Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1878-12-19
Grand Lodge A. a.. m.

Tho annual communication Of the Grand
Lodge Of South Carolina was held in Chars
lcstou this week. There was full attendance
of delegates from subordinate Lodges, aud the
session was unusually interesting. An ad.
dress upon the history Of Masonry in this
State was delivered by Past Grand Master
Wllmot Ct. DeSanssurc, which was ordered to
be printed with the proceedings. The follow~
ing officers were elected to serve the ensuing
years
a. L. Smythc. Charleston, Grand Master.
Jones L. ]zlur, Orangoburg, Deputy Grand
Master.
j. D. Kennedy, Camden, Senior Grand
Warden.
John II. Honour Charleston, Grand Treas
urcr.
Charles Inscsby, Charleston Grand Score
tary.
Rev John Kershaw, Abbcvllc, Granl Chap.
lain.
The subordinate officers were appointed as
follows:
4. +. Diver, Anderson. and j. b. Mcrad-
den, Chester, Senior Grand Dcacons.
Zimmerman Davis, Charleston, Grand
Marshal.
Il. 7. Wcstmorelanj, Grcenyillc Grand
Pursuivant.
j. n. Vandvcr, Anderson, and j. II, Smith
Laurcns, Grand Stewards.
w. A. Wilson, Charleston, Grand Tler.
The Grand Master appointed the District
Deputy Grand Masters as follows: District
No. S. P. Dcndy, District No. 2. w. Il. Maui
din, District No. 3, a. H. White, District No.
I. Orlando Sheppard. District No. S, D. ~.
Barr, District No. 6, l.. Il. lzlar, District No
7, j. Adgcr SmYthc, District No s, j. a.
Law, District No S. G. c. Richardson,
District No. 10. S. A. Durham.
The next annual communication was
ord rrrt1 to .,n hn11 in Cha
WASHINGTON. December II, lST9.--Chiaf {
Justice Waite, of the United States Supreme
Court, to-day granted the petition for writ
Of error to the Supreme Court Of South Caro-
lima. filed by McS>rs. W a. Cooke and G. G.
Cole, of counsel for Congressman Robert
Smails. Of South Carolina Mr.. Smails, (who
is colorcd many it will be remembered, was
tried aud convicted on the charge Of bribery
and corruption, and sentenced to u term of
Imprisonment in the pcnitcniary Of South
Carolina. lie made application under sec
ton 6 IL for u removal Of his trial to the Uni-
ted States Circuit Court, Oh the ground that
he could not have justice under the law
guaranteeing equal civil rights to all citizens
Of the United States. The criminal court
denied his motion and the case was appealed
to tho State Supreme Court which likcw isc
denied the motion and affirmed the action Of
the lower court. ChicfJus,ica Waite received
the petition of Mr. Smalls' counsel, and after
carefully considering the same. in consuIta~
tion with the Associate Justices, granted the
motion, which is made returnablo without
delay. This writis to determine the true
meaning Of the constitutional amendments in
relation to civil rights as we'll rs tho Congress
sonal acts in support of civil rights meas
urcs, and whether the United States Courts
have Jurisdiction of State criminal trials
The importance Of this action may be Judged
by the fact similar motions have been denied
in tho State Courts Of Delaware and North
Carolina in tho cases Of Federal offers who
have been indicted for criminal offences
alleged to have been committed in the dis
charge OF their duties MS revenue officers.
The writ of error granted in this case involves
the whole question, which has been mooted
one for many years. Mr.. Smals' term in
Congress expires on tho 9TH of March, but he
will not return to South Carolina. rrcfcrrng
to await the result Of the hearing Of tho cause
before tho Snprc'nc Court
WASHINGTON, December l2.-I'ho returns
this month at tho Agricultural Department.
from which the final compilation of tho crop
raised this year is made, show the acreage is
about two per cont greater than l877-an
amount not large enough to materially effect
the total product being only 200503 acres
The October and November returns showed
the condition to be III per cent. hi CHER than
tho same months last year. Owing to the
remarkably fine weather for picking. which
has lasted to date the yield Of lint per aero
is much higher than in 1877, only three
States reporting less, viz. Florida, Alabama
and Louisiana. while all tho others report an
increase. Tho average production for 1878
Is lol pounds per acre, thus making tho crop
of 1873, IN round numbers. 100000 bales
of cotton, allowing $50 pounds as the weight
Of bale.