The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1859-12-08


qucntly recommended by my predecessors,
would bc the means Of keeping the roads
in much better order, and is, in all respects,
preferable TO the present system. The
planter is required TO send his hands to
work the roads, frequently under inefficient
ovcrscers, who keep them several days do
ing the work they ough. to do in one,
when, for half the amount of the worth
Of the work of the hands, judiciously cx
pended, the roads could DC kept in finer
order all the year.
Some uniform rule for the treatment and
management Of prisoners should he adopt
cd. | have been informed that the treat
mrnt of prisoners is regulated, in many in
stances, hy the regard in which they are
held 10y the sheriff or jailor, or 10y their
position in society. Some incarseratcl for
safe keeping only, have been confined to Il
single room, while others, convicted Of
crime, and the impriS onmcnt intended as a
punishment, have been allowed the extra
ordinary privilege of going from room TO
room, enjoying the company and compan.
ionship of their friends and acquaintance.
There should be some distinction made be-
tween Imprisonment for crime, and mpris.
onmcnt for safe keeping; otherwise the
punishment for high crimes and misdemca-
nors will be merely nominal and the jailor
may conline witness (who, on account Of
his heing a stranger, cannot give bail for
his appearance to testify in the trial Of a
criminal casc,) in the NEST uncomfortable
room in the prison. l am aware Of the
difficulty of properly regulating this mat
ter, Tut some improvement certainly can
be made, if the evil cannot DC entirely rem
cd:cd.
As the law now stands, the owner of a
plantation with less than fifteen hands, is
not compelled to reside on his place for
more tllan six mouths in the year, and is
not required even to keep an ovcrsccr, or
other white man thereon. 1t seems to me
that rs much damage might be done by
leaving fifteen hands without proper su-
pervision, as larger number, and in the
present state of affairs, exposed as we are
to secret cmissaries melting our slaves to
insuhorlnation and insurrection, the law
should Lc altered so rs to compel every
one that owns a farm, with any quantity of
negroes, to reside thereon all the year
round, or keep a white man constantly on
the place. The alteration of the law may
produce some Inconvenience to few ndi.
viduals, but saciifices must be made for the
general welfare; and without desiring 10
dictate to others i'll the management ol
their property, am perfectly satisfied tia,
the presence of white man will always
amply compensate the owner for any out,
lay of money necessary to keep one.
A short experience has shown that some
modification Of the law in relation to the
Normal School, for the instruction of f.
male teachers. is desirable. The school j:
completely organized with a good corps O
teachers, but ,her. is difficulty in iSidu
cling pupils from the country TO avail them
selves Of its advantages. Tro school be-
ing at the public expense, and those wllt
come from the country being required t,
become teachers, parents who have mean
sufliciant to educate their children seem un
willing to send them. from false pride o
some other motive; and those whose nc
cessities would induce them to put asid
their pride, are unable to board their daugl,
ters while going to school. IwouII, there
fore, suggest that provision be made 70
paying the board of small number G
girls from each district, to be selected b
the delegation, or in any other way tia
may be satisfactory; or il it is though
more advisable, or better calculated to max
them feel that they are not depending Ell
trely on the State for their education.
portion Of their board might be provide
for, and the balance paid by themselves
This arrangement would put the girls
the country more on an equal footing wi,
those in the city, and after few are ed,
Gated and return home, others who al
able and willing to pay their own boar
f may be induced to avail themselves OF I'll
school; and thus distribute through tt
p country female teachers to suppy all Of
wants, without being dependent upon ii
I North.
q The Catar6n Indians.-The remnant
@ this tribe Of Indians, within the limits
:. this State, merits your care and guardia
i ship. They were the friends of the co
| onists, and some Of them took up arr
e and rendered good service during the Re
a olulionary WAY. Initiating our example
q, the close Of tire war, they would not
If governed any longer by q king, bu. elect
8, rulers with The tit les of general, colon