Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1882-10-05
whilo the uppcr counties, on accout Of lack
OF territory upd population, would not udmit
of being cut up,

4 WuiIu Nuoe eupprTl countess, on acCOuG OF laCR
Of territory and population, would not udmi
of being cut up.''
lilo concludes 1t is o dangerous experiment
and SO must evory thinking man who looks a,
things as they are.> AT present we hold the
Senate and are likely to 30 continue uness
some changes orc mado which will forfeit our
present advantages. 1t is folly to suppose
where the door is opened that those large
counties, both for local considerations and for
the convenience Of tho people. will not ask
for division. Could this request be denied to
them2 We any not justly nor would it bo.
1t would require only majority of quorum
of tho two houses to divide any county, which
| might be ton Senators and 35 Representatives,
thus putting 1t in the power Of q few mon to
disintcgrate counties and overthrow all their
local arrangements. 1t is true Mt this timo
connties could only be divided by Democratic
votes. but is any man SO blind ne not to
toroaee the day when tho whites and tho ne.
.groos will divide and above oil things to
resist just claim tor dividing these large
lower counties would bo strong motive to
effeot this.
Again Major Hart says truly. ''as political
proposition, calculated to secure an adjust
ment of power in the Legislature between
the two races inhnbiting tho State, it is
utterly delusivo. Tho only argument in its
support is one Of convenience to tho localities
affected" Major Hart is tho present Senator
from York and voted against tho joint reso-
luton. lilo says farther, "But tboro is one
paramount objection to tho adoption Of this
amendment that ovcrshadows all others.
When the General Assembly is clothed with
absolute p. ser to create any number of new
counties in the State, at it's own will, and
without consulting tho people affected, you
will find that rival communities will, at ovcry
session, strive to secure the erection Of new
counties, and rival sections strive for ascend
cncy by dividing some county whore tho
representation. If it should DO our happy
lot to escape for Il timo its effects as mcac
sure to swell the power of somo adverse
party asccndcncy, am distrustful that we
will not be able to avoid the use Of this power
so MS to give rival sections of tho State
ascendcnoy over each other. Tho largest
counties and those most capable Of division
lie adjacent TO tho sen coast. There has
always been, and fear over will be, rirulry
between the upper and lower counties rs to
the control of tho State. Under tho old
constitution this balance Of power was hur-
monizcd by giving to each parish in tho
lower counties q Senator. which gave tho
control of the Senate to the low country
and tho House of Reprcscn tItives to the up
country. Under the present constitution tho
lower counties have increased representation
in the house through tho colorcd vote, while
the smaller counties in the upper section
equally divide tho Senate. Divide these
lower counties, rs evidently will DO done
under this amendment, and you will
place all the power in both houses with the
lower counties, and thus revive struggle
that for years distracted and divided the
pcoplc Of the State"
Viewing this amendment in political
light are not these views of n Senator who
ought to know the motives Of tho amendment,
both sound and sensible, anI do they not
demonstrate that if any people under the
sun should oppose it, those Of the upper
counties should, both for The snke of good
government and for tho sake Of preserving
their present influence in the General As
sembly? Are they not facts which cannot be
denied or controvertcd2 d. our people do
sire not only to put it in the power of the
lower counties to increase the negro counties
OF the State, but also to take away from us any
influence in lcgislation7 1t is the height of
folly to suppose the smaller and less popu-
lous upper counties only will be divided and
hn In 100 ff lac 1
are Locnl considerations will govern there
rs hero and rival communities there as here
will strive for the court house town.
We see Seneca City and Pcndleton each
looking for n court house and SO will it be
with towns below. We did not jump the
question. We had thought and talked of tho
the very point "S." ma kcs but to us it ap-
appeared 80 absurd, in view of tho large and
populous cpanties below, that wo had not the
heart to suggest such q reason Wo can
hardly see how any one can so look at it, and
il oar solons passed the joint resolution with
this view they showed rs little wisdom as
or people onco did in seeding. Preserve
control Of The Senate indeed! Il is sure
step to loose both tho Senate and the House,
rs we'll as our present up country influence
in legislation. At present we have control Of
both houses and expect to retain it if our
people aro content to let well enough alone.
1t is useless f,r us to farther discuss the
financial Wow of dividing counties. Every
county is IN integral part of tho State and
it is the duty of tho State to so protect its
interests as that no portion Of her people
shall be overburdcncd with taxes. Tho