Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1866-04-13
IN. ABBEVIILE, S. G.. FRIDAY APRTT 13 1895

section empowers the commissioners so to
be selected by the courts to ap!ioin: in wri :
ting, under their hands, one or more suita-
ble persons from time to time to execute
warrants and other processes described by
the bill. These numerous official agents
are made to constitute sort of police, in
addition to the military, and are authorized
to summon posse comitatus, and even to
call to their aid such portion of the land
ard naval forces of the United States, or of
the militia, "as may be necessary to the
performance of the duty with which thew
are charged.
This extraordinary power is to be con-
ferred upon agents irresponsible to the gov
ernment and to the people, to whose num-
her the discretion Of The commissioners is
the only limit, and in whose hands such au-
thority might be made terrible engine of
wrong, oppression aud fraud. The general
statutes regulating tho land and naval
forces of the United States and militia, and
the execution Of the laws, are believed to De
adequate for every emergency which can
occur in time Of peace. If it should prove
otherwise, Congress can at any time amend
those laws in such manner as, while sub
serving the public welfare, not to leopard
the rights, interests aud liberties of the peo-
pie.
The seventh section provides that fee
Of ten dollars shall be paid to each COM
missioner in every case brought before him,
and a fee Of five dollars to his deputy or
deputies "for each person lie or they may
arrest and take before any such commits
sioner," "with such other fees as may be
deemed reasonable by such commissioner"
I'm general for performing such other duties
as may be required in the premises" All
these fees are 10 be "paid out of the treasury
Of The United States" whether there is a
conviction or not; but in case of conviction
they are 10 be recoverable from the defen-
dant. II seems to me that under the influ-
ence Of such tempt atoms bad men nigh,
convert any law, however benefcent, into
an instrument of persecution and fraud.
BY the eighth section of the bill the
United States courts, which sit only 10 one
place for white citizens, must migrate, with
the marshal and district attorney land ne
cessarily with the clerk, although hs is not
mentioned) to any part Of the district, upon
the order ofthe President, and there hold
a court "for the purpose of the more spec
dy arrest and trial Of persons charged with
a violation Of this act" and there the judge
and the officers Of the court must remain,
upon the order Of the President "for the
time therein designated"
The ninth section authoizes the President,
or such person as be may empower for that
purpose "to employ such part of the land
and naval forces of the United States, or oil
the militia, as shall be necessaryto proven,
the violation and enforce the due execution
ofthis act" This language seems to imply
permanent military force. that is to be
always at hand, and whose only businessi is
to be the enforcement of this measure over
the vast region where itis intended to ope-.
rate. ~ -
I do not proposeto consider the policy Of
this bill. To me the details Of the bill seen
fraught witheyii. The white race and black
race of the South have Hitherto lived to-,
.gether Under tile relation Of master and,
slave-capissi owning labor. Now. sud-;
denly, thht relation is changed; and, AZ to-
ownership, capital and labor arc divorced.
They stand now: each master iofitselE 10
this new relation, enc being necessary to-
the;other, there will be a new, adjustment,
whioh both are deeply interested ia making
.:= =.
Each has, equal power in settling the
terms, apd ifleft to. the laws that regulate
capital. and labor, it is confidently. believed
sthey will satisfactorily work ont the
problem. Capital, .it:istrue, has more In.
telligeuce; but labor is never, so ignorant as
not to understand It's own interes.s, not to
know its own value, and not to.sse thar:
capital must pay that ;yalus. This BILL
ffusttates this adjustment. II :intefveness
between. capital and labor, aua attempts -
settle auestions of Iitieal economy though
tie agency of;nun 81 ous 6ficiaaJS Mslosss i'm.