Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1865-11-08
BY -DURIsoE, KEEsE & co.

has no more right, under this Act, to exclude
the members elect from South Carolina thas
he has to exclude those from Massachusetts,
The Federal authorities have maintained thai
the Union never was dissolved, and that the
Southern States have always been. and still
are, members Of that Union. In July, 1862
Congress passe,, an Act prescribing an oath
of ctfiae for All persons to take who were
elected or appointed to any Office of honor or
profit under the Government Of the United
States. This cath requires the party to swear
tha. be has never horns arms against the
United States; that he has not yielded vol
untary support to ary authority hostile to
the United States. If this oath is to be ap-
piled to members of Congress, it win, Of
course, exclude all from South Carolina. II
may, with truth, be sail,. that no man in
South Carolina can take it without commit.
in- pergury. But the Constitution of the
United States prescribes an oath for Members
of Congress to take, and they cannot be re-
quired to take any other oath constitutional.
w.. There may have TN some show of, pro-
priety for exactiDg this oath when 10 was en-
acted, amidst the war betwcep the Southern
States and the. United States; but there can
be none now, unless it be for the purpose of
excluding the Southern people from all Office
within their respective States, and still hold
ing these States in military suhJection. /
know that this is not the policy of the Presi
deni, and cannot believe that it will be The
avowed policy Of the Federal Congress. If
the Southern members are present when tue
roll is called by States, they will take a part
in the organization OF the House, and may
vote against he oath being rendered to the
members when they are sworn.
" The Convention divided the State into four
Congressional Districts, which you will re-
spect and recognize as Election Districts. 1t
will be your. duty, also, OF some convenient
and proper time during your extra session, to
elect two u ed States Senators, to represent
the State of South Carolina in the Senate of
the United States. There are now two Va
cancies in that body from South Carolina. In
tho organization Of the United States into
three classes, the Senators from South Carroll
rs were Grawn in the second aud third classes.
The second. class seat for South Carolina be-
came yecantscn the third OF March, 1865.
and YOUR election tu fill that vacancy will be
for six years from that date. The third-class
seat became vacant on the third OF March,
1861, and your election will be for the une1.
pred term OF hat vacancy, which will be TIL
third Of March, 1867.
The subject of finance is one Of great en-
barassment ard serious difficulty at this time
il South Carolina, and vii! require great wis
dom and sasaci!y in your Legislation. TIE
people are is o most destitute condtlr with
out money, aud Wi; ;hout the means OF paying
their taxes. Their gold and silver were ex
ported during the war as species Of com
mcrce. The State banks are all broken, and
their bills have ceased 10 circulate. The
Confederate money, with which the country
vas inundated, is Utterly worthless. The
Federal currency. ia inaccessible to QUE p.o-
ple Their cotton bas been destroyed, and
their provisions consumed by the armies, and
,bev ha-c nut1ing TO procure n,oney- wIth-
Under these circumstances, it would b- vel!
for you to consider VI neither or not it is posi-.
BILE to defray the necessary expenses OF the
State by is ung and selling State bonds, so
as to avoid levyng any tax during the ensn-
ing year. The present Indebtedness Of the
State is not large, and her credit ought to be
such rs to secure the sale of her bonds at fair
prices. Iryou conclude to raise money in
ihis way. you ought to include the payment
Of the direct tax, and which South Caroiua
noy owes the United States, and which h.r
citizens will soon be called upon to pay.
tits important tba: the Courts of Justice
in this STATE should be once more fully opened,
ciYil Ian restored and properly administered.
This canro. be doue till gou fill the several
vacancies on the bench. You will have t"
elect @ Chief Justice OF the State, two Law
JUDGES and one Chancellor. Opening our
Courts, and the administration of civil justice
once more, woulA have most salutary in
fluencc on society, and do more than anything
elsc to preserve the peace and quiet of the
State. I'VE have been living without law long
Eenougb, and have suffered enough from law
less violence.
l.: The Act to, prevent the collection of debts.
known as tie stay law, was wholly uDneces-
sary at the time it was passed, but is now
matter Of prime necessity to the community.
This Act should he continued, with permi =
sion however, TO collect the interest on debts
due. There are many widows and minor
children whose sole subsistence depends on
the payment of interest due them on their
eslates.
The reorganization OF the militia is meas
ure of the highest impOrtan G, uncer existing
circumstances. | have received information
from the Secretary Of State at Washington,
,bat as soon az onr State Government is or
aanized, all the Federal troops would be with
| drawn from South Carolina. We must then
rely on the militia, for the protection of the
State against insurrection and domestic ylo-
lence. 1t is a matter Of serious ccnsidera-
tion, however, whether we should not desire
to retain, for the present, portion of the
Fedora! troops in the State. The freedmen
and co!ored people look to these troops as
| their friends and protectors, and would be
much less likely to have any collision with
them than with the militia. The. colored
arfisors, which were ct one time stationed
e.. aehopt the country, have done infinite
salv ,;.cbiee By inducing the negroes to believe
hli'e, il an he lands OF their former owners were
laa. W. Aii divided out amongst them. This ha:
80 ~ ~, them discontcnted apd unwilling tf
n,als mass contracts FOR the ensuing year. lp many
nn,;ous u,aaH of the State there are serious appre
psWr ppons;nns of disturbance at the beginning .
Is iss next year. Strong garrisous ought to b
ao caot,oned uo in Charleston, Beaufortand Ge"rge
.or,,nuJ .o,rs where there is such a preponderane
~ [SI ,he negro population. But these garrison
: hid rot be permitted to exerc'se any e'v'
:nr;sd;c,ion. =: and should be subordinate I
r,ril law. Otherwise, their presence 'wou!
WV -ao.o yoicchIef than nOOC