Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1867-10-24
Mistellaasuns Artieles.

GOV. ORR AND THE JURY ORDER.
The following letter has been forwarded to the
President:
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, s. CAROLINA,
COLUMBIA, September 80, 1867. }
To His Ercellency A,,dreao johnson, President Of
the United States:
SIR:-I have the honor to forward for your con-
sideration General Orders, No. 80, issued by Gen.
E. R. s. Candy from the headquarters Of the Sec
ond Military District, dated the 18th inst, and
communicated to me on the Goth instant
1t will be perceived that by this general order
"a citizens assessed for taxes, and who shall have
paid taxes for the current year, and who are quail
flied and have been or may be registered as voters
are qualified to serve as jurors and that lit shall
be sufficient ground of challenge to the compe-
tency of any person drawn juror that he has not
been duly registered as voter Such right OF
challenge may be exercised in behalf Of the people
or of the accused, in all criminal proceedings, and
BY either party, in all civil actions and proceed
ings."
You will observe that this order constitutes as
competent jurors all persons who have paid taxes
and registered, and excludes all persons who have
been adiudged to be disfranchised under the Mill
tary Reconstruction Acts. These Acts have not
been construed according to the usual legal prnci-
pie of enlargng the privileges or franchises OF the
citizen but on the contrary, with strlctness
which has excluded from registration many whose
disfranchisement was doubtful, and very many
who, under fair Interpretation Of the Act, should
have been entitled to registration. In addition to
all district officers, such as clerks, sheris, tax col
lectors and assessors, registers in equity, mags-
trates and constables, there have been excluded
militia officers, commissioners Of roads, commits
soners of free schools, commissioners of the poor,
and commissioners to prove the securities on the
bonds of public officers. These various boards are
appointed by resolution of the Legislature, except
the Commissioners of the Poor, who are elected
by the people. When appointed or elected they
are required to serve two years or pay fine OF
$50. They take no oath to perform their duties,
and receive no compensation for their services.
These classes, together with magistrates, consta-
bles, district officers, judges and members Of the
Legislature, constitute very large number OF the
citizens of the State who have been excluded from
registration; and the fact that they have filed
these various Offices and positions is evidence OF
their general intelligence.
IF carried into execution, this general order will
more completely unsettle the laws relating to per-
sons and property than all the other orders that
have yet been issued by the military authorities IN
this district. The Legislature of the State, at Its
session in December, 1866, imposed tax OF 81
per head upon all male persons between the ages
of tventy-one and fifty, residing in this State on
the lst day of February, 1857, except those inca
pable of earning support from being manned or
any other cause. All colored males are thus liable
to pay taxes; and yet very many of them have
failed to do so What has been the relative pro-
portion of whites and blacks who have failed to
pay in the respective districts have not now the
means of stating; but the proportion Of colored
persons is much greater than Of whites.
To show the ruinous results, however, that will
follow from this order, if itisaowed to be executed,
beg leave to call your attention to the matter Of
registration in this State.
There are white maorities in but six districts In
two districts the numbers are about equal. Ineach
of the remaining twenty districts of the State
there being altogether thirg-one- registra.