of reward or ambition, 10 induce any suia-
bic men to so seek such positions.
The most peculiar Of the Informcr's views is,
that if the people elected these boards, "pcrla's
new Court Houses and Jils, Of brick and stone,
would not then be built as often as they now are.
DO gentlemen really esteem it a calamity to have
comfortable, secure aud spacious public buildings
Tn: most beautiful anil distinguishing mark of the
enlightenment and humanity of nations is their
attention to precisely such things. Would the
Intormcr immure the prisoners in loathsome and
pes,ifrrous dungeons, calling back the ignorance,
the cruelty and intolerance Of the dark ages, when
vengeance was The object IN the criterion OF pun
ishment, instead Of the prevention of crime, and
the good order Of society. The enlightened and
Christian spirit of modern ages has availed itself
of every insenius and humane device to acliurate
the unhappy condition "f those whom necessity has
compelled the community 10 imprison f'r the gene
ra safety AMI tranquility Of the Stae-and Howard
hog iI,.0 IN fhp off
Immortal characters, by descending into the lowest
cells Of prison houses, 10 cheer and comfort the
dcsolate inmates, and by devo,ins a life Of cease
less energy TO the improvement Of the miserable
state Of the accused, the convicted, and the aban-
.doned Of mankinl. God help the new Districts
which are to be formed under the auspices Of the
gentlemen Of the In(ormer, if their refined notions
of punishment. and Of Court Houses and Jailsa are
70 have a practical fleet Aeren.
But the argument Of The gentlemen is unSound
here as everywhere. ltis the State Of South Caro-
lima, met in the General Assembly, tina, dcerces
nc,o Court Houses and Jais and that apprOpriatrs
the money to build them from the treasury Of the
whole State. The Commissioners of Public Build
ings are only the agents Of the State to do the
work. They have the right to lax the people for
repairs and improvements, and for only that pur-
pose.
II appears that the gentlemen envy the poor Pr-
soners. and especially the negroes, who make the
corn and cotton to grow and flourish and reward
the husbandmen, the free air of heaven and the
,bamy breath Of Spring. The perfume Of roses and
the fragrance OF a flower garden is poison to their
senses.
But let me here correct the errors Of the Infor
mcr The Commissioners Of Public Buildings have
not constructed or designed to construct il flower
garden in front Of the JAIL the cost Of several
Hundred dollars" They have levee'l the yard in
front and prepared alurducts to carry off the water
:and prevent its undermining the Court House and
Jail and they have simply determined 10 plant
little shrubbery and few shade trees. and all at the
cost Of one hundred and t~enty dollars few
years ago the Grand Jury forced them to plant wall
of Roman cement on three sides of the Court House,
and at heavy expense, for the same object. The
fancy brick wal'' cost about twenty seven hun.
.dred sr three thousand dollars; and the "orna-
mental granite aud iron pang in 'front.' cost abont
fifteen hundred dollars; and this wall was erected
to prevent improper communication with the priso-
ners in Jail. The long Alley called Store ;" was
purchased and removed for the safety of the Court