Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1875-03-25


on earth; of the suffering, degrada-
ton, ignorance and crime that one
child has thus transmitted, Of the
evil she has caused to thousands OF
innocent families and the loss to the
ct community, we can all feebiy ap-f
preciate the Importance to the public
of the care and education of SIN
gle pauper child.
The Case OF EIr. John Mitchell.
The election of John Mitchell IN
the middle of February to represent
the county Tipperary in the British
Parliament, and the subsequent ac-
ton of that body in the matter, are
on account of lis long
residence among US, and OF the im-
portant law questions involved.
Mitchell, it will be remembered,
was convicted in Dublin in May, l848,.
of felony in having plotted to depose,i
his sovereign and to levy war against
her and was sentenced to be trans
ported beyond the seas for the term
Of fourteen years. He was sent to
Van Dieman's Land, where, in 1850,
he was given ticket-of leave on con-
dihon that he should not attempt to
escape from the colony. Que day IN
June, 1858, he suddenly presented
himself, in company with q friend, at
the magistrates Office at Boutwell, !,
in Van Dieman's Land, and handed
him a brief note saying that he re.
signed his ticket -ofleave and, revoked
his parole of honor According to
that officers report, before he could
read the notice, Mitchell had mounted
his horse and was out OF sight. Pur,
suit was unavailing. He-succeeded
in eluding the vigilanceof the police
and escaping to this country IN a
| sailing vessel. Mitchel's friends as
sert that ample time was given t9
read the notice, and that Mitchell
acted az a man of honor, while on
the other hand the general sentiment
in England always has been that the
escape under such circumstances wa
at best a colorado evasion of hi
pledge. Upon this moral issue, how
ever. the debate in the House o
Commons on February 18, did no
turn at all. The legal aspect of tn
case was declared the only question
for consideration, and the speaker
averred that they were uninfiuence'
by political bias.
/ When Mitchell visited Ireland las
| summer no attempt was made to az
rest him, and on his recent arrival h
found himself returned for Tipperar
unopposed. Immediately thereatte
Mr.. Disracli-whom Mr.. Mitchell ha
rather weakly tried to deprecate b
t calling him novel writer--moved
resolution that John Mitchell, hay
II ing been adjudged guilty of felon ,!
: and sentenced to transportation tc
e fourteen years, and not having Ell
q dured the punishment to which b
e was adjudged for such felony, or re
n csived pardon ba, become and cor
aass jassea4ls ss ssBsEsats$ i Rsas a.
three members oi the commission. Tht
names inserted by the senate were changed
by the house Of representatives, th'
changes were concuued in By the senate
and the act as thus modified is substan
TALLY the act which is now before me-
Recurring now to the circumstances ant
motives which led me to consent to TIE
measure in It's original form, | am com.
PEELED TO say that changes OF circumstances
have taken place since | was consulted
concerning this measure, sufficient o
thelnseles 10 warrant an entire change
, OF attitude on my part, apart from the
complete change made by the most essen
tial feature OF the measure. The response
given by the general assembly 10 my
efforts to enforce policy of rigid retrench-
mcnt and reform IN our public expendi-
lures has not met my expectations. The
passage Of the legislative appropriation
act, the failure to cut down appropriations
to their lowest reasonable limit in the gen
eral appropriation act, the defeat of the
bill reducing the salaries Of public officers,
and the passage OF multitude Of miScel-
laEeous claims, have rendered itimpossible
for me to consent to aid another dollar to
tho weight of taxation which will now
oppress the people Of the State. In ad
dltlon to what has been specified the pas
sage already of acts for the levy Of special
taxes in no less than fourteen OF the
counties Of the State--thesc special taxes
ranging from one and one-half mills to
three mills N the dollar-and the prospect
OF the passage Of many more similar acts,
is sufficient Of itself to make my approval
OF the present mcasura-sn-set 1r,--rIT-y
Judgment, of objectionable injustice to all
those whose interests | am sworn to pro-
tect.
The supply bill for the present fiscal
year has not yet reached me, but as it
passed the house Of representatives it pro
vided for taxes amounting to eleven and
seven tcntls mills on the dollar for gener
al State purposes. Adding to this in most
Of the counties six mills for regular and
special county taxes, and from one TO
three mills for local school taxes, we have
an aggregate of taxation wholly without
precedent, as it is without Justification.
10 all this are yet to be added the taxes.
for town, village and municipal purposes
i'm Soma instances amounting to more
than all the taxes for all other purposes.
Nothing will induce me to contribute
to swell this already intolerable burden of
taxation. Buff you look at the charlc-
ter OF the claims coysredb this act, there
ie nothing in general to commend to ia
yor and scarcely to liberation. Included
in the vast mass, there are doubtless, hon
est and Just claims. There is no doubt,
moreover, that many Of the present hol
dels of these claims are suffering by the
delay in their payment For all such l
have profound sympathy, and would glad
ly do anything reasonable 10 relieve them.
But speaking generally of the vast ma.
iorlty of these claims, what arc they, and
what do they represent2 They are, for
the most part, the unpaid balance OF tho
certificates issued during the last four
years, under the guisc Of legislative ex
penses of various kinds That certiti-
Gates for Legislative expenses have been
made tho rovpr for vast frap1s no man