The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1870-12-10
. COUNTY ooMMIssroNERs.


/ wohld direct your attention to the
laws defining the powers and. duties Of
county commissioners, and their peryer-
sions and abuses. From tho frequent
complaints against some Of the boarils 4
it would be imagined that they were
devoted more to private acquisition than
the faithful discharge of public trust.
In neIghboring STAGES the Office ofcouGtY,
commissioner is looked upon more as am
honorary station, bestowed as marx of
coniidence aud trust in the judgment and
business capacity of the individual, IA
'ther than as position of becuniary en-
olnnlent, and except in the neighborhood
OF large cities, the compensation is but
trivial, seldom amounting to mole than
from Gity to'a hundred dollars per an.
mum. Stringent laws are, required for
the prevention and punishment of abu-
ses, which viii restrict expenditures with.
in legitimate bounds, forbid all partici-
patton, direct or indirect, in contracts
for which proposals should be invariably
advertised, restricting the amount Of
county orders issued. constituting the
county auditor the permanent clerk Of
the board by whom all orders should be
signed aud issued.
TRUST DEPOSITS
Since the Bank of the State .eeased
operations, there has been no suitable
means of security depositing funds held
by the courts. 1t is great importance
that provision should be made by law
for the security of such funds, both for
the preservation of a pure administra-
tion of that important branch of judicial
jurisdiction, and for the protection of
snitors, Places of security should be. in
Gicated and provision. madc for the de
posit of adequate pledges from parties
authorized by law to become eastudians
OF such funds; and means should be
provided for increasing such securities
from time to time, so as to afford susfi-
cisas protec,ion to sill amounts SO deposit
ted; and the control oyer such deposits
while in the hands of such derositories.
should be Further secured by anowing to
the courts summary remedies against
them, to the same extent as ii they were
the regularly appointed receivers of the
courts.
uBiEs.
The attention of the. last General
Assembly was called to the necessity of
change III the sysseln ofseieeting juries
As 1t present conducted, it is liable TO
be, and is, perverted to great abuse. on
account OF the character OF the persons
Spltced upon them. 1t is highly isppor-.
tant that tho jury box should be placed
beyond the reach of political influence,
or prostitnted to the purposes of men who
are themselves guilty OF crime Itshould
be filled with our best and most reliable
citizens. The appointment of com
missioner of juries has been tried in
some. OF our sister States, aud has been
found 10 work admirably.
COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
In view of the frequent expenditures
for furnishing the public buildings, and
the responsibility Of the mode in which
public money is discussed therefor, L
would recommend the designation of
some officer who should have supervi-
sion of the public hdildings aud grounds,
and Of all expenditures for their furui--
tarc and improvement.
THE DLrE RIDGE RAILROAD.
l regret to inform yoa that but little
progress has been recently made upon
the Blue Ridge Railroad. The liberal
policy pursued By the Legislature was
obstrueted by parties pronpted by per-
sonal qggrandizement and political pre-
judices entering into combination to
throw obstacles in the way ofneeotiating
the binds, which prevent ID their sale at
the fine, and before these difficulties
were overcome the war in Europe iuter-
vena and rendered their sale impractic-
abli | have no recommendations TO
make on the subject, as all the laws
NECESSARY are in existence, and viii there.
sfote refer you to the annual report ofthe
president OF the road Tor all the necessary
Information to an. understanding of the
details. It's extremely unfc -tunate that
personal ambition or political 'rancor
Should be permitted to delay or inter
Here with the progress and completion of
work of such vital transcendent impor-'
tance to the prosperity Of the State and
its chief commercial city.
EMIGRATION AND LABOR.
While | am willing and anxious by all
legitimate means to encourage and pro-
mote emigration to this State of all
peoples who are homogeneous in customs
aud usuges with our own that arc willing
to labor, as we'll us those who will bring
into it skill aud capital, | cannot forego |
the expression of my opinion that the
passago aud enforcement of stringent
laws for the protection of life and prop
erty and the free and unrestricted ex-
preston of political opinions is all that
is necessary to accomplish that purpose
ia State that presents SO many attrac- !