The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1881-03-04

Moss.-The moss which grows upon the cy.
press live oak; and gum trees in swamp lands
Is product of considerable commercial value
IL Is profuse parasitic growth, which is grown
oytheautumn winds, and requires less labor and
care In the harvesting than the hay CROP 1t is
ga'hered mainly by poor whites and negroes
anu orings' IN cured state, from two to four
cents per pound. 1t is used, after being ground
OF oieanssd by machinery devisde for the pur.
pose, stuting furniture, mattresses, cushions
aesaB abaAiiate sAF heir
sects make it peculiarly valuable material for
the purposes to which it is applied. The re-.
'ceipts of moss this year at tho port of New Or.
leans up to August 3lst, amounted to lO, 500, 900
pounds, valued at S3l5, ,OOO.-Ez.
PUrIEs OF JURY CoMMissIoNEn.-In bis
charge to the Grand Jury of Charleston County
last week Judge NIackey took occasion to com
ment pretty severely upon the number Of incom-
!peten'and exempt persons placed in the jury box
The Judge said: "The fact has been forced upon
my attention that the jury law of the State is
being hagranty violated and can be only check ed
blythe Indictment trial and con viction of a large
number of jury commissioners in this State
This violation, which is conspicuous in the Coun.
'y Of Charleston, consists in placing in the jury
'oox the names ofpersons u no are exempt by law
or disqualified by physical or mental disabilities
'discharging the duties Of jurors. There are from
very nearly fifty classes of persons who are ex-
'emPt, by virtue Of their employments, from iury
service, while every citizen who has passed the
age OF 10 ) ears is also exempt. The law re-
'quires that the person to serve rs n juror shall
he OF sound judgment and good moral charac-
ter. This rule Of law is rppllcable to oil classes
1t is, therefore. the duty of the jury commits
sioner to make digent inquiry and ascertain
ewhether the persons he selects for the Jury box
nre not per ons exempt by law, and that they are
persons of sound judgment and good moral char
ncter The result Of this violation of law is that
valuable time is lost and the county is burdened
with additional expenses. The law has never
left to chance whose names shall GO into the
jury box. The law prohibits selection in the
drawing from the box. That is by chance, but
The names that go in are to be the names of per-
sons having the qualifications under the law
Otherwise pe,.ccns exempt by employment, or
age or in6rmity are entitled to their pay il they
come, while the public receive no service what
ever from them. This is great evil, lnd il Is
because tho jury commissioner has not done his
duty. lie is worthy person, no doubt, who
evidently does not understand the duties of his
Office. lie is liable TO an Indictment for non.
feasance in Office aud If this violation of the
law should again OCCUR while am in this coun.
'y, shall urge the grand jury to present tho
jury commissioner for non feasanco in Office"
.
CANADA HAS funny little Irish trouble
on her hands. The settlers of Stag Greek.
all Emoralders, have for throe years refused
to pay county taxes, averring that they get
no benefit from county machinery. So the
county sent sheriff down with writs to
serve upon tho delinquents. No sooner
was he fairly at work than the humorists Of
the settlement seized him and gave him his
choice Of hanging or eating the documents.
He ate them. PbeB they let him go, Civ
ing him certain tune TO lake himself of
The sheriff was not stayed by any dangers
Of digestion, bat tore out a. fast 90 bis own
and his nng's heels would carry him, The
case has been sent to thc Dominion Gov.
erpn,snt, but it refuses to entervene, and
tho town is now raising company Of yolup
teers to punish the uDruly j'kers: