The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-12-01
The Township Trick.

The enterprise of Radicalism is equal to
any undertaking; but it cannot accomplish
impossibilities. It's greed is Unsuitable; but
it cannot suck blood out Of stone. Its
determination to enrich itself with the spoils
of South Carolina is unchanged and un-
mistakable; but the poverty Of the State,
under the present rule, imposes insurmoun-
table barriers to its encroachments. II
there be any comfort in the possession Of
scanty purse, which, as the poet says, en-
ables the careless traveller to sing in the
presence OF the robber, we owe that philo-
sophie pleasure to the labors OF our legs-
lators in Columbia. They have squeezed
the orange until it is nearly dry.
We are glad to see that this conviction
begins to prevail at the State Capital, and to
such an extent that the Legislature is about
to repeal one of the most Infamous meas
ures of intrigue and corruption which has
yet secured the suffrages of that body.
AS matter OF policy, the township redis-
legerdemain. True it was unsuited to the
wants OF an agriculture necesSitating large
fields and sparse settlements. There are
tundreds OF square miles in our State which
have been swayed, from time immemorial
by the squirrel, the possum and the raccoon.
There are thousands ofacrcs possessed bytwo
or three families There are hundreds Of
thousands OF pine barrens where prudent
gopher would decline to settle. Iet the ex-
sting law requires that all these interesting
museums of natural history should be erect
cd with townships, that each township
should have seven officers, and that these
officers in each township should receive for
their services about fifteen hundred and
seventy-fve dollars per annum. The glory
of Mr.. Bergh is obscured by the legislative
philanthropy Of Columbia. He has been
guarding the horses of New York from
cruelty. We rear school-houses for the
snakes and alligators of the Santee swamp,
nd-elect commissioners Of roads for the
gophers of Richland County. We have
made provision to feed our buzzards upon
the dead languages, and to teach our crows
to cav in French; to cultivate the asplra-
tions of our pine trees, and to persuade our
live oaks to bear can hundred fold"
In addition to these advantages, the cul-
ture of the fauna and flora Of South Carroll
ma by the newly appointed "Selectmen"-
the benefit to "the party" was no small in
ducement toward the adoption of the town.
ship arrangement. 1t was found that by
means OF this nice little plan the Radical
party could appropriate to their uses, annu-
ally, not less than one Million one hundred
and sixty-Gve thousand, five hundred dol
lars; that they could turn South Carolina
into new Ireland, making every township
a feoi ruled by the officers of the conquer
inc power Juries could be interfered with,
work could be demanded, taxes could be
levied ut discretion. When once the plan
should be fairly inaugurated, there would
not be left vestige of liberty to the capi-
talists and landowners of the State. Every
few square miles OF its surface would be
dominated by satraps as irresponsible as the
rude chiefs Of the Goths and Vandals who
squatted in the Roman Empire. To men
whose idea of freedom involves the denial
to others of their rights, the spoliation OF
capital and the permanence OF power, the
prospect of "Carolinu Capta," was no doubt
most inviting.
But now that the townships have been
surveyed, an insurmountable difficulty pre-
sents itself. The satraps cannot maintain
their state without money, and where the
money is to come from transcends the wis
dom OF Kimpton and the prudent foresight
of Scot. We are in the naition OF the
man who had an attac, Of rheumatism, fol
lowed by neuralgia, lie sail that when he