Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1858-04-01
COURT.WEEK IN CHESTER.

The Spring Term of Court for Chester, was adj
iourned on Saturday evening last. The laborious
duties of the week were discharged with the rapidi-
ty. and eminent ability which are characteristic
Of Judge O'NEALL. Our readers will be %reloiced
to learn that our venerable and veteran Chief
Justice has in a great measure recovered his won't
ell health and strength: and they will join US i'll
the hope, which yet promise much. that his very
valuable and always useful life may DO spared
long in the land. Surely, q purer, a better man
has never lived amongst US; n life has not yet
been marked out for us, more replete with the evil
dences of a genuine benevolence, more zealously
devoted to the highest aims for the public good
worthier of a peoples noblest reward. We de-
light to contemplate the example; and we are de-
lighted to know that all classes of our people value
it as of purest gold, and reverence most highly the
character to which such like examples belong
But we are, perhaps, writing n paragraph out of
place.
Early in the week, an interesting case was tried
upon the question as to what should be regarded
as q legal 'pass." The defendant, as Captain of
Patrol had, on two occasions, severely whipped
the plaintiff negro, Notwithstanding the boy eS'
hibi,ed his monthly permit. This, by a recent Act
Of the Legislature, was declared to be unlawful,
and n penalty of $50 was assigned to each offence.
His Honor decided that any permit for a definite
psriod, containing the name Of the servant and
signed by the master or by his authority, was lc-
gal and accordingly, the Jury found for the Plain
tiff on both counts. Thereby subjecting the Cap.
tain to the payment of 500 and costs.
Although in strict accordance with the law the
case is certainly q hard one the evidence being
conclusive that the Patrol company were acting
according to instructions and their own impress
sions of the law. We are inclined to think that
| their impressions ought to BE- the law. Owners are
often disposed 10 be too lenienti in the management
oftheir slaves; and it is certainly going very far
to allow the interests of the community to be
| sacrificed to the whims, and the mistaken leniency
of indulgent masters. A negro should not be per-
mitted to leave his masters premises after night.
except upon a particular errand, to serve aspecihc
purpose, and with a permit regulating his course
and fixing the period of his return. The evils every
day attending our system Of domestic police, and
every day increasing, are more fearful than mos
men think. We know it and we would urge upon
our Legislature not only the general duty of pro
viding n more ~effectual system, but, the eminent
propriety of amending the law in the particular
! 70 which we have alluded. Meantime, We would
advise some of our hot-hcaded friends to note down
the law as it now stands!
Wednesday was taken up en- tirely with the trlaI
of EpHRAIM MITCHELL, charged with Negro
Stealing. The Court assigned Col. T. n. DAwKISs
ond SAM'L ". MELTON to the defence: and the
prosecution was conducted by the Solicitor, c. D.
MELTON, Esq. The case was one of a peculiar
! characteristic result of q trap planned and exc