Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1872-02-08

be bound for thousand years." This
is saying the Devil is Democrat. Who
desires to fight about it?
Our Columbia Correspondence.
COLUMBIA, S. c., sth- Feb, 1872.
The Fence Law Bill caused considera-
BILE debate in the House on Wednesday,
principally between Briggs, in favor OF,
and Jaimerson against it. Each side
claimed to seek to promote the good OF
the poor man. Briggs saying that it
would be easier ior poor man to fence
in his small stock of animals than to have
to build lawful fences around his fields
to keep out his rich neighbors' Bulls,
and Jiamerson maintaining that the Bill
was gotten up in the interest of the rich
land owners, who could enclose fine pas
lures for their stock, while the poor man
could not. the term "poor man." as
used by both these speakers, was equiv
alent to "black man." and shows the
extent to which class legislation is car
ried in South Carolina. Whenever our
legislators direct their attention for a
moment to any measure unconnected
with their individual interests, its advo-
Gates and opponents deem it useless to
use an argument except that it will or
will not be for the advantage of the ne
gro race. I do not remember that it was
suggested, on the one hand, that there is
great deal of fine grass pasturage, and
large tracts Of woods where stock can
grow fat on aeorns and pine mast, both
of which would be lost were stock fenced
in; or, on the other hand, that it would
tend to improve the breed and condition
of stock to keep them enclosed and pay
more attention to them.
Another instance of the same kind Of
argument occurred Oh Saturday in the
Senate Oh Bill to amend an Act passed
long previous to the war to grant the use
of vacant lot in Columbia to Lodge Nc.
of the Order of Odd Fellows. This is
the lot on which their school house is
built. Hunter, Simonds, Holmes and
Byas spoke against the Bill, because,
they said, negroes were not allowed to
become members Of the order. Dennis
advocated the Bill, and replied that the
admission Of colored men was matter
over which the Lodge in Columbia had
no control, but was regulated according
to the rules Of the Grand Lodge. To il
lustrate, he referred to secret associa-
ton to which he said the opponents of
the Bill themselves belonged. AT this
point several colored members wereseen
to stare eXcitedly at him, as if they
thought he was going to tell something
he ought not to tell, and Holmes (colored)
cut short his remarks by making the
point of order that he was straying from
the question before the House. Thomp-
son, colored member from Rich.and,
also spoke i'll favor Of the Bill, and said
he did not think it was proper to make
determinations on account OF color
against the white race, any more than
against the black race, and he did not in
tend to make any. He thought the ami
mostly between the two races had been
kept up too long already, and that the
colored people ought to treat the whites
as they wished the whites to treat them.
He thought the Bill would advance the
cause of education, and therefore he
would vote for it.
Nehemias has introduced Bill in the
House to pay salaries to members Of the
General Assembly, instead Of paying
them by the day. The amount proposed
is $1,000 each. He says they would then
not sit so long. This is doubtless true,
and it is also true that the people haveno
desire that they should sit long, and per-
haps would be willing they should stay
at home altogether and receive the same
per diem which they now receive. But
$1,000 each per annum is considerably
more than they now receive. There are
one hundred and fifty six members in
both houses, and their salaries would
amount to Sl56,000; while session Of
three months now costs for the members
pay only $s4, ,24O,--a session of four
months, Sl12. .32O,-of five months, $780,
400.
The Divorce Bill has become law.
As this is something new in South Caro-
lima, it might be interesting to your read
ers to know something of how it is to
operate.
The first provision Of the Act is that
whenever the validity of a marriage is
doubted by either party, the other may
institute suit for affirming it, and the
Court may upon due proof decree it to
be valid. Divorces may be obtained for
two causes: Adultery, and willful deser-
ton for the period of two years, unless
the desertion was caused by cruelty or
neglect. Suits for divorces, or for af-
frming marriages, must be brought in
the Court of Common Pleas, and COM
menced and tried like other actions, and
may be heard and decided whether the
defendant answer or not; that is, judg-
ment may be given by default. The
Judge may. pending the suit; make any
order he may deem proper to compel tho
man to provide for the maintenance of
the woman and minor children; and to
pay any sum that may be necessary to
enable her to carry on its action. A di-
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