The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-12-09

OIlh1l1lbk OlN3
voice Of indignant renonstrance with that ofthe
people Of the State at large, against the oppres-
sive and ruinous taxation which has been Inn
posed upon them by the General Assembly. They
did not believe that the proper and legiti-
mate necessities or exigencies OF the state
government required such burdens to be
| Imposed upon her people as they have now to
bear. The people complained bitterly and Justly,
they believed, Of the irregularty, inequality and
injustice which have been practced in the assess
| ment of property, and were Of the opinion that
| this matter called loudly for reform and amend
ment. The people OF Lexington are laW-aolding
people; the taxpayers OF the county had gene
| rally endeavored to meet the requirements made
| upon them; but they INDUCED the sincere hope
that something would be done for their relief and
for the relief Of tile unfortunate and impoverish-
ed people Of the State at large before they were
| entirely prostr2ted and ruined by unjust and ex-
| orbtant taxation" The Judiciary Committee,
representing portion Of the body which had I'M
posed these eXorbitant taxes, took occasion IN
their report to rebuke the jury, saying that the
| jury had "traveed far beyond their legitimate
functions in making said presentment; instead OF
nquiring whether any citizen or citizens oliiclas
| or otherwise OF Lexington County. have onended
against the laws the true limit and scope OF tner
| power and duty" II appeared to the committee
'rhat this dozen and half OF gentlemen, assem-
bled by law for an important and specific purpose,
| namely, to inquire into the faithful enforcement
OF the laws In their county, choose TO ger up an
indignant remonstrance' against the laws OF the
State and to express an opinion as to the neces-
sity and policy Of taxation" and tnat u, ttns
committee knew "of no law OF the State violated
| by the grand jury In making TINS presenthenl,
! except the law OF prOpriety and decency, law
| only TO be enforced by the good sense OF man
| kind. When grand jury confines ltsell 70 lls
proper sphere, It's presentments are entitled 70
great consideration; but when they assume to
speak or act in respect to matters not WITHIN the
compass OF their oficial duties, their opinions OF
acts are entitled to no more consideration tnan
aiNnr nf
| thus reporting, the committee recommended that
| the presentment and report do lie upon the
table.
WILLIAMSBURG COUNTY.
The grand Jury OF this county for the June
| term recommended that, as there was no JAN IN
| the county, thereby causing great expense, which
otherwise could be avoided, and aS there were
not funds In the county to build on, the chairman
| of the county commissioners proceed to Colum-
bia, or some other accessible point, and endeavor
| to obtain sufficient loan to rebuild necessary
jail and II obligatory, to give bonds OF the coun-
| ty covering such amount required; also, that the
subject be laid before the Legislature. The judi
| ciary Committee recommended that the present
ment be printed and laid on the desks oi Inc
| members.
DARLINGTON COUNTY.
The presentment Of the grand jury or tms
! county for the June term, complained OF the tax
es which were depressing the people; OF the sys.
| Tern OF ascertanng property valuatons, ana
| concluded with compliment to the fidelity OF
their Circuit Judge and juries, and requesting reg sung
| the Legislature to relieve them from the heavy
taxation and to authorize district terms OF eeurts
| for civil business. The Judiciary Committee re.
| commended that the presentment be printed anu
laid upon the desk Of the members.
ANDERSON COUNTY.
The rri,nd Jury for the fall term for this county
| complain OF the township system, anu also VI
| the mode Of administering the criminal law,
| their experience during the past term having
satisfied them that the mode was likely 10 Decolne
intn CrinVlnCp
| opinion, In great measure, either from the in-
discretion or the inordinate love OF gam OF tne
magistrates Of the county, In institutng prOsecu
tions for the most trivial and insuhcient causes,
| and in binding over hosts OF unnecessary wit
nesses. The Judiciary Committee recommended
| that this preseni ment be printed and LAID upon
| the desks OF the members.
LANDS AND TENBMKSrS
THE NEWS has already published the provisions
of the bill TO "protect the rights OF persons law
fully in possession oflands and tenements," which
was passed yesterday, but the reasons OF 'he 'u-
dietary Committee for recommending its passage
have not been published, and may be interesting.
They state that the titles 70 real property In
this State are very much embarrassed oy encuIn
brances, fictitious and otherwise, anu purchasers M
in good faith, after having lived upon and Inn
proved their lands, and greatly enhanced tnelr
value, suddenly find themselves dispossessed OF
their property, compelled to purchase the same
were sold by the United States Direct Tax Com
missioner, during the war, for taxes, In the
County OF Beaufort. These titles are now IN uis
pute, and Improvements are paralyzed upon them
by the fear that they may ultimately beiound de-
fective This bill will assure the holders OF tnese
titles In this namely that should their titles be
ultimately found defective, and they compelled
to surrender up their lands, they VIII be PAID lot
all improvements they may choose 10 make.
STATE PROXIES WANTED.
~ IN Nm
raw and Darlington Railroad Company, request
ing the General Assembly TO appoint proxies to
represent the State stock in the Cheraw and Coal
fields Salisbury Railroad Company, was pre-
sented to-day TO the Senate, and referred to the
Committee on Railroads.
TINE EXTENDED.
1t appears that there is law requiring that the
claims OF teachers OF the free schools for pay Tor
services rendered for the year commencing on
the 3st OF October, 1867 must be presented to the
State Treasurer on or before the 30th OF January,
1869, and that large number In several counties
OF the State through some mlsconstruction Of the
law, did not present these claims In time. With
View OF securing to these unfortunate ones the
amounts due to them, Jillson to-day introduced
in the Senate joint resolution providing that
the time be extended until the 1st OF March, 1870
The resolution will come up tomorrow.
ICE MANUFACTURES.
The manufacture of ice in South Carolina has
been subject much talked OF, and there now ap-
pears some probability that all OF the talking will
result in something more than words. Can COL
ored introduced in the Senate to-day bill to In
corporate the Hamburg Ice Manufacturing Conn.,
pany.
MINING AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY.
The Planters Mining and Manufacturing Com
pany is the name Of company desiring incor-
poration-a bill designed To accomplish which
was introduced into the Senate to-day by Cain,
colored The bill provides that Andrew W. Sm
onds, John G. Crane, E. W. Marshall, w. c. Cor
re, Edwin Bates E. J. Sterling and John Chad
wick, be created a body corporate under the
above name with q capital OF sG5O,o divided
into twenty-five hundred shares at 500 each for
the purpose Of mining for carths, marls, rocks
and minerals, and to manufacture the same
with such other materials as they may purchase,
into chemicals, acids and fertilizers.
TIE STATE CREDIT
Bill, known as the bill to better protect the
holders OF insurance policies in the State, was
half finished to-day, the Senate having passed it,
and ordered that 1t be sent TO the House. In this
body the fght will occur, and feel warranted in
saying that, although it will pass 1t will not be
showed through in the hi ph pressure style that