The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-03-10

the road has been put in order, and
so ends the case. Now. in order to
remedy this, each successive grand
jury should call for the presentments
of the preceding grand jury, and
where board has been presented for
neglect at the previous term of the
court, and is still in default, it should
be brought to the notice of the pre-
siding judge. There is a necessity
for this, because the same judge does
not hold the court consecutively, and
the judge who will follow me does
not and cannot know what orders [
have made. But if the grand jury
will bring the matter to his attention,
and show that the commissioners
have been in default at the previous
term, am quite sure that all such
neglect Of duty will be quickly rene
died.
The Commissioners of the Poor
have also the taxing power. This
board is likewise under your supervi-
sion, and should receive your careful
attention. My experience is that the
public charity is too frequently dis
pensed carelessly and to improper
recipients. Pauperism is not to be
encouraged, and it is only the virtu-
GUS poor that the State proposes to
relieve. The common practice of
having pensioners on the public
bounty scattered all over the District
is not good one. There may be
occasional exceptions, but, as q gene
raj rule, it ought not to be permitted.
Under such an arrangement, it is i'm
possible for the commissioners to
know If the poor tax is properly ex-
pended. There should be poor
house to each District-not little
shanties, but good commodious edi-
fee, well arranged into wards and
apartments for male and female, with
sufficient ground around it, where
the paupers should be kept, and those
able to work regularly employed for
the support of the institution. If a
man is so unfortunate as to be pau
per, his place is the poor house, and
he should not be permitted to stroll
about the country, eating the bread
of idleness and setting bad example
to others. No pauper should be al
lowed to leave the grounds, except by
the permission of the keepers Of the
poor house, and these permissions
should be granted with Judgment. If
this rule was rigidly enforced, the list
of paupers would greatly decrease.
Some people think that the amount
of money expended is the test and
the proof of charity. This is not
true; it is the amount of good effect
ed. Pauperism is great evil to a
State, and in q country like this,
where land is cheap and labor in de-
mand, only the diseased and the
manned and infrm should be paupers.
The Commissioners of Free Schools
receive their money from the State
Treasury, and make their returns to
the Legislature; but this will not pre-
vent you from examining into their
actings and doings, and suggesting
such improvements as you may think
proper, and correcting such irregular
tiles as may come under your obser-
vation, or be brought to your notice.
The number of ignorant people who
undertake the honorable and useful
occupation of teaching is very re-
markable. am not prepared to say
that they do not effect good, for if a
child is taught to read and write, it is
a great thing to him; but I have al
ways been of the opinion that money
which the State has been in the habit
of spending for the support of her
free schools, could, under a proper
system, be made to do a vast deal
more good
All these boards will be made to
work well, if the best men in the
community are appointed on them,
and will faithfully undertake the work;
but heretofore it has been too much
the habit for such men to decline the
performance of that duty, because it
interferes with their. convenience or
their business. 1t is the duty of all
the good citizens to remedy this thing;
the country is poor and in distress,
and it becomes every man to do his
duty cheerfully and faithfully in that
station in which it shall please the
public authorities to place him. Let
all of your District Offices, from the
constable up to the high sheriff, be
filed by good and true men-men of
education, of property, of family and
OF standing; this will make the places
honorable, and will insure q faithful
discharge of all the public duties
The State is PROSTATE, she needs all
the help of all her children, and no
one should stand back now.
1t is your duty to examine the ac-
counts and transactions of all these