Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1873-08-14

made, it would seem that no blame attaches
to the officers and crew, who are said to have
acted with much gallantry during the catas-
trophe.
The News and Courier.
- The Charleston Ne,us and Courier ap-
peared OH Monday morning lastin complete
and handsome dress of new type, and is now
printed on lightning double cylinder Hoe
printing machine, being one of the fastest
presses in use between Washington and New
Orleans The Ne,cs and Courier is one of
the most enterprising papers in the country,
and we arc pleased to learn that it meets q
success commensurate with the energy and
ability displayed in its management.
State Press Association.
- A number of the newspaper men of the
State met at Columbia last week for the pur-
pose of forming a Press Association. Mr..
Hugh Wilson, of the Abbeville Banner, was
elected Chairman, and Mr.. F. P. Beard, of
the Temperance Advocate. acted as Secretary.
The object of the meeting was briefly stated
to be to form a State Press Association, for
the purpose of promoting more intimate
and fraternal feeling between the publishers
in South Carolina, and to cooperate with each
other in advancing their interest in all matters
of business.
Letters were read from number of editors
who could not attend in person, the general
tone of which, as we'll as the unqualified ex-
preston of the meeting, was decidedly against
the favorable consideration of propositions
from advertising agencies in New York and
other cities for cheap work, and in favor of
dealing directly with original parties.
A constitution was adopted; the time of
meeting fixed on the second Wednesday in
May and November, at such place as may be
designated by order of adjournment at pre-
vious meeting, and at such other times and
places as it may be called by the President,
at the request of the Executive Committee.
Gen. j. B. Kershaw was chosen President !;
L. G. Northrop, First Vice-President; and E..
P. Beard, Corresponding Secretary. Execu.
tive, Financial, Address, Constitution and
Bylaws Committees we're appointed 1twas
resolved that it was the duty and the interest
of the publishers to discountenance the custom
of credits for any but contract advertisements,
and especially calls for meetings, special no.
tices, funeral notices, etc that at the Novem-
Der meeting, R. Means Davis with Major w.
T. Lesesne as alternate, be requested to read
an essay on "Country Newspapers" and Ro-
bert R. Hemphill to deliver ar address, with
John Evins as alternate.
The Negroes in the Low Country.
- The Walterboro Ne,us, published in
Colleton county, contains lengthy article
on the manner in which the more thrifty and
enterprising of the colored people in the low
country buy and cultivate land. We quote
from that paper:
"In this county the coored people own, and
are successfully conducting, some of the lar.
gest plantations. This is done under sort OF
Communism. A number of them, in some
cases as many as fifty, form themselves into a
society, elect their officers and adopt bylaws
They have regular meetings, at which the Of
fcers report, and specified amount is paid
into the treasury by each member. When
sufficient is accumulated in the treasury, a
suitable plantation is selected and the pur-
chase made; usually the payments are in one,
two and three years, good portion being
paid at the time of the purchase. The land is
equally distributed, by the officers elected for
that purpose among the members of the soci-
ETY., or so much as they may wish to cultivate
Each is free to work as suits him, and can
dispose of his crop as he deems proper. The
only thing required is honesty and a prompt
payment of all dues, which are usually very
light. Any one willfully failing to meet his
dues, or convicted of dishonesty, has all
amounts previously paid by him for the pur.
chase of the place refunded, and is required
to move off the plantation, all his rights
and claims having been forfeited. IT. howev-
er, any one desires to leave the society, he is
paid all amounts paid by him toward the pur-
chase and for all permanent improvements
erected by him. No new member is admitted
except by the consent of the whole society.
All sick are cared for by the society if unable
to care for themselves, officers being elected to
look after such cases and report their wants to
the society at its weekly meetings, or at special
meetings, if the exigency of the case requires
it. All disputes arising between members are
brought before the society, certain Of the off,
GERS being designated to hear and endeavor to
amicably arrange all dssensions and it is very
seldom, if ever, they fail. Petty litigation,
that is the great bane of the colored people in
many sections, is in this way avoided"
According to the Ns,ps, many negroes who,
few years ago, were not worth dollar, are
now carrying on successfully large cotton
and rice plantations and are becoming heavy
tax payers.
A Negro Hegira.
The spartanburg Spartan Of last week,
says: "We understand from reliable authori-
ty that one day last week about fifty negroes,
men, women and children passed up the
Buncombe Road, on their way, as they said,
to the Promised Land. 1t seems that these
poor creatures, who hailed from the southern
portion of this county, had been so deluded
by negro preacher who claimed to be in
spired and commissioned to lead them to the
"Promised Land" that they hastily sold
everything that they had, including their
growing crops, and with their families took
up the line of march under the leadership Of
this selfstyled Moses, for the land flowing
with milk and honey. This new prophet
told them that the land of Canaan was about
100 miles distant, but as far as our inform
ant goes, he failed to locate it exactly. These
Zion Travellers as they called themselves,
will travel a great ways, we fear, before they