The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-06-22

come before the public eye. The limit Of time
| allowed to the purchasers-Senator Sprague
and Colonel Pearce-to begin operations,
comes on the 9Th Of July. It is generally un-
de1stood that these purchasers intend to for
felt the bargain. 1t has not been 80 announced
authoritatvely; but the inference from exist
ing facts is well nigh conclusive. When that
date arrives, should nothing have been done
by Messrs. Sprague and Pearce, the commits
sion-Governor Scott. r. N. Lewis and Post
master Charles M. Wilder-will, it is under
stood, proceed with their duties Of disposing
Of the canal. It 10 hoped that this time they
viii zaqtiresA larger forfeit than two hundred
dollars. 3skas NOT to keep the State another six
months out dfs The immense benefits to be re-
rived from a thorough development Of that fine
water-power. Let fhe,canal be this time given
to man who means business.
Observation-Disclosures.
At the last term OF the Court Of General
Sessions, it will be remembered, very inter
esting case was that Of the State vs.. Thomas
Richardson for the murder Of Dallas p. Smith,
| in Columbia, last summer. PartS.sef the IN err
| est of the case arose, it will be remembered,
| out of the fact that Richardson vas a member
| OF the General Assembly, Radical, and a ne
| gro while Smith was Democrat and a white
lsfhans and part Of it out of the intense excite
ment that atte AIDED the act at the time of 1ts
| lperpetration. Judge Boozer heard the case.
Both prosecution and deaenoe were ably ar
| gued. The jury consisted Of five white men
,Nsand seven negroes. They remained out for
isabout two days. They took the vote on the
iscase,b4t once; that vote was, for conviction
ave white, and toraeani Gtal seven (colored.)
One Of the whites was OF the prisoners poll
tical party. The jury failed to agree. 1t was
"a mist1ial. Judge Boo1er bailed the prisoner.
/ This case came up at the present term. The
evidence, pleadings, charge (three hours and a
half long, and all were repeated In ertenso.
fhe jury this time we're twelve negroes. They
remained out an hour, and returned verdict
of not guilty. This verdict, like the one at the
first trial. is purely ethsoo9icah As soon as
| the jury was impanelled, in both cases, no
body in this community for moment doubted
as to what the verdict would be. Among the
| Witnesses for the prosecution was ons who
| swore that be was near Smith when the latter
| was shot, that he knew Richardson and recog-
linized him, and saw Richardson shoot Smith;
aud all this in moonlight The testimony OF
this witness wss not invalidated at all; and
| the strongest Offset to it, of the direct kind,
was the testimony Of the prisoner himself.
Those Of our community who are disposed
to give Richardson the benefit OF all doubts in
the case. think that he shot Saith, but did s0
| in o state OF mental or panic that
he was hardly aware OF what he was doing.
| BILLS OF THE BANK OF THE STATE.
It will be remembered that the General As
senbly at it's last session, in pursuance Of an
"Act to close the operations Of the Bank of
the State" appointed committee Of ono from
the Senate and two from the House to examine
and destroy, in company with the Comptroller
General, the bills OF this bank that had been
funded or redeemed by the treasurer with
bonds. The committee consists Of Senator
Rainey (colo1ed,) DR.. Bosemon (colored.) and
Mr.. Crows, the Comptroller-G General being DR..
Neagle. These parties have been at work the
past week, am informed, in the Comptroller
Generals Office in Columbia, al this task OF OK.
arnning and destroying these funded bills.
Each member counts his pile, veri6es the
amount, and lays it aside to be burned-and
1t is burned. That is regular. That is
! right. That Ia what the law requires.
These men are, Of course, honest; but
suppose, by some possible mistake Of the Leg
islature. some one unprincipled man had been
put on that committee Is it not practicable
for such person to put false labels on some
| Of the piles and pat soma OF the bills INTO his
pocket? Such bills might, after awhile, find
I their way into the hands Of some banker, who,
by judicious use Of q portion Of them, might
secure the passage of o law to extend the time
for funding the notes of the bank. What
venture to suggest in the premises is that the
Legislature has probably not taken the very
best way to accomplish the given purpose, and
| that this division Of the responsibility among
four men might be. in certain contingencies,
far less safe than If it we're given to one officer.
speak OF possible contingencies and
Of course do not mean to FeAeet In any way
| upon any individual OF this committee, who
are all, r take for granted, above suspicion.
The LeRialatnrea had the moat aunbopnded
reliance upon their honeaty, or 1t never would
| have entrusted them with 90 delicate and re-
bponxibie an 6Adce. The aanoosrd dptible honesty
4 Of. Joe Crews is said 10 be q psoyerb ~inE Eau-s
rens while DR.. Ncagle 10 underwood to be o
| graduate Of Davidson Collegse-a Presbyterian
institntion OF the highest standing. The two
colored members Of the committee have the
| appearance OF being honest men: and they GER
tAinly have the confidence OF the General As
sembiy Of South Carolina. We all trust that
this committee will do it's work thoroughly:
and let there be no Bank-owe ghosts to bother
as afterwards.
EREEDoM AND CRIME
1 One item in the presentment Of the Grand
Jury Of Richland County is worthy Of special
note. They recommend to the Legislature ..to
elect another judge. whose special business
# shall be to hold Court for. CRIMINAL .bnxnaas
I In Charleston and Colaanbia. . In, explanation
Of the manifest need tf sush exttss crlminsl
courts they Say: 'sFrosn the hsetof QelpmbssA
being city. and the capital Of the State, thss
idle ana: SfcIoas aroha an parts c6agS69ate
here; and, as they do not work, many resort 10
theft ana Sshet shines. in thsb oosah,y isg 81