Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1869-05-21
The State Constab4lary and. ths Public
Veal

:. D.. ..... ...... = O'18' - - w. e,
Among all the costly contriva1nccs a
de- igned by the solons in Columbia,
to promote the interest Of the few
at the expense of the many Hwcom
binc in SO eminent a dcgree, the ele-
ments of cost, uselessness. and inefi-
cicncy-tho largest expenditure OF
means, and tho smallest economy Of
rcsults-the greatest incfsi,icncy for
good and the largest potency for
evil-than that model Bureau, the
Estate Constabulary with its head
quarters at the Capitol. .,. "..,
1st Consider for moment the
item Of cost, We have chief oon-
stable with salary of $500 year,
and deputy constables in every
county, drawing So for every day of
actual service, And that these tours
of pretended duty will be protracted
beyond the oxigencics of the occasion,
and that the constables will make the
degree of their "impecuniosity" and
not tho demands Of the public service,
the measure Of their labors, it trequircs
neither tho prescience Of the seer or
the experience Of the sage to deter
mine. We have a practical illustra-
tion of this in the experience of our
District, for the past two weeks, with
a portion of this same State Constabu-
larry For that period, some half:
dozon of them have been harrass.ng
whites and tsntalising blaoks-"vex:
ling the drowsy ear of night" with
the sound of pattering hoofs, and
Haunting their handouts and other
insignia in "the garish light of day.
arresting this man and letting that
man escape-and at last accomplish.
ing a two weeks work of "sowine
the wind and reaping"-a rich harvest
Of fees. $1,000 per annum-s3 pei
day! with the incidentals! Truly we
pay dearly for the expensive luxury
of being oppressed: !"
| I'd. But how useless the whole
machinery: How entirely uncalled
for by the .exigencies of the public
servicei There was nothing in the
condition Of the country to demand
it's establishment, and there has been
no occasion for it's exercise since
When has there been, or.'where hal
there been any armed resistance Of
authority 2-eny violation Of Law
which the ordinary ministers of JUS
, tics were not fully competent to re-
lpress7 The proof Of this is seen in
the history of our own. District 70,
the past six months. Not q homicide
.|--scsrceiy breach; Of tho peace, te
disturb the even current Of our law
respecting obedience--antil the ad
vent of this troop Of legslised ineen
diaries, who toss, hither and thithe,
frcbrands of .discord, and seek tt
irritate old WOUNDS and intensity ole
lgrudges, l. .ua.s;,i .-. sxl.. ~.
i Sd. How inefficient for. good, how
1potent for evil lis this model Stat.
lpolice! :, To be efficient they SHOULD
be "vigilant, active. and brave" Blu
|, Fdoes the State police possess q singl,
one Of these Fequisites2l .irK; co. de
their past deedst speak tt4rumpet
tongued." What redonbted OUTLAW
or convicted felon have fhey asrested
Twas Tolbert atreed ip ! sYampY'
They viii scarcely: have the bardi
hood now to revamp that Old, story
fDoes. bravery consist Ii ehootins
laronnd the houses Of lone Widows =
'fdosS activity il the jp,tertGrlnansaes. = o
duty comport with the afTsst o
besrdless boys, who ere innocent o1
tterims a-doss legal vigilance find sxsr:
.fcdss in 'handcnii6g 3 harmless, ssiILss inof
fepsiye old raat, snd dragging d,tsga III shfsa .,
+ 1.-THE ropes end;;e tnder q negro. escort 81
.iito'thsl county Ssss miles sway fs6m
thome !; iIfaI thent sHs istass 3 ds(5s,.
ifssAoaikiy,ss ,ssse 4 yigilant aatss knd
ilbsave,, piilats "a. 4hsf fHtkt se
3Argus Witt hiss Hill dafsa dFs = ssd
4 BFIstsas, With HIs kanlirgd Hind !, sy
J ianefBcisns A5r kpad sBnt 5t5nt Isl
evii--suchis the St&6S6 CONSIST BnlS
'|snd sueh do thsst acss psoys tram %