The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1866-09-26
Adjournment of the Legislature.

| The Legislature adjourned on Friday last,
after session Of near three weeks. Our
| readers will remember that the immediate
| object Of the Governor as stated in his Proc
lamation, in conTening the Legislature in
extra session, was to put in motion the ma
chinery of our Courts, for the trial of cases
| affecting the rights of freedmen, and also to
pass some measure Of relief for the people,
on account of the disastrous drought which
has prevailed throughout the State. But
upon the assembling of the Legislature it
soon appeared that its business assumed
much wider range than these objects. The
enactment Of a Law defining the rights of
free persons Of color, and the Act concerns
| ing District Courts, it would seem, have met
the chief object had in view by the Covers
nor in convening the Legislature. These
measures if, they conform as we suppose
| they do, to the action Of other States where
the people have been relieved Of Military
| Courts, will meet with unusual favor. Mill
| tary Courts, however well administered, are
not consonant to the spirit of our Institutions
and are so contrary to all our notions Of An
glo Saxon liberty that the people cans never
become accustomed to them, or consent
voluntarily to have their rights adjudicated
by them. We sincerely hope that the mills
tary authorities of the United States, and the
civil functionaries Of the State, will soon
agree upon terms Of divorce and eternal sepa-
ration, and that justice to our whole popula>
ton will be impartially administered by the
Courts which have been established, Let
the reign Of violence and injustice now come
to an end and our people one and all sus>
tain the laws which have been enacted to
suppress the one and avoid the other.
We also see that the Legislature has by
resolution directed the Governor to furnish
Corn TO supply the wants Of our people. The
precise nature ofthe measure adopted we have
not been able to ascertain. but bonds Of the
State to the amount of three hundred thou
sand (S3OO,0O0) have been placed in the
Governors hands to be used for the purchase
of Corn.
The discussion of measures frelief grow
ing out of the Indebtedness Of the people,
occupied much Of the time Of the Legisla>
ture, and resulted in passing an Act chang~
ing the time Of the sitting Of the Courts of
Common Pleas, and poStponing the Fall Term
till next Spring. The Bill which passed the
House, and which was insisted On by that
body, until the alternative of doing nothing
Or of adopting the Senate measure was pre-
sented, made the sitting Of the Court of Com
mon Pleas annual, the first term to be next
Spring at the times now fixed by Law. In
addition to the relief which this change
would have given to the people, it was be>
lieved to be good one as part of new syS-
TEN. Neither of the measures interfered
with the court Of Sessions. So that, we will
have a Fall Court for the trial only of offend
erS against the Law, and actions Of trespass,
&c. All writs for the collection Of money
which have already been issued as we'll as
those to be issued hereafter, are made re-
turnable by this Act to next Spring Term.
We learn that the Senate is responsible for
not extending greater relief to the people
than has been done. The House Bill was
defeated by the casting vote Of the presiding
officer, who under our new Constitution
is the Lieut.. Governor, and not Senator
representing any constituency. The mem
bers of both Houses from this District we
believe stood by the House Bill but failed to
carry their point. Well; we can say as to the
measure which passed, $50 far so good" :"
but if we are not mistaken as to public SEM
tment, something more will be demanded
at the regular session. We trust that then
there will be greater uuanimity, or rather
less antagonism, between members on this
subject, and that united and earnest effort
may secure the adoption Of some permanent
measure Of relief.
A new system of small coinage is now un>
der consideration by the Government, and