The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-01-21
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Mn. sEDnoR; The ptesxats session OF;
thA LS5isiaturSds ds fast drA1iIkto aNtSee,s:
and 63shing dane Jet thssHay sos: IN
inyestfgstion ef the HsAto debit, Mr.
Letyg move 6 appoint comritse OF
three to investigate the amount ana tsvxis
lidity Of the State debt, 81 e move In the.
right direction, except that the Legislss
tnre should itself appoint the commit
tee: No one who has in any way been
connected with the administration Of
the government. or been accused or sus-
peoted OF having had any thing 20 do
with the increase Qfstha. public debt,
committee should be composed OF at
least two Democrats. The government
is aud haa alF the time, since feconstruo-
tion {dufing which time the inorease of
the public debt has taken plaoe) been
under the control of the Republican
party; and if nothing wrong has been
done. It will be impossible for any com-
mittee to make . wrong appear. Men
who are sure they are right, always pre-
fe. en- examination ct their acts by their
acouaers, rather than themselves declare
their innocence. There is no surer sign
Of guilt than to rofuse to- allow our 40.
ousexs 70 investigate our acta. A com.
mittee composed of such men as General
Wade Hampton. Attorney. General 81
w. Melton and Ex-Governor Benjamin
Z. Perry, would give general satis-
faction to the people, and certainly
would not be Objectionable to any
who are, as honest men, in any way
connected with the Government or Ls-
gislature. The people are eagerly wait
ing and watching to see what will be
done in this matter. This is one of the
first and most important of all other
things that should have been done; but
better late than never. Tho nnme of
very member who opposes an investiga-
tion as proposed in Mr.. Lsvy's move.
should be nude known to tho people;
and those who favor the move should so
press it as to distinctly draw the line be-
tween those in iavor of investigation
and those opposed. The people may set
it down as fxel fact, that those who
oppose investigation are of the guilty
party. The people are aging the heavy
taxes imposed upon them promptly, but
they are doing 80 under many a protest.
All who think that the people are paying
these enormous taxes willingly are very
much mistaken. NOOK
The Fence Law.
MIR. EDITOR: Tho Legislature seems to
have under consideration the proprioty
Of altering or abolishing the old fence
law. Your correspondent, as we'll as
many others with whom he has con.
versed on the subject. is decidedly of
opinion that a law requiring everybody
to keep their stock penned. and thus
allow all persons to plant their lands
without the enormous expense of fenc-
ing, would bo Ia p thst would give very
general satisfaction; il one years notice
was given to the people before it goes
into operation, in order to allow them
time to use the rails, that are now on
every plantation, in the erection OF good
and substantial fences, to enclose their
stock. There is, however, one feature in
the proposed bill which, il I understand
it correctly, is entirely Objectionable,
and should not be entertained for one
moment. I allude to the idea of allow
ing the citizens of each County to elect
whether or not they will fence their
farms. It might do very we'll for those
who reside in tho interior of each Coun
ty; but what about those who live on
and along the lines dividing the Coun
ties? Suppose, for instance. the County
OF Newberry, being scarce in fence tim.
bers, decides to enclose her stock and
plant her crops outside; but Lexington
County, adjoining below, having plenty
Of timber, concludes to let her fences
stand as they are, and let her stock run
out. What will become OF the farms in
Newberry lying along the line of Lex
ington? Who is to pay for the crops de.
stroyed in Newborry, and tho hogs. cat.
tlo, horses. and, perhaps, mon shot and
killed? My house stands on. the line.
and I plant both in Newberry and Lex
inston. What ain to do?
A COUNTY LINER.