Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1858-04-22
Presentment of the Grand Jury.

their preSentment:-
In the discharge of their duty, the Jury have
visited the Jail, and found everything pertaining
thereto in good repair aud keeping, and they would
make the same report upon the condition OF the
several apartments of the Court House. Sincethe
last term of the Court, the yard has been enclosed
by a neat and substantial iron-fence, for which,
both rs n matter of economy and ornament, the
Board of Commissioners deserve to be commended.
By Committee, the Jury have inspected the Poor
House grounds, and have been pleased to notice
the manifest improvement in all the departments.
The place is neatly kept, and the inmates cared
for with, as far rs the Jury could see, every regard
for their comfort.
From their knowledge Of the various roads OF
the District, the Jury are painfully alive to the
necessity of some reform in our road-system. The
Commissioners of Roads, as well rs their overseers,
appear to exhibit the utmost negligence in every
discharge of duty: their work when executed, is
done in q manner which in most places actually
makes the matter worse and, in n few words, the
Jury would represent that, according to their
knowledge, every road in the District is in q con-
dition to deserve a special pr%esentment. The Jury
cannot undertake to suggest any feasible plan or
reform in the system they are persuaded, how
ever, that q more lively and diligent attention on
the part of the Commissioners would furnish n
remedy which, for the present, would sufficient!
relieve the burden now imposed, by these bad
roads, upon every portion Of the District, and upon
our agricultural community.
We present, particularly, and direct the atten'
ton of the Commissioners, specially, to that por.
ton of the Pinckney Road between the one'mile
post and the Rail-road Depot. We regard this
part of the road as o public nuisance, calling TOR
Immediate repair. On the Smiths Ford road, near
a mile from Yorkville, the bridge over Germans
branch is very defective and indeed dangerous:
and the Jury would respectfully recommend thai
a new and more substantial bridge be put up i'm"
mediately. We further present, as nuisances, the
dead timber along the Loves Ford road, from the
fork of the Pinckney road to the Chester line tho
Dallas road on the North side of Crowder's Creek
bridge; and, also, the lettering of the mile posts
on the Hamilton's Ford road. The Jury th'nt;
that. MS the public have been taxed to furnish the
mile. posts, the Commissioners should see tolt tina;
.bev render some sort of service. We would also
recommend the repairing of the Kings Mountain
road, at a point about two miles from YorkVllle ;
and the bridge over Bullock's Creek, on the Smiths
Ford road.
The Jury present the accumulation Of free ne
groes amongst US as q serious, and in many re-
spects an alarming evil-begetting in our midst
m idle and proAigate people, whose worst infu'
ences tend to the corrupting of the slave popuIa'
ton. The integrity of our institutions require
they think, that all free negroes be compelled to
leave the State or in default of this, to choose
their masters, and thus return to a manner OF life
better suited to their own nature, more conducive
10 their permanent we'll. being, and contributing
more effectually to the common prosperity and
the public safety. While upon this topic, the
Jury would also present as a growing evllthe prac'
tice of negroes hiring their own time. This evil
they regard as attended with all the dileteriousi IN
Auences incident to the existing of a free negro
population amongst us; and in many respects far
more Objectionable.
As much misapprehension exists as to the re.
ouirements of q legal permit for n slave, the Jury
would recommend the passing Of a law fixing its
terms definitely; and requiring, particularly,
that all permits specify time and place and extend
to a period not exceeding one day, except on
special occasions. In view Of the %incessant at
lacks made upon our domestic institutions-ani
especially bearing in mind the repeated attempts
elsewhere TO incite n servile Instruction, the Jury
deem it all important that we look well to our pc.
lice system; and compel the masters of our slaves
to observe strictly the condition of the public
safety in this respect. If slaves are to be per-
mitted to bear permits, unlimited as to time and
unconditional, the very aim of the law is rendered
%nugatory and void. This result the Jury think
imminently dangerous to the public peace and
tranquility.
In truth, the Jury regard the great degree of
ignorance amongst our people in regard to the
statute law of the State, generally as an evil
which demands imperatively the earnest attention
of the Legislature. If ignorance of the laws is
to be deemed inexcusable, it is surely the part
both of wisdom and good faith to imprint them
in characters prominent enough to be read by all,
and plain enough to be mistaken by none. An
obscure and unintelligible Code, requiring a strict
observance of its provisions and yet a sealed book
to the people, is the instrument of tyranny, rather
than the ornament of o civilized and enlightened
State. The Jury recommend that the Legislature
provide, by q thorough codifcation of the law,
nm adequate remedy for this evil.
The penal code of the State needs, in the
opinion of the Jury, n thorough notification
Many of its sanctions they deem as unnecessarily
severe and disproportionate to the enormity Of the
offences against which they are provided-thuu
tending, through the influence Of On enlightened
public opinion, to a partial and in some instances
an inadequate administration of public Justice
We think that no greater evil can befall a State
than a Code of laws, whose penalties are con-
trary to the public sentiment, and the operation
of which is thereby seriously, and at times wholly
impeded. As n measure calculated, in their
opinion, to subserve many purposes of reform in
this respect, the Jury unanimously recommend
the erection of a Penitentiary, at the earliest
practicable moment.
The Jury beg leave further to present the Bank
ing system of this State as radically defective