Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1866-12-07
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE.


DEAR WILSON We are now at the close Of
the first week of the session, which 81 far has
been rather barren Of incident, and furnishes
but few materials for an Interesting letter.
Enough has already been :-closed to lead US
to the conclusion that ws AZ. TO have n long
session, that whether or not we accomplish
much, there will al least be no failure in the at
tempt to Go so. large amount of unfinished
business was continued over from the last sre-
cinl session, and each day Of the present session
SO far contributes largely 10 the current Of leg
;sla,ion. Here, ms in every thing else, there
IS as much danger of doing TOO much, rs too
little, md the work cf one e ssion too often
CONSISTS in un doing the work of he proceeding.
In legislation especially We often re .lze the
truth Of the remark of old Hesiod- thut
the half is greater thun the whole.
The most prominent suhjects Of legislation
during the present session are clearly aud for.
cibiy ret for tn in the Goveruurs message, and
he has added the weight of his experience,
ability and practical good sense to many useful
aud timely suggestions.
With regard I" the District Courts it will lie
recollected; that he rec ornpnds an amendment
of that clause Of the Constitution which requires
their establishment, for the purpose of ena.
bling the Legislature to exercise their dscrc-
tIon in continuing them or not, and in The
meantime That they he brought to the test of
one years experience. until tho amendment
can b" c"nsurimatcd. The objections to the
Court ON account of the expense. and the
oncr"nsness of the jury-duty which it imposes,
he ohviutes ty proposing 10 dispense entirely
with ia Crand jury and limit the veniie for
= to eighteen, and suggests that
tie the State may b. entirely dis
pensed wi, ytaxing jury fee in every case
tried. "W"eth'r these Suggestions will he
ted Upon remains to be seen. There is no dis
gui-:ng the fact, that a very strong opposition
exists to the whole system IN both Houses It
is said that q mn jority Of the Senate, and also
of the Superior Judges are opposed to the OIL
| gnnizntion. A substitute. we have heard pro-
posed and urged hy some Senators, is to in
crcase the number Of ciicuits of the Sup. riur
Courts, and also the number terms tf the
Courts "f Sessions during til. year. The great
increase Of crime, make il necessary that more
II. quent Sessions Of the Criminal Courts sllo ID
be held, and the Criminal business of tn. coun
Try. We suppose can be economically dis
charged by the District Courts as by uny other
organization. Besides until the Constitution
is arnrn'l-d, a continuance Of the orgaui cation
seems TO he imperative on the Leg islature.
An elaborate Bill, prepared by Judge w ard
inv. defining the urisdic, ion aud duties Of the
District Courts. embracing the euhjec,s Of the
domestic relations, and a Qualification of the
criminal has been submitted to the Legislature
The experience. learning and ability of ihe
Judge cnihenily fiji him for The task, and will
no doubt Secure ior The bill II favorable corsid.
Grafton.
No great measure of Legislative relief for
the rtcuniary dis,r Of the country hiss vet
been proposed, Int We suppose that this as be-
fore will tc tie absorbing suffice, Of the sessi"n
The annual court ILL., we understand will Le
pressed neai in, aud with strong probability
of being carried through. An instullrncDt law
similar to lha. which prevails IN our sister
State Of Georgia. meets with favor ard ia
| "cqu!esced in, without bringing i,s Cons,i,u-
tirnalty to the lest Of the Courts. The Gov
eInur. it will be sren recommends as measures
Of relief the abolition Of imprisonment for
debt, modification of our insolv cnt laws as to
tco'oio ieihoShiE iIoiI luc hul Tie pas
| sage Of u homestead lew. There can be no
constitutional Objection to ,:.a first mentioned
which has long since iorm,.: n part Of the law
of England aud seems to be demanded by the
| spirit Of the age. bat 10 the Others so far Hs
they nrp!y to existing debts. there seems to he
| the same Objection which s urged to stay laws
that they impair The rights If creditors.
The subject Of providing corn for the neces-
stiles OF the Stale has been referred to special!
JOINT committee uf The two uuusee, who have
not yet reported.
The House i'iIl for repeating the Usury Laws
is now pending in the Senate. and ". trust may
pass tie O, deal in that Lody.
till to Civ. The election of Commissioners
in Equity t" the people was defeated in the
Honse by II vote Of 81 to 20.
Bills in the Iiouse to declare the law in rels.
tion to the Statutes Of Limitation, and alec in
relation to the liability of the purchasers of
slaves have been ordered to lie on The table
These are Judicial questions which should come
properly before those tribunals.
Bills have been introduced in the House TO
create the Office Of assessors Of the taxes, 10 in.
crease the liabilities of Sheriff. to make the
account books Of mechanics admis.ible in evil
denco &C., dc.
Col. Aiken has introduced bill 10 amend the
constitution SO as 10 change the time for holding
the Sessions of The Legislature, from the fourth
Monday in November to the third Monday in
January in each year, also bill to aid the
G. d c. r. r., in the adjustment of their debt ;
also to transfer TO the Columbia d Augusta r.
r., certain Stale stocks.
Gen. Haskell has introduced q bill to carry
into effect the Act of Cong,ess, making dona.
tions of land 70 :he States for agricultural pur.
ro'es also bill TO provide for the next election
Of members to Cougress.
The following resolutions Of Mr. Harley
after q spirited discussion, on motion o.