The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-10-13
[FRoM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT

been able to ascertain, will be very light this
season. Peas and potatoes are better than
ANYTHING else. Rice has almost entirety failed.
The stalk is good, and at distance looks finely;
but on inspection the heads are found to be
without the necessary grains. Corn is scarcely
an average. thinkit Is doubtful If more than
enough has been made to last the county half
the required time. Cotton is also quite light,
compared with the expectations of the planters
in the early part of the season. The cropls also
made considerably less" by the stealings OF
the freedmen. The fact is, that the traffic in
stolen cotton has gone to such an extent as to
be an intOlerable nuisance. Unless stopped
in some way, the cotton culture Will be
measurably broken up. 1t Is more than can
be expected that men of means will invest
their capital in the production OF cotton, and
then have one-half to two-thirds of 1t stolen
and carried away in the autumn by lazy and
pilfering negroes. A case occurred near this
village few days ago, which is certainly eX-
traordinary. gentleman had q seven acre
field picked entirely over In the course OF one
night. Another gentleman, about two miles
distant, had field of four or five acres picked
have been an organized gang OF thirty or
forty thieves
Now. what is the remedy for this thing
Does 1t not become those having the law-ma-
king power in their hands to be looking
around for some remedy which will put an end
to so great q crime, and which Is attacking the
very vtals OF the honest agrlculturlst, De ne
white or black
The Town Council of Kingstree has prohlbi
ted. under severe penalties, the buying and
selling of cotton and other produce within
the limits of the Incorporation after o'clock In
the evening and before sunrise in the morning.
BY resolution they have requested the county
merchants to conform to the spirit OF the Or
dinance But, while this Is cOmmendable, as
showing a willingness on their part to do all in
their power to prohibit so great q curse, yet
their regulation does not 20 far enough.
Something must be done which will apply all
over the State. The law must prohibit the
traffic in daylight as well as at night. The
penalties must be made to apply to the pur-
chaser as well as to the seller. l would pro-
pose something like this.
."If any person shall directly or Indirectly
purchase any product Of q farm from any per-
son who is in the employment of another, en-
gagged in husbandry, without sufficient evil
dence of his right to sell, the purchaser shall
be guilty of misdemeanor, and upon conVlc-
tion of any such offence, shall be liable to
fine not exceeding five hundred dollars, and to
suffer imprisonment not exceeding twelve
months: and the seller shall be liable to fine
at least equal to twice the value of the product
sold: and If that be not Immediately paid, shall
suffer Imprisonment in the penitentiary at the
discretion of the court"
criminal law, passed at the regular session In
1896. AS moderate as this law was, 1t did not
sut the present Legislature. They no doubt
Thought it was blow against the poor freed
mans rights, which were specially committed
to their charge, and hence at their session OF
1869, (Act No. 1887 they repealed 1t, and
substituted no other provision, thereby leav-
ing every one privileged to sell and buy what
they pleased The consequences are now TO be
seen all over the country.
| therefore move the readoptlon OF the sec
tiOn with the amendment, that the seller anu
purchaser be put upon the same footing, that
the fine be five hundred dollars as therein
stated, but if not paid Immediately, that the
offender receive one lash on the bare back for
each dollar Of the fine, TO be imposed at inter-
rdlS OF one month.
To this there will be the cry that there Is
ignomnious punishment, not consistent with
the ''DrOgrcsS of the age The truth Is, this
so-called progress Of the age" has nearly
ruined our good old State, and subverted all
our time-honored customs and laws; and so
sure as any certainty can be, we must, sooner
of punishment, or else the honest man can
not live in thiscountry. Whipping, for eX-
ample, is the only proper mode of punishment
for the thief; and the traffic now commented
upon should be punished in the same manner
on account OF the great difficulty of detecting
those who violate the laws. The nature of the
penalty would be terror to evil-doers anu
thus, TO q great extent, prevent the crime.
Speaking of the Town Council reminds me to
sneak of sort of "Pillsbury muddle" they
have gotten into. You will remember That In
1868 the Legislature passed an act to provide
for general election Of town officers IN all
the Incorporated towns and cities IN the state.
This act provided that the officers so elected
should hold their Offices for the remainder OF
hyr tha OH nj rp-
spective towns, and for one full term after.
The charter of the Town of Klngstree provides
for an annual election of officers on the second
Monday in September. The charter was re-
modelled in the spring of 1869, but the clause
as to the time of the annual election was
retained, and q final clause added, re-
peang all former laws In reference TO
the Incorporation of Kingstree. The ques-
ton now arose whether the Council elect
ed under the act of 1868 should hold over
till the regular election in 1870, or go out IN
September 1869? The citizens, so far as was
able to learn, did not care anything about the
question, as they were well enough pleased
with the persons then composing the Council;
but some time in August the intendant, for some
misunderstanding with the other members OF
Council, resigned his office. In few days at
forwards one of the wardens died, so that the
other three wardens held meeting, at which
they considered the question whether they
would order an election TO NIL the vacancy OF
intcndant and one warden, or TO fill the entire
board, the regular time being then near at
hand. After full consideration the latter course
was adopted, and the usual notice published In
the Star for ten days. On the day OF election the
intcndant was reelected, and so was one OF
the former wardens, with three new members.
A few DAYS afterwards the intendant called his
wardens together for qualification, which was
DONE Now, We heard it all over the streets
that the old Council were not going to give
up--that they cOntended they had right 10
hold over for one term more. Rumors also
were rife of mdndunuSeS, quo tcd1Tdnt0eS,
PtUs-berrieS, &C., but up TO the present do
not think any sort of writ has been applied for.
The new Council are in possession and hold
their regular meetings, though the books. pa
pers. &C.. are still in the hands OF the former
clerk of Council understand that the law
gives q retiring Council thirty days within
which to turn over. This time has not elaps-
ed. When it does. presume something may
be done.
Real estate is approaching in this county, il
the following instance can have any effect in
proving the fact A gentleman near Indian
Town Church was about to move to the West
some time last year. Before leaving he was
willing to take. and / believe did offer his
plantation for fifteen hundred dollars, and
could not find purchaser. He went on his
way to the West. and left his plantation in the
hands of a friend for sale. This friend sold
the place about month ago for $4,000. The
purchaser took possession, and about ten days
ouo hn sold a AGAIN for $500 This was q