The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-01-11

moyal of Political Disabilities, to whom was re
ferred the petitions Of j. S. Llnder, j. W.
Hardness and DR.. c. NJ. Rivers, reported bacl
the same, with q recomme ,datlon that th'
PRAYERS of the petitioners be granted, ana &C
companied by concurrent resolution, that the
General Assembly recommend to the Congress
of the United States the removal OF their pollt
ical disabilities. Ordered for consideration OF
Monday.
Hayne, of the special committee on the pen
i,entiary, submitted the following report
which was ordered for consideration on Mon
day:
to whom was referred the message OF his Ex
/ celency R. X. Scott, Governor, relative to tn:
South Carolina penitentiary, have considered
the same, and beg leave to report:
That they fully concur with his EScellencj
that q change in the penitentiary Is necessary
to the protection of the public interest. Now
that his Eycellency has come to this conclu-
sion, they venture 10 hope that the change
may be sp ,edily effected. Upon reference to
the "Ac to provide for the government OF the
South Carolina Penitentlary," passed Septem-
Der %, 1865, second section, 1t will be seen the
Governor has power to appoint superlntend-
ent, by and with the advice and consent OF the
| Senate. BY the thirteenth section OF SAID act,
the Governor has also power, by and with the
advice and consent OF the Senate, to appoint
three directors Of the State Penitentlary.
| These several officers once appointed have
such powers, AID are under such restrictions,
| that YOUR committee can but believe great
Improvement will speedily take place IN the
affairs of the ponitentiary. When his Excel.
lency shall have made the appointments, your
committee recommend immediate action on
! the part of the Senate. I'LL then your COM
mittee conceive no action to be necessary On
| the part of the Senate. .,.,.
The bill to organize and govern the militia OF
the State OF South Carolina was taken up for q
second reading, and considered by sections.
Quite large audience gathered in tho Senate
chamber to hear the discussion on this bill.
1t was known that Senator Leslie was reso-
lutely opposed to the bill, and, it was reported,
would fight it to the end. 1 append a short
synopsis Of the speech, which occupied about
two hours in delivery.
alton Of the bill be indefinitely postponed. He
carried the bill home with him last night, but
not, he said, like Daniel Webster nj Hayne, to
Sieep over 1t, neither did he sleep on it. He
was not, therefore, prepared to do justice TO
the subject. He desired to say that OF all men
in this world the most practical are the Yam
KEGS, and this State government practically is
government that II it is not Yankee, it is
pretty we'll Yankeeized. 1t was right, too, he
thought, thai it should be 30. All there is or
progress in this country, oil there is of popular
advancement and education, has come directly
from the North, and he challenged any one to
deny it.
Now, then, the Senate is called upon 70 pass
a bill to organize and govern the militia OF
South Carolina. They were sitting there rs
practical men, and they meant to be practical.
They advertise to be practical, and that is
the reason why the party to which most OF
them belonged had, 30 far, succeeded. They
are party Of progress, party OF knowledge,
party of life, and party that ls prachca! Ill
- 0nd oln n
to anger, but practical whenever they move:
The militia, he contended, could only be called
out, practically speaking, in two CONTINGENCIES.
In case the civil authoIities-the sheriff, for In
stance-from combinations OF the opposition, is
unable to enforce the law, and the people be-
come so riotous that he cannot keep tue peace,
he has under the law the right to read the riot
act. and il he cannot disperse them, then the
militia is callod out. The second is when the
Governor declares martial law IN any county in
the State. AS to the first case, he would ask
any friend OF the bill If there had arisen case
in the State Of South Carolina where the militia
could have been legally and properly called out
if organized. Perhaps somebody would say,
s'yes they killed man up 10 Abbevlle." Well,
they could net use the militia to arrest that
man. They might kill q half dozen up in New
berry. and they could not use the militia to
arrest those parties.
1t was, as he had said before, that there
were only two contingencies IN which the mil
itia could be used. When could the Governor
declare martial law Not unless the conduct
of the people throughout any locality OF the
State is such that it is impossible to enforce
the law, and where the civil officers are pre-
vented from discharging their duty. When
the people become 30 riotous and are IN such
force that the civil officers cannot serve or en-
force their writs, then the Governor can de-
clare martial law. It cannot be declared when.
ever the Governor pleases, and lam certain, said
the speaker, that our Governor or the Cover.
nor of any other State would be very careful Cf
taking any such step unless there was case
OF real necessity.
Up to this time there had been no possible
contingency in which the militia could be
used, and if it could not up to this time,
when under heaven will they be called upon
for militia duty? How long will it take to or
ganize the militia, and put it practically into
being? You have got to get the men to come
up and be enrolled, you have got to get guns
and clothing, and tnen YOU must have Quar-
termsster-General, and Surgeon-G General,
whose business it is to heal all tho ailm snts,
and somebody else to furnish all the uniforms,
coats, hats and boots, AID then you have to
get some one to contract for them. Well, after
thev have done all that sort Of business, ask
the friends OF the bill in what year OF the Lord
will probably com licnce operations? II no
cases have yet arisen, l ask III what other year
of our Lord they can arise?
I think that tho people, and desire to say
it to the opposition, to the Democracy OF this
State, to the Radicals of this State, and to all
rot within those two parties, that propose to
disturb the pace OF the State after the last
election, and are persistent in making covert
war upon reconstruction and the State Gov
ernment of South Carolina, that their labors IN
that direction should cease. We oil believe, W
iair-mindcd men believe, that the question OF
reconstruction was practically settled by Gene
raj Grants election. Whatever there is OF evil
in the present organization OF this State gov
ernment will curry of, and at the next regular
eicctioa all the evils they complain OF can be
substantially corrected. There are counties IN
this State that have very bad reputation,
where some have not acted with order, nor in
the true interests OF all the people. Or my
own district, Barnwel have q right to say
that q more peaceabe people does not ex-
ist, and not single case OF t:ou-
BILE or difficulty has arisen. Each man
made crop, and overy ono is in good
living condition. The price of land was ad-
vanced one hundred per cent. I say, the
minds of the people are directed towards the
future, and to progress, poacc and prosperity.
LIZ there is anv portion of the people of South
Carolina, in Newberry, AbbevilIe OF Edgeheld,
who are determined to roam over thus land
and make it unsafe for officers 10 enforce the
laws; if they intend to do as they dId in Edge
field the other day to magistrate appointed
by Governor Scott, who was followed into the
courthouse by four armed men, and would
have been shot but for tic presence ota friend;
saw If the good men Of Eugefield County do