Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1878-04-25

what was not pleasing unto them.
The ladies St. Marks (EpiscopaD Church
decorated their Church quite beautifully for
Easter. QU1.
Correspondence of the Yorkville Enquirer.
LETTER FROM BLACKS STATION.
BLACKS STATION, S. c., April 18, 1878.
The business of our place is as usual at
this season. Provisions, farming implements
and fertilizers are the principal articles of
trade, which are bought Oil time under the
lien law, which encourages credit system
that begets speculation and extravaganza,
which il based upon the delusiou that cot
ton crop is sufficient to meet all of our obli-
cations and necessities of life. The acreage
of cotton and the purchase of fertilizers in
this section has increased over that of any
year since the war. 1t is useless to comment
on such course; but if persisted in, necessi.
ty will drive US into channel that caution
and reason could not effect. We only change
as necessity for reform forces Us. We had as
we'll heed its warnings in time. We muat
revolutionize, agricullurally, our present sys.
tenn and subsist within ourselves, or We will
eluh " Guc lcNcI..O VI 1uuIoJ Comih0ISioiiJ.
Grain and grass crops are the basis of wealth
in all countries, and such is ours. The pres
ent small grain crops Of this season show that
much in itself. The prospect Of the fruit
crop is the finest we have ever had.
The people of this section are very much
interested as to what course the courts will
take in regard to the county bonds issued in
aid of the Chester and Lenoir Narrow Gauge
Railroad. All are satisfied of their illegality,
and the course taken to issue these bonds can.
not have the shadow of law in its favor. The
opposition is not selishness. As compo-
nent part, we feel interested equally in the
welfare of the entire county, and believe the
road is good one and passes through de-
sirable country that will hene6t it greatly, as
it is an agricultural section but this fact does
not constitute an argument the least in favor
of taxing people against their own consent
and against all previous precedent. For, in
every instance before this, where the people
have been taxed to build railroads, it has
been done by the Legislature, or by the con-
sent of the people so taxed. This case has
no parallel. The main objections to the bonds
are that the county commissioners had no
right to tax people without their consent,
or authority from the legislature to do so.
The county commissioners, who were elected
by the people without any reference to exer'
cising any such powers to tax a people for
such purposes, proceeded to levy tax in the
face Of a meeting of citizens asking them to
submit it to vote of the people Of the coun.
ty, not only exercised this power which they
did not have, but done it in defiance Of a pro-
test of the citizens of the county. This levy
was also made with the understanding that
the bonds should run for twenty years for the
payment of principal; but in violation of
this contract, they procured the legislature to
pass an act to levy an additional tax on York
and Chester counties of FIVE thousand dol
lars per year to retire the bonds yearly, thus
violating the conditions Of the contract which
the commissioners themselves had made. The
plea that the honds are now in the hands OF
innocent parties who paid their money for
them, is no plea at all. They invested like
other men in business matters, with their
eyes open, and must take the consequences of
the investment. The citizens have rights
that should be repected equally with the
bondholders. This is the vital question :
Have the three commissioners the right to
tax people, who have been elected without
any reference to such taxing powers? Ifse,
then the principles established by the Revo-
lutionary war-that taxation and representa-
ton 20 together-are nulli6ed, and if permit
ted, it may work into precedence for grest.
er abuses, and the people may be taxed with
out proper authority. Let the bondholders
look to the Railroad, who got the benefit of
their money, and are only due them for their
bonds, and not the county.
Mr.. Joseph Hardin, who was arrested and
taken to the Spartanburg Jail by the revenue
officials, during their stay here, gave bail on
last Saturday in the sum Of $4,000, and is at
home. We regret his misfortune, as Mr..
Hardin is a good citizen and very much liked
by all who know him. He disowns the dis.
tillery destroyed, and whisky seized by them,
to have been his property. He did not
come out of his house when first summoned
to do 80, as he knew none of them, and stay
ed within his own house, which was surround.
ell by them until morning. When B. B. Bar
ron, claiming to be a commissioner, Issued
9eHTCN WdTFdut auu oIohC OpSu Iuo oOolJ wi.
Hardin quietly submitted. This was their
plea for making the arrest. This could not
be construed as resistance, but an act of con.
cealing himself He was alone. Edward aud
William Bird, who were arrested at the same
time, for illicit traffic in whisky, also gave
bail. They complain that the prison fare at
Spartanburg was bad, and say the next time
they take boarding out, they want it to be
with Mr.. Glenn.
The late cases before trial justice at this
place are as follows: The State vs. R. M.
Roark for assault and battery guilty. The
State Us Coke Duncan, for misdemeanor and
improper behavior in church not guilty.
The State vs John Ramsay, assault and bat
terry guilty. The State Us. John R. Hardin;
not guilty. Martha Pursely, COL, vs Stills
Moss, bastardy; gave bond for maintenance.
The Baptist church at this place has re-
ceived bell ordered some time ago. 1t has
a fine tone and weighs, with hangings, 490
pounds. Rev. B. NJ Boozer, Methodist min
lister, who is to reside here this year, has just
occupied the new parsonage. EGO.
MERE.MENTION.
The machinery of the Paris exposition is to