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

We are surprised and sorry to see that a
bill has been introduced into. the lower
house of the General Assembly s.to provide
e'fer the widows and drnhans of men muir
''dered for their political opinions" by Civ
ing them pension of 5000, to be collected
by assessment upon the county where the
murder was committed.
We have always condemned violence and
intemperance, and have denounced every
act of violence, whatever it's provocation.
The feeling of the people is opposed to mob
law upon any pretext, and as it is our doc
trine that every man has the right to his
own opinion, we have steadily disoounte-
nanced persecution and prescription for
political or party reasons. But it is USE
less for the people in general to be peacea-
BILE and law abiding, if the whole of one
county in the State is to be held RESPONSE
BILE for the lawless deeds of any one man
in it. In every large body Of people, there
must be individual cages Of disorder and
wrong; but we say that it is shamefully
unjust to impose q tax upon whole Gem
munity because some one man in it is not
gentle as sucking dove.
OF course, if the General Assembly of
the State is nothing more than an organi-
zation for the dissemin alton of Radical
opinions, for the encouragement of party
hate, and for rewarding party disciples, the
bill will pass, whether we like it or not
Rnt fhia vuo a ro 1noth = haGn0o VIZ. 49,,
that there are men in the Legislature who
feel that it is to their interest to work for
the good of the whole State, and that we
can have neither prosperity nor peace
while any question is decided in the affirm
ative or negative, according to the manner
in which it affects ''the party" And we
would ask these members whether they can
expect to be thought Of as representatives
of the State, or Of any part Of II; whether
they can expect to be treated as represen-
tatives Of the people at large, when they
tax the State and the people to support the
heirs Of man who has been killed, not for
the State, not in the execution Of the laws.
not in the service Of the Commonwealth,
but, to use the words Of the bill, s.on &C.
"count Of his political opinions"
II any man be murdered, and should be
deemed martyr to the cause, his widow
and children might properly be supported
by the party to which he belonged. The
Union League should take care Of his fam
lily, and if there is no money in the treas
ury Of the League, it can be contrib uted bv
the surviving members Of the party.
On the floor Of the General Assembly
there should be 20 manifestation Of politi-
cal hatred, and no rsking Of the shoulder
ing party fires. The Legislature is on trial.
and we who must bear the brunt wait to
learn whether 1t means war upon all that
is not Radical, or peace and good will to all
leal. and honest men. We desire to do
nothing that shall cause anger or ill feel
Ing. We desire that the General Assembly
may have fair and full opportunity Of vim
dioating itself from aspersion, or Of damn
ing itself In public esteem; but we cannot
DO silent whom it 10 proposed 10 make the
Legislature huge Radical caucus, d means
Of rswsrding the fallen faithful, and OF tar
ing the State because this man or that man
has been wantenly and brutally killed.
We speak somewhat warmly, because we
feel that this political martyrdom bill 10 d
scandal and shame. Even Congressio
partissnship never went 40 far as this bill
proposes 70 90. and We sincersly hope chat
when the bill comes up for action IL will be
promptly and deoiaivalw rs;eataH