The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-08-28
sCorT,s NEGRO MELIsn.
THE TRUE STATE OF AFFAIRS IN EDGEFIELD.
How tho Arms arc Kcpt-XVhat It Costs
The Why nnd Yhcrcforo-Thc coilcc-
tion OF Tnxcs-Cunco Pays no Taxes.
irnoM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT !

EDaEFIELu, August 25-rhe excitement en-
gondcrcd by tho arrival Of arms at Edgefcld
has quoted down. Peace reiens in Warsaw,
and the constabulary arc now undisputcd mag
tcrs of tho situation. Tho 'mclish' ara get.
ting fat and sleek and lazy on tho public pap.
Eichelbergcr, the military coroner, aud cap aim
general OF tho Philislines, it seems, has de-
clarcd tru:c, and having already amassod
small sized fortune. has gone, it is said, 10 the
springs, probably to recruit from tho Ecycic
effects of tho campaign through which he has
Just passed. Before ho left. great crowds Of
negroes gathered nj tho courthouse nearly
every Saturday, aud frequently oitener; but
since his departure scarcely 4 ripple has dis
turocd the serenity of the polite II waters. In
the meantime, eight or nine State comstables,
with their horses, have boon kept hero on
duty, assisted by about tho same number of
mcGrocs-thc whole constituting n guard for
tho arms at tho Jail, and kept up at au expense
to the county of about fifteen hundred dollars
por month. Tho authority By which this force
is kept here is understood to be the joint reso-
luton of the General Assembly authorizing
the Governor to employ an armed forco for tho
|tprcservation of tho peace. But that resolution
only authorizes tho, employment Of such o
force ''when i'll any county in the State it shall
become impossible to enforce tho laws and
keep the reace ny the ordinary civil pro-
cesses." No such exigenoy exists in Edge
field OF has existed during the present year at
least. The relations between the races have
never boen more amioablo, and the freedmen,
when not under tho influence OF demagogues
and incendiarios, have mover worked better.
The presence OF tho arms at tho courthouse,
and the 'knot" Of constables and negroes
guarding them, would now excite very little
comment, were it not for the fact that it is
taking fifteen hundred dollars month out OF
the Taxpayers pockets. But what matter to
party whose sole purpose is spoliation and
plunder3 Peace and good order in the State is
entirely incompatible with the interests OF the
present administration. They can only flourish
by inoiting the freedmen against the white
people Of tie county-by fomenting diacord,
and stirring mp tumult aud disorder in the
land. -
john Woolley, the country treasurer, has
been for several weeks collecting the taxes.
He has visited points in all parts Of the coun-
ty, unaccompauied by the constabulary. Not
wilhstandiug the tax gathsrer is centrally an
unwelcome visitor, and Notwithstanding great
| dissatisfaction exists amongst the people at
the one hundred md City per cent. added to
the assessments Of property by tho Fqualiza-
| tion Board, John has been allowed by toicked
| Edgefeld TO complete his work in profound
| peace. The people, as general rule, are pay
ling DIP promptly. thn exoeptions being occa-
sioha ..,-'..iy vy taiv ectrciVs tIUnoJ
aeason Of tho year. A good many have ap-
piled, through the county auditor, to get the
| assessment abatcd to the true value of tho
property. This official has his Office at Ham
burg, and, outside OF his immediate vicinity, it
is not known what has been the fate of the ap-
| plications. It is necessary in some instances
for persons to make pilgrimage from Ninety
si1 10 Hamburg, % distance or fifty miles, in
order to learn the result.
The freedmen ore :irtunlly paying no taxes
at all. There are four thousand and five hun
dred negro voters in Edgcfield, aud it is ex-
ceedinGly doubtful whether they will pay Eve
hundred dollars poll tax. And YET these me-
grocs elect two whites and five negroes to rep
resent this county in the Legislature. One OF
these whites has beoi living all this year in At
lanta. Georgia. 30 was living there at the
session Of tue Legislature, in December last
but, nevertheless, he took his scat, and will,
doubtless, take it again ut tho next sitting.
BY the terms OF The constitution his eeat is va
oaht' "uu 'ne opeaher snouid ISSUE his writ Tor
new election. But this. it seems. will not be
done.
Tho crops in some sections Of the county, a
few weeks ago, promised to be vory fine.
Since that time n few favored localities have
been 6!esaed with partial showers, aud are
still indulging in high expectations; but tho
weather for a period OF fifteen days was
intensely hot, sad in some places ycry dryi
and the cotton has boens throwing of the
squares until it has nearly lost one.third of the
crop: On Sunday last, and sfnce, we have had
pretty good rains, vegoshtion is somewhat
revived, bnt the heat is still oppressive aud I'M
| sbated, a.sss. Z! - ,isii /. soAEns.
:.
4. A NEW RAIIRo4I ,fByyY