The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-04-23
CHI A r L EST TON.
FRIDAY MORNING, APRIL 2s, 1859.
Tho May Elections elections.


thorough change in the political and phys
ioal complexion of the General Assembly
Of the State. Elections will, however, be
held from time to time to fill vacancies
caused by the death or resignation of mem
bers, which will give an opportunity of in
oreasing, in some degree, the white strength
Of the Lower House. There are, besides.
many county and township Offices to be filed,
and SO important is it to obtain as rapidly az
possible tho control of our local affairs.
that the most earnest efforts should be
made to elect in every instance known
and responsible citizen. The county and
township officers are brought into immedi-
ate contact with the people. They have
great power in encouraging good feeling or
promoting dissension. 1t rests with them,
in great degree, to determine what shall
be the county taxation. And apart from
the intrinsic value Of the office, and apart
from the influence which it may exert upon
the public mind, we hold it to be of the
greatest consequence to show at once that
we do intend that the State shall not al
ways be governed by ignorance and vice.
This cannot better be done than by eleoting
good men to every office for which an cleo.
H4n may be held, and this must be done
without regard TO the apparent Importance
OF the Office. Small victories will keep our
people together. They will encourage them
to be hopeful and confident, and, in this
way, will. have moral pAwer, braoing
force, out Of all proportion to the intrinsic
value of the Offices themselves. A begin
ming should be made at once, and the occa-
sion presents itself in the elections ordered
to be held on the 25th May.
On that day two county commissioners
and coroner will be elected in Abbeyille
and in Georgetown; county commissioner
and q school commissioner in Barnwell;
judge Of the probate court, coroner and
county commissioner in Fairfield; school
commissioner and coroner in Anderson,
in Laurens, in Orangeburg and in Richland;
coroner in CHESTER, in Chesterfield, i'm
Edge6eld, in Oconee, in Piokens, in Sum
ter and in Union; probate Judge and
coroner in Colleton; clerk Of the court
and coroner in Darlington; county com
missioner and q coroner in Kershaw, in
Lexington anu In York, and county COM
missioner in Horny. att. 4
Every one Of these Offices is important, and
none moreso than that of judge Of the probate
court and county commissioner. The county
commissioners have jurisdiction over roads,
highways, ferries, bridges, s'and in all mat
"ters relating to taxes and disbursements
"of money for county purposes, and in
"every other case that may be necessary to
''the internal Improvement and local con-
''cerns in their respective counties" They
raise money, they apportion taxes, and
have the. power to levy o tax of three mile.
ON the dollars which would represent g.
total county taxation Of over half 4 million
Of dollars. Their authority has apparently
very little limit other them their own dis
cretion; and it surely is q duty which We
owe to ourselves as business men, as men
who desire that the State should prosper.
as men who wish that the freedmen may
have full work at fair wages, that We should
open this commercial campaign without 9
moments delay, and strive as hard to elect
the county comnissio ionass, probate judges,
ceroners, and others, as though We were
again on the eve-of Presidential election.
Ti We do not regard the election Of these
officers as party question; but as long as
ninety-nine one-hundredths Of the respec.
table white men Of the State are Democrats,
We must expect it to be said that what we
want is not responsible candidate, but q
ronase7stie victory. This we cannot help,
Taking it for granted that We will only vote
Tor men who know what their official duties
are, and who have sense enough to dis
charge them properly, whore can We 20
outside OF the Democratic party? This
may be an embarrassing conclusion to come
to; but 1t ia the truth, nevertheless, and it
May be said further, that il We were willing
to arrange mixed ticket the Radicals would
force the direct question by nominating a
straight party ticket.
These matters OF detail may, however.
bs safely left In charge Of ths citizens o.
the different counties. All that We desire
st sAss moment 10 to impresD upon them the
n'scessity Of obtaining possession as rap
IDLY o. possible Of every elective office in
the state. Hitherto the Radicals have had
.a'nss pretty much their own way, What
.l's .nsy van now they must win by hard fight
ms and not by the supineness Of our pso-
PIE. Every county win. we trust. hsgsn
shs wosk at once. and IL they labor quietly
and steadily, there will be a,ssss s1 tell ON
The 26th Of May which, win encourage the
whole State. and teach the Radical party
that the revenues and wealth u scush Car.
elina will mot for icng be oontsollsd by Inc
nasive@born adventnrer or the sohsnaiar
foreign knave.