The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-04-17
Letter from Walterb0rO'.

Letter from WalterborO'.
'WALTERBoRo', April 13.
EDITOR DAILY NEWS: Tho Court Of Common
Pleas for Colleton District Judge MOSES presiding,
closed it's regular spring session this afternoon.
As mere s'looker-on," I have thought to prepare
a plain, succinct account of it's proceedings for
your columns
Judge MOSES has fully sustained the expectations
of his friends in bringing to his high position that
dignity and ability which is the pride OF our State
judiciary, and that courtesy which the true gentle
man never forgets.
His CHARGE upon the opening Of the Court, was
sensible and appropriate; and in referring to the
condition of the country and the course all SOUND
policy enloined upon us to pursue, ne arose to oc-
casional flights OF eloquence which Will long pc
remembered by those who listened to his Words.
He said there is total revusion In our Social con-
diGon The patricians Of yesterday, we are the
plebians Of to-day; and the fortunes Whlch our
fathers toied 80 long. to build, demolished BY the
desolatng touch OF war, must be remodeued ana
reconstructed. The powerful auxilars OF the
rising generation are no more, and their fuGure
depends upon the intrinsic worth Of their oWn
heads and their own hearts. In some respects 1T
may be q benefit, for reyerses teach humility, and
due sense of human weakness; and II every one
:"
race of builders appearing who will be an honor to
Themselves and their country. 10 this source ne
looked with pride to see restored the constitutional
hopes of America.
In relation to the freedmen and our obligations
to them, his language was lucid and etectiye'
They are ignorant; they know nothing OF the I'M
munities and duties Of citizenship; and yet,
through the Vaccinations Of those who under
stand them least, these rights have been conferred
and these duties enjoined. 1t is part OF poley
7 r. II. NP
should not shrink, by supine passi witty, the re-
sponsibities OF the hour. 1t is big with the Dur
then of destiny.
There are those who tell us that whether we act
or not, we are drifting to the same inevitable fate
that we have not an alternative, but are drifting,
in swift eddies, to the dark and ruthless whirlpool
that, resisted or unresisted, vindictive fate is
hurrying us to Charybds. From such opinions
his Honor dissented He is not Of those who
turn pale at the sight Of new difficulties, and
of which we must rebuild is unpromising. 1t is
the surest sign Of excellence when the immortal
pyramids of national fame are erected by people
bereft of power, amid the attacks and opposltlon
of unscrupulous and influential foes-erected, too,
of wreck-pieces of a gigantic delusion: We must
take stand and counterval the evil, while we
advance the good incident to our Government
and our country. What then is our duty we
must control the negro vote. He Is incapable TO
exercise his right Of suffrage, and whether all be
be erased from this premature sGroke Of power,
will be for our governance. How vitally impor-
tant then that we direct the current Of events
which we are powerless to stem! Already emisa-
ries, alike enemies 10 the black race and to hu.
manity, are in our midst, moulding to their pur-
poses the opinions and predictions OF the negro.
IF this state of things is to proceed, there can be
but little hope for the country. But in the great
hearts Of her sons there is hope. We must learn
to trust ourselves, to confde in no quasi friends,
III ho11o NJ hnv on1
the agricultural interests Of the country
His Honor after referring to the industrial status
of the country, proceeded to the investigation OF
the causes upon the criminal docket which was
greatly facilitated by the energy, urbanity and do
cided ability Of the Solicitor Mr.. Youmans. 1t is
difficult to determine in which branch Of his bust
ness he i most efficient, whether in the examina-
tion of witnesses or in his pleadings Hls reason
ing is remarkably sound and clear he presents
truth with irresistible force, and seems to have
studied and learned the law as science.
The number Of criminal causes tried at this term
will at first strike the mind as being very large,
but when we consider the extent Of country en-
braced in this district, the distance from this
point and from each other, where these crimes
were committed-two of them having originated
on the Combahee, one near Rantowle's, one at
Ridgeville one above Georges Station, and one
near the Barnwel line in this Parish, and one
within twenty miles of this place. When We re-
member that many Of these, under the old system
| negroes and the parties aggrieYed, or been tried
by q magistrate and freeholders in the neighbor-
hood where the offence was committed, and posi-.
bly, never heard of except in the immediate vicini
| ty; that some of these crimes take date in the
past summer; these, coupled with the new con.
dition of the negroes may, and think do, furnish
| satisfactory solution OF the matter. do not
think it Gun be truly said that crime is very largely
increased in this District.
Among the causes tried was one for murder, one
for highway robbery, three for burglary in two Of
which wero two persons concerned, and one for
horse stealing tried under the act Of 1865al were
convicted. Monday LeBesne, charged with mur.
der was defended by Hon. W. F. Colcock and Mr.
| VIM. Godfrey. The whole trial was conducted
with great care the jury selected from among the
| most intelligent gentlemen Of the pannel, and the
| testimony which was principally given by colored
persons, was confined to the strctest rules. It is
due to the Witnesses to say, their testimony was
that it was impossible for the jury to avoid convic.
ton The defendant himself, under the new law,
was put upon the stand and told his own story.
The Solicitor, ut the suggestion OF His Honor the
judge forbore cross examination OF him. 1t is
needless to say that each and every cause tried was
equally we'll defended, and that the prisoners had
the sympathes of the juries and OF the spectators
am informed that in several cases tho criminals
have been recommended by the jury to executive
| clemency. -Four white persons were convicted ot
| cow-steaing.
Saturday, at II o'clock having been appointed
for pronouncing sentences npon the criminals the
Court House was crowded with white and colorcd
persons. havo been present on many such oc
| casions but never, in my whole life, have heard
so much eloquonce embodied in an exhortation tc
| criminals, nor have ever seen so much feeling
exhibited, both by the Judge and the audience, al
| on that occasion. I remember MIR. Wirts' story
of the 'Dlind Preacher anG I can find nothing
else in the storehouse Of my memory to which
can compare this most excellent and most appro
! pirate address. could have wished that every
body in this District could have heard it-especial
ly tho colored people
| Early in the term the Grand Jury raade pre-
sentiment upon the condition OF the country, in re
laton to tho matters Of general Indebtedness anc
general sueing, which, understand, has been or
| dered to be published in some newspaper.
| In the matter Of debts, very little was done be
yond the Process Docket which seemed to stick tt
his Honor almost to the moment Of adjournment
An extra term of the Court has been ordered fol
trial of cases OF Tort only, to he held the thrt
Monday in May next. II is proper that shoult
| add, in making up this report of the charge O
Judge Moses, that what has been written is from
memory, and after lapse Of several days. B.
Tue LOCAL REponTER.-At q printers festival
held not long since in Columbus, Ohio, Mr. W. H
BusLEY, of tho Slate Journal in responding to tn,