The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1866-11-30


sioners to continue IN, office during his
pleasure. The duties of these officers,
'in taking the acknowledgment OF
proof of any deed, mortgage, or other
conveyance Of any lands, tenements o,
hereditaments, in this State, or Of any
contract, letter Of attorney, or any other
writing under seal" are very impor-
tant to the interests Of the public, and
some rule should be adopted to furnish
the means of verifying such certificates
with reasonable certainty. This may
be attained by requiring every person
appointed or to be appointed Com
missioner to forward, , within ninety
days, to the Secretary Of State, an i'm
preston of his official seal on wax and
on paper, together with his autograph;
and upon his failure to do so, the ap-
pointment Of each defaulter should be
annulled.
Notaries Public are, likewise, ap-
pointed and commissioned by the Gov
ernor, and are invested with grave Of
fetal duties. The Secretary of State
alone can certify to the official charac,
ter of a Notary Public, and he can
mako no such certificate with safety,
unless he chances to know the hand
writing. Every Notary Public, now
holding such commission, or who may
hereafter be appointed, should likewise
be required to forward to tho Secretary
of State, an impression of his official
seal on wax and paper with his auto
graph, within sixty days, OR his appoint.
ment should be revoked. .a.
.. CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS.
The last Congressional election. il
this State was held p,irsuantfto a reso-
luton of the General Assembly, and
there is now no provision; Of law fo1
holding future elections. Although
our Representatives last elected, have
not been permitted by the Congress O.
the United States to occupy their seats
it is the duty of the, General Assennbl,
to provide, by general statute, for the
holding Of general elections for eacl
succeeding Congress. The convenience
Of the people would indicate that these
elections should be ordered biennially
on the day that members Of the Gener'
al Assembly are chosen, to wit: The
third ", ,dncsday in October, Of eacL
odd year. Representatives to Congress
would then take their seats the follow
ing December, coming fresh from the
people, and represent popular senti,
ment on the public questions Of the day,
with moro certainly than if elected as
heretofore, the October year preceding
tho meeting cf Congress. Ifan extra
session of. Congress should be called
before the day fixed for the election,
the Governor might be authorized to
order, by proclamation, the elections
at an earlier day, and thus secure the
representation Of the State at such
extra session.
JURISDICTION rEM1TrED By THE MILITARY
TO THE CIVIL AUTHORITIES.
The Acts passed at the late extra
session, were transmitted to the Militia
ny Conimandant Of the Department o.
the Carolinas, at Charleston, and on
the first day of October last, by Gene,
raj Orders, he RENTED all cases il
which the inhabitants Of this State were
concerned, civil and criminal, to the
civil authorities. If equal and exact
Justice is meted out to all the inhabi,
tants Of tho State by courts and juries
if the freedmen receive that protec-
ton of person and property which the
laws now guarantee them, we will not
again be adjudgod by Provost Courts
and Military Commissions, and we will
yindicate before the world, OH high
sense Of moral right, by enforcing i'm
partial justice, whether the sultor be
humble or exalted.
Experience will demonstrate the wis
dom Of your enactment authorizing
negroes to testify in all. cases. It takes
away tho impunity which bad men
have long enjoyed, in tempting these
ignorant people operpetrato crime 1o1
the benefit of the tenpters. g.
The result of the experiment at the
Fall Term of tho Courts has boon en-
tirely satisfactory, andmost of the freed,
men who have been called to tn wit,
ness stand, have manifested highly
creditablo desire to tell the truth: The
extension of the privilege has had a
salutary influence in encouraging and
elevating their moral sense. Many Of
them appreciate their obligations to So
ciety, and readily assist in bringing to
punishment ovil-doers Of their own col
Or They arc Invaluable to tho pro
ductivo resources; of the State, and ii
their labor be lost by removal to other
sections, it will convert thousands OF
acres Of productive land into o dreary
wilderness. For tllis reason, [ have
q II L - ! L. L.. Il, or,