The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1869-10-07
PREsENTMENT OF THE GRAND JURY.
SEPTEMBER TERM, 1869.

The Grand Jury beg leave respectfully to pre-
sent:
Tha. thew have examined she Court House and
JAIL They find that the Jail is we'll kept, and the
prisoners in every respect well provided for, ex-
cept that IN additional supply of blankets is abso'
utely necessary to promote the comfort of its in
mates. They recommend that these be at once fur
nshed. There are some leaks in the roof of the
jail that should be stopped, some brick out of the
outer wall that should be replaced, and some glass
out of the windows that should be put IN. The
fence around the jail lot should be at once REBUILT
and the meas-house securely underpinned. The
Court House is generally in good repair, except
that some of the locks are totally insufficient and
new ones should be at once supplied. The Grand
Jury also recommend that q suitable iron safe be
at once supplied for the Clerks Office, and thaE
complete set of the Statutes at Large of South
Carolina be furnished to the same Office as soon as
possible
The Grand Jury present that the roads of the
County are generally in very bad condition. True
some of them have been partially worked, and
it is known that work upon others has been post
poned to more favorable season. 1t is recon-
mended that the County Commissioners take i'm
mediate measures to have all the roads in the
County worked out according to the old law, in
accordance with the opinion Of the Attorney Gen.
eral of the State. And in this connection, the
Grand Jury beg to state that they unanimously
concur in opinion that the long established plan
of working the roads by the labor of inhabitants,
assessing such taxes only as are requisite to con-
struct bridges and make other permanent improve
ments, is far preferable to the expensive and
inconvenient plan contemplated by the township
law They are aware that the township system
has worked well in other States having very
dense, thriving, and to large extent manufacu-
ring and artizan population. But with our sparse
agricultural population, and especially at this time
when our people are burdened with taxation per-
haps necessary to the restoration of the credit and
prosperity of the State, it is believed that the
township system will prove unnecessarily burden
some and oppressive. By returningto the old sys-
tenn, enough public spirited citizens will be found
to discharge the duties of County Commissioners,
and keep the highways in proper repair, without
the slightest cost to the people. 1t is therefore re-
spectfully recommended that the township law be
repealed, and that the old system or some other
equally simple and economical plan be adopted for
working the public highways.
The Grand Jury beg leave further to present
that their experience during the present term has
satisfied them that the present mode Of adminis-
tering the criminal law is likely to become an in
tolerable grievance. This results in great meas
ure either from the ndiscretion or the inordinate
love of gain of the magistrates of the County, in
instituting prosecutions for the most trivial and
insufficient causes and in binding over hosts ofun-
necessary witnesses. These witnesses, as the law
now stands are entitled to one dollar per day each,
and the indications ore that to become witness
in State case is an object of anxiety on the part
of many idle and thriftless persons, who look to
the costs as source of income. This disposition
tends TO stir up strife without cause, and is rapid
ly encumbering the dockets of the Court of Ses-
sions so that their sittings mus. become almost
perpetual. The first remedy in point of Importance
that the Jury would recommend is the repeal OF
the law allowing compensation to witnesses IN
criminal causes. True, it would seem hard that
citizen should be compelled to attend the Court for
perhaps week ut o time without compensation.
But every citizen owes something to the State that
protects him in the enjoyment of life, liberty and
property and there is no way in which he can bet
ter satisfy the obligation he is under than by an
unrewarded attendance upon the Court to testify
against public offenders. If such service is bur-
den, it is one that will work equally upon all and
none will have cause to complain. Persons in
stead of seeking to become witnesses would seek
alike 10 avoid the position and the causes that will
compel them to it. In addition, the Jury would
recommend that some measures be taken if in the
the power Of the Court or Legislature to restrain
magistrates from issuing cases Of such trivial i'm
portance as to be unworthy of public investigation,
and from unnecessarily multiplying witnesses in
such cases, greatly to the public prejudice.
The Grand Jury beg leave in conclusion to
congratulate the Court and the people on the
general quiet, good order and faithful OBJ
servance of the laws that prevails and has pre-
vailed in the County for the last two three years
Aside from the increase Of petty thefts and misde-
meanors there have been fewer violations of the
criminal law and especially Of atrocious offences,
than was ever known during any equal period of
our previous history, and we have reason to hope
that the reign of passion and prejudice is over
and that if sober judgment and wise counsels are
permitted to prevail. that we will henceforth en-
Joy peace, prosperity and happiness as people.
A committee of our body has visited the County
Parish or Poor House, and find that the Steward
in charge discharges his duty faithfully, and the
paupers are we'll provided for and we'll satisfied.
Some repairs ore needed ON the Stewards house;