The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1873-01-22

sideration of the following extract
from the presentment of the Crane
Jury of Fairfield County, at the re
cent term Of the Court, and wbicl
has been forwarded to me by th.
Clerk of the Court Of the said County
1t will seen that the Grand Jury
unanimously recommend the repea
of the fence law in that County: 3
The Grand Jury unanimously pre-.
: sent to the honorable Court, that the
existing fence laws, of. force in this
Stute, are an evil and an encum.
brance to the county. Whatever
utility these laws may have subserv-
ed in a formerperiod5 of our country,
it is certain that now they constitute
a system unnecessary, unjust and
burthensome to all. and especially to
1.-THE poor and humble tillers of the
soil, and are unknown to the most
enlightened countries Of the world
By statistics collected from the re-
pert of the agricultural department.
! for 1871, it appears that the value of
fencing in this State sums up twenty.
one millions, one hundred and thirty
six thousand, eight hundred and
ninety-six dollars. The value of cat
tie in this State sums up two millions
tour hundred and one shousand, two
hundred and ffty-two dollars. Ap
portioning the former value pro rata
to this county, we have o yslue of
fencing in this comfy, amounting9to
six hundred and forty thousand dol
lars; while the total value of cattle
fenced in by this system of fencing in
this County, is one hundred and nine
thousand, nine hundred and FIVE dol
lars, disclosing the astounding fact
that we employ six dollars worth
Of fencing to restrain one dollars
worth of cattle. In reference to the;
relative effect of the repeal of these
laws upon the rich and the poor men
of the county, the Grand Jury quotes
from said report: "There is also in
equality in the tax: which fencing
bears upon the farmers, the rate of
which. increases with the decrease Of
the area. For example, a farmer en-
closing section of land of six hum
dred and forty acres with cheap.
fence, costing one dollar per rod. pays
twelve hundred and eighty dollars
for as many rods of land, or two dol.
lars per acre another, with a quarter
section of one hundred and sixty
acres, pays six hundred and forty.
dollars, or four dollars per acre; !;
while third, who only able to hold
forty acres, must pay three hundred
and twenty dollars, or eight dollars
per acre-the poor man in this case
being burdened with an extra mort
gage Of six dollars per acre., which
his richer neighbor is not compelled
to pay"
An act repeating the fence laws
may be properly passed, designating
the counties, or parts of counties, to
which it shall apply. All objections
that are at all reasonable, it appears
to me, may be fully met by providing
that employers contracting with agri-
cultural Jaborers shall be- required Ito.
furnish pasturage for not exceeding
three head Of cattle for. each one Of
the laborers employed. Persons may
also be authorized to enclose pastures,
and to charge not exceeding one dol.
lar per annum for each head of cattle
pastured and attended to thereon
The owner Of such pasture to be held
for any damage done, or
any loss to the owner of such cattle,
by their escaping from the enclosed
pasture through any fault or negli-
gence of the proprietor thereof
And it should be further provided
that the letting down, any pasture
fence, with a view to. allow any cattle
to escape from such pasture, shall be
declared a misdemeanor, and punish
able with 6ne and Imprisonment.
Municipal corporations should also
be required to keep a public pasture
enclosed within mile or two Of the
limits, for. the conven-
ience of residents in the corporation,
who may be charged reasonable
sum for the requisite care and pastnr-
age of their cattle.
THE STATE MILITIA. Il
I recommend that the present
militia law be untouched. This law
provides for the organization Of the
militia under such rules and regula-
tions as may be prescribed by the
CommanderIn.Ch and the Adju
tant and Inspector General. This
duty will be performed with caution
and discretion, and upon consultation
with tho General Officers of the Ma
tional Guard Of the State.
The Statutes of the several States
in relation to the militia, contem.
plates, as does the act of Congress on
this subject, that the organization Of
the State militia shall be assimulated
to that of the United States Army.
This plan has been followed in the
brigading of the several regiments
already organized and will be adher-
ed to in the future.
The limited number Of arms in the
possession of the State will not per-
NIT US to arm the whole of the
tionat Guard at present, nor
either necessary or expedie91
the militia should be equiv
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