Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1862-05-01

mate knowledge OF his Law 81 cnaracter,
be will "guarantee the truth of every state.
ment he shall make"
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The Quintumvirate.
Mr.. Editor The tameness with which
the press of the State has submitted to the
Convention throwing its mantle of sover'
eighty upon few of its own members,
yclept "The Executive Council" must not
be taken as evidence that the people are at
all satisfied with so gross violation of the
trust reposed in that body, The ConVen'
ton was called for special purpose-to
withdraw the State from the Federal Union
-aud having executed that trust, its fanc'
:tions we're at an end. 1t had just as much
authority to interfere with the judicial ten
ure, with the basis Of representation, the
classification of taxable property or anything
else, as it had to transfer its power to an
irresponsible junta.
We have talked with some of the mem.
bers of the Convention on this subject, who
declare that it was not their understanding
that Council with such powers was te
spring out of the Ordinance. One says
that the Council was specially organized fol
the protection Of the low country, which
claimed more efficient protection than the
Governor seemed inclined to offer. An
other says that it was not deemed prudent
to entrust the disbursement of the large
appropriations made by the Convention, tc
any one head, and that the Council was ap
pointed to assist his Excellency, as we'll al
to be check upon inefficient expenditure
of the public money. The truth is, moi
many of the members of that august body
seem to know what they we're doing they
knew that the enemy was at our doors, tha
evidences of ineficieucy were all around u.s.
that something must be done, and done
quickly, so they shut their eyes to the con
sequences, and grasped at the only remedy
offered them. "
The people have heretofore submitted
without murmur, because they felt that
more vigorous policy had become necessary
and they were willing to submit to martha
law, to anything, for an improvement
They have been disappointed the evolu
tious of the Quintumvirate have been a Sc
ries of marchings and ounter-marchings
Order No. l of to-day has been counter
manded by Order No. 2 Of tomorrow
New versions of old laws, and new modi
fcations of new ones, have followed thicA
and fast-to.day we are to volunteer to
morrow to draft; next day to conscrips
then to valunteer a little longer and thel
"quien sa6ee"
Yesterday, I heard distiller say that ht
should run up another hundred bushels o
corn this week. Take care of the Govern
or's Council, said one. Oh, replied th'
fellow, "The officers amt all got their sup
plies yet, and nobody knows what's law
for see every days paper that comes ou
contradicts or upsets yesterdays dolngs.'
The war upon the liquor shops and dlstllle
ries was righteous one, and would haV'
been sustained by the people, but it fel
short of efficiency, by giving time to tn
topers in the army to fill their jugs, an'
the distillers to run day and night and d.
great mischief Nor is this all. They are
still "running," and the Council know 1t
Liquor is still sold in the doggerie'
through the back door. The Council need
one more department to perfect its organi
zation, and We respectfully suggest it
Detective Police Department. twill thel
be able to pry into all the private affairs o
the citizens, and punish, as we'll as pro
mote, the deserving.
The decentralization of the military spiri
of the State has been completed by the u
surpation of the Quiutumvirs to appoin
the officers over the new levies. 1t is con
trary to the spirit of our institutions-con
trary to the laws of the Confederate States
and an insult to the people. A writer owe
the letter &c." in the CaroJinian, will
quite an official air, calls the broadside o
the Edgefeld Aduertiser "hustings decla
nation" and makes the grave charge, "frou
intimate knowledge and experience, tina
not more than one.ttird of the officers, fiele
and company, of the regiments now in Vir
ginia are qualified for their positions. ~
Now, if we were to 60 out on the hunt o
men afraid of "hustings defamation" w
would know exactly where to find them
The charge of inef6ciency Of our officers il
Virginia will not be so easily established
It is very easy matter to make bold asser
tions, but one thing is certain, it will take
something more than an assertion to Tx th'
charge of incompetency npon two-thirds o.
the men who have commanded the flower
of the South Carolina army for year pas
under great embarrassments. And there Il
another thing certain, the Council will hav'
hard road to travel. Has it the nerve tt
reject any officer elected by company
has it the nerve to refuse appointments t.
its pets, its particular faVorites or friends
Let US not be understood as impeachlng tn
integrity of the Council. We number
mongst its members some warm persona
friends, whom we could not suspect OF I'm
proper conduct, but the times require per
sonal considerations to be laid aside, ant
facts to be dealt with as they stand out at
fecting the couutry's reputation. Has an,
member Of the Council achieved militar.
Reputation Has any one been in rappor