The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-11-28

Opinion BY Wright, A. j. Eliza 4. SteWar
ADMINISTRATIVE, vs. ]. Plerson and wife, ct al
Motion refused and appeal dismissed. Opin
ion by Moses, CO.. The court adjourned unit
Wednesday, 9th, 10 A. NJ. PICKET.
THE FIRST DAYS SESSION.
Scenes In tho Capital "A Few Test
Questions - Favorable Auguries OF
Substantial Reforms-A Few Minor
Swindles Of the Old Assembly to be
Corrected.
IRON OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT
COLUMBIA, November 26.
The new General Assembly, which is to pro-
vide the laws and conduct the affairs OF this
Commonwealth of South Carolina, for the
years OF grace 1872 and '7s and q portion OF
IA, Is now uEder way, and has fairly started
on the unpromlslng task of restoring the
ruined credit Of the State, repairing the blum
ders, and retrieving the crimes Of Its recent
Lawmakers and ~law-breakers, and fulfilling
the pledges under which the dominant party
In South Carolina politics has again been
placed In power. II
LUG 6CSAOS oba lhSAN0hec VI WHO hAtAS wy
| of the session have been curious and slgnid-
| cant. Both of the chambers of the General
Assembly and the corridors, Hobbies and stair.
| ways Of the capital we're thron2ed with q
! curlously assorted mass of humanity, from an
early hour Of the morning. In the chamber
of the House, the old members were proudly
| pointing out to their newer confreres the
gorgeous furniture and furnishings of the
apartment, and explaining to them in a
patronlzlng way the full measure OF their
rights and dlgnities as members Of the As
sembly. I. the Senate chamber the crowd
was smaller and consequently quleter, but
the same. stares of admiration and ~ejacula-
tions OF establishment were observable among
the dusly ruralists who had never seen the
like before, and In whose breasts there was
evidently working q new born ambition to
become q senator. In the public offices busi-
ness was suspended, with the exception of
such casual wlre-pulllng as happened to come
handy, and In all the committee rooms and
the other snug little corners which have jaen
devised by the ambitious architects of the
SL8G6uUuS0 lucE0 WClO wi oCkCCU hhoIo VI
politicians getting up CORNERS" and combine
lions without number. In the large library
room of the Capitol active preparations we're
making for the opening of the United States
Circuit Court, and thls room and its ap-
proaches absolutely swarmed with negro men
and women, attracted by pure curiosity to
see ''some o. dem Ku-Kluxes," or summoned
at better pay than they had ever before dream
ed of possessing, to attend as witnesses or
Jurors.
The court was opened at ten o'clock by
Judge Bryan, and the stream of dusky hu.
manity set toward It's doors, bnt without
greatly lessening the jam OF louDgers In the
hall who were waiting for the superior at
fractions promised by the opening of the
Legislature, and OF noon, when both branches
commenced their operations, both chambers
were we'll filed with the members and spec
tators. Among the latter, easily recognized
by their anxious looks, were at least two hum.
bred aspirants of all ages aud every concelva.
BILE complexion for the twenty or thirty sub
ordinate positions which are legltlma tely to
be- filed by the new Assembly, ranging from
pages and sweepers up TO clerks and solicit
tors. Later In the dsy the countenances OF
these gentry began sadly TO lengthen as the
fact becams realized that In this important
respect at least there was q prospect of re-
form, and that the services of but a small pei
centage of this army of beggars would be re-
quired.
Both houses Of the Assembly were called to
order promptly at IL o'clock, and the actual
busineas transacted has already been fully re-
ported by telegraph. The new House of Rep.
resentalives presented q curious and useful
study. It's physical complexion is very dark,
the negroes being in a majority of very nearly
two to one, and It's mental callbre, although
better on the Conservative side than that Of
the last session, will probably be found to
average lower than the House OF the past
two years. Its moral character, however,
may safely be said to be vastly improved, and
the Northern political adventurers belonging
to this Assembly are few and far between as
compared with their formidable array of last
year. To sum up, the lower House Of the
new Assembly certainly includes more igno-
rant members but fewer rascals, more negroes
but a less number of carpet baggers, and
more honesty OF purpose with less smartness
and a smaller average acquaintance with the
devious ways of modern politics.
All the officers of the House, as elected to-
day, ere colored men, but nobody here seems
disposed to find fault with this fact, and the
Conservative members of the House voted
solldly in favor of each Of them. It remains
to be seen whether the new speaker, Colonel
Samuel J. Lee, will prove equal to the COM
plicated and peculiar duties of bis position;
but it must be admitted that, 30 far as has yet
been shown, he has exhibited a very credita-
BILE degree of acquaintance with parliamentary
law and practice, and a remarkable faculty of
disposing of business with promptness and
dispatch. His rulings to-day have been
neither unluteligent nor unfair, and go long
as he exhibits ability and courtesy there will
surely be no objection raised to him on &C.
count of color.
Two questions were raised in the course of
the House proceedings to-day, which are of
some Importance as indicating the temper Of
this new body in relation to retrenchment and
reform and the extent of their desire to fulfil
the promises of their nlatform In theaa ra-