The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-02-03
The Sumter Monstrosity.

The Sumter MonstresIty.
1t is instructive to watch the many sur
prising anomalies OF legislation and OF jurls-
prudence in which the Radical mis-gorern-
meHt of South Carolina is at present indulg-
ing, if ii be only to convince us how easily
the most sacred tradilionary rights and pri-
yileges of people can he travestied by un-
scrupulous power. There is said to be a
legitimate humor in parody, but as the boun-
daries OF humor and pathos so closely con-
join, we may perhaps be pardoned for losing
sometimes our enjoyment OF the grotesque
aspect OF this variegated legislation, in our
deepening sense OF its most outrageous and
indecent wickedness. A case most palpably
in point will be found in the Introduction
into the mixed Legislature of the State of
the bill to levy upon the County OF Sumter a
tax OF $4,000, to remunerate DuBose and
Robertson for the burning of their stores in
that county in the month Of October last, by
unknown and undetected persons. The
history of this case is, taken for all in all,
one of the most extraordinary in the annals
even OF usurped and abused power.
We have already published full accounts OF
the arrest of several of the best citizens OF
Sumter, to answer the charge Of having per-
petrated Il g crime-(an arrest made without
any bonds from any prosecutor;) of the find
ing of true bills against them by grand
iury, of which all but three. were colored
men; and of the triumphant acquittal OF all
the accused, after fair trial, in which the
most conclusive alibis were proved in every
Individual instance.
We have also printed the preamble to the
proposed bill; and now-in view Of the enor-
nifty sought to be perpretrated upon coun-
ty, not one of whose citizens is proved to
have had the smallest connection with the
deeds intended to be thus summarily pun
ished-even our eyes, long since, alas {!
accustomed to the sight Of Radical audacity
stand astounded at this new marvel; and our
tongues almost lack words to give this fresh
outrage adequate rcbuke
We are far, we hope, from being 50 Simple
as to imagine that the restrictions OF the
Radical Constitution of the State are OF the
slightest Importance to those whose breath
has made it, and can again, no doubt, uti-
make But we would like merely as mat
ter of curiosity, to ask Mr.. Burrel James,
colored, the mover Of the bill, and his coad-
tutors, whether they have ever read Article l,
Section l3 of that document, and are aware
that "No person shall be arrested, impri-
"soned deSpoae0 or diSpossesscd Of has
"1woperty, immumties or privileges, put
"out of the protection of the law, exied or
"deprived of his life, liberty or estate, tut
"by the judgment of his peers, or the law OF
"the land. And the General assembly shall
"not enact aay law that shall subject any
"person to punishment, 1cthout trial by
"ju1y."
Are they aware, or are they not, that the
law giving the Legislature the right to lay
taxes at all, declares that they "shall pro-
"vide by law for Il entorm and equal rate
"of assessment and taraton;" and that no
power shall be given to the corporate au-
thorities OF countless &C., to levy taxes save
for corporate purposes?
OF course, as we said before, these ques-
tions are totally irrelevant, (perhaps with
their usual courteous adherence to grammar,
the senators may call them im-pcrtincnt,)
but we should like them aswered all the
same.