Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1878-03-28
---- --- = - -'F--T''-IFE,t. 80
what the People Say.


MEssRs EDlroRs Long and impntiently did
we await the report Of tho Investigating Como
mittoe appointed by the Legislature to exam
inc into and report on tho conduct of affairs as
managed under Radical rue. This report,
after months Of patient INVESTIGATION, has at
last been completed and made public. But is
this oil that is to bo donef Is this all that is go
ing to bo donef If 80, six dollars per day to each
membor Of this committee is high pay simply
for tho satisfaction of having Systematic
report made Of tho stealing Of q set of men
who arc permitted to roam at largo and bask
in the sunshine Of wealth wrung from on
oppressed and outraged people. They have
not only had the good fortune to enjoy ten
years of lucrative stealing in South Carolina,
but have ,o,o, it appears, the sweet consolation
of knowing they will be left to enjoy it unmo.
Tested. If a person snoaks on your premises at
nightandstealsa q horse therefrom,at early morn
i, ou are apprized Of the fact and set cut in pur.
suit the thief whom, perhaps, you havo alrea.
dy suspioioned; soon he is overtaken, but
strange to say you simply look the thief in the
face to make sure Of his identity, and then re-
turn homo satisfied, because you have. found out
,oho stole your horse. But this is not getting tho
horse back, nor is it netting out just punish.
mont to the offender. Wero you to permit
him to keep the horse for tho purpose Of
going off Mt distance with the promise ho
would never come back and take another, would
not better the case much.
Whether this be q true analogy to tho case
under consideration romans for the candid
reader to decide; but we feel sure that if these
infamous scoundrols who have robbed US at
Columbia are to be allowed to 60 at largo and
enjoy thei: stolen prey at leisure, it will ever
be singing injustice to tho honest and
patriotic voters who rallied around the Hamp.
ton banner in 1876 to overthrow system of
government which. in point of corruption, is
almost without parallel in history. o
tcmpora, 0 morcsl Can it be that tho time
has come in American history when crimes
tho most heinous are no longer thought to
deserve punishment! IIavo our hearts
become so tender and our sonsibilties 80 acute
that we cannot bear to sec merited punish
mcnt metcd out to the guilty? Is public
opinion so liberal rs not to brand with ever
lasting infamy mon who havo deceived, OUT
ragged, betrayed and robbed us2 Has "the
strong arm of tho law" become so weakened
by tho brazon impudenco of rogucs us to DO
no longer available in bringing to punishment
tho criminal? Do some of our. 'good Demo-
Gratis" hesitate to sound deeper this pool of
stagnant waters for fear they will 500 their
own image reflected from it's flhy bosom?
Justice should not be strangled. She should
be permittcd.to rise in her glorious majesty
and let fall her flaming sword upon tho heads
of the guilty wherever found and, by whatever
name called. "Lot justice be done, though
tho heavens fall.n
Such course may bo thought impolitic by
our leaders, but if we are to shrink from duty
to gain the good will of those who oppose US,
or for fear we may lose our ascendency, let
US no longer boast of having "broken down
tho strongholds Of Radicalism"--cob,prom
don't mean victory.
Tho Democratic Legislature of South
Carolina has wrought glorious change in
the conduct Of the State Governments but
this 'work Of reform" hos not, by any means,
been completed.
Perhaps our legislators will; tell us they
shave not had time to complete the work of
reform" Time was no matter of importance
when they consumed two weeks of this "yalu.
able commodity" in discussing the question of
pay Of members Of tho General Assembly.
Another great barrier in tho way of reform,
of which our legislators complain, is the lack
of new Constitution. While this is true
'tis passing strange that our Legislature has
never sprung the question of convention.
L. B. DOYLE.