The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1877-05-25
nea. From what we hear we should Judge

BeA. From what we hear we should Judge
that crime-particularly that of stealihg-is
greatly on the increase in this County, Our,
Trial Justices have been kept busy the past two |
weeks. Three plain cases of hog stealing has
been tried by one Trial Justice this week. and 4
in each case the crime proven, while a'uum-
Der of cases of Grand and Petit larceny have been
placed upon the Docket for The Circuit Court
or disposed of by trial.
The frequency Of trials has caused some
grumbling among the people, and charges are
made that the TrialJustices are encoursshg un-
necessary litigation by which fargc A1lO6hs of
nulla bona costs are charged to the County.
Now, if any Trial Justice is guilty Of such
misconduct he is not fit for the Office and should
be removed; but before the charge is made
against either Of them proper examination Of
the books should be made to ascertain the truth.
We hold that the most potent mode of prevent
ing unnecessary litigation is to make the parties
concerned pay the costs. This can be done in
most cases by demanding good bond for the
costs from the Plaintitf--whch, we think the
law allows.
When it is understood that the costs of petty
lawsuits must be paid by one or the other Of the
parties involved, such suits will not be so fire.
quent. The Trial Justice who secures the pay
mcnt Of the costs from the ltigants does rs
much to punish offenders and prevent trfing
lawsuits as if he refused to issue warrants for
thcm-while he saves the County unharmed.
satisfied that either of the Traa M Justices Of this
town would greatly prefer rendering his resig-
nation to holding the position against the wishes
of the people, or under the expectation that he
will neglect his duties and do anything, official
ly, not in strict accordance with the require
ments Of the law under which he is bound
For our part We have not heard of one case
before one of the present Trial Justices in which
there was not sufficient cause for suit. Nearly
all of .hem has been for stealing, and how else
can that be stopped?
Be4- The dull times increasing alarming
ly in dullncss. Our streets indicate continu.
Gus Sunday. Occasionally n wagon arrives,
loads up with goods bought on n lien. This Gre
ates slight ripple OH the serene surface, but at
its departure all appearance of business ceases
aud lounging becomes the order of the day
Tho ring of the trowell and hammer has almost
entirely died out. Occasionally the blacksmith
has horse or mule to shoe or plow to 'lay,"
and if it were possible to have this work done
on liens the farmers would do so, if they had to
send their animals to the North for that purpose.
Sometimes for the want of something else to
do, some man pulls down an old stable, moves
the frame to another location and then ruts it
up again. Not house is being built, nor do we
know of one being repaired.
All are looking forward to the coming in of
the next crop for a revival Of business. Vain
hope. The next crop will bc of little benefit to
this town. Those who have not given liens on
it will do rs they have done the past year, take
it to some other market, and the lien men will
have but little, if any, money left after they pay
for what they have cat up and worn ont in rails
ing it. At best the revival is long way ahead.
1t will bc four months before the first bale of
cotton will be sold; and it will require at least
f"'-" a.. L-r---- a-s'< VIII oe
put in circulation. The liens and Fertilizers
will swallow it all un. Seven months from now
Il little cash may bc found occasionally dropping
into the peoples pockets, but before that the
merchants, the Factor AMI the Northern capt.
talist will have made sure of their money, with
from 10 to fifty per cent. added, through the
cotton crop. To us the prospect is gloomy, and
we suggest that MI of us go fishing for Sturgeon
md Catfish.
rEA. We nsticc that many of the Columbia
Correspondents OF Newspapers charge those who
objected tp the elevation Of Willard to the Chief
Justiccshp, with being sore heads and oppoSers
OF Gov. lampton's administration. This is not
only uni usi but false and if the charge had not
been indscrmnatc we should not notice it,
We objected to tho election OF Willard and gave
oar reasons for it at the time, but yield to no
man higher appreciation of Governor lIamp-
ton or more earnest and devoted attachment to
his government We shall stand by him until
ho forsakcs his Native State but we have not
sold ourself, soul and body, to him or any other
man, and whenever we happen to differ with
him we shall say So without hesitation.
We, however, say just here, that if the present
State Administration carries the compromising
policy much farther it will lose its hold upon
the hearts of the people. The people of this
State are not ready to yield any part of the
great victory they have won for the purposes of
conciliating the favor ofthe Northern democrats
or the cprcScnt Federal Administration. Neither
of them have any claim upon our friendship or
love.