The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1895-08-28
Work For the Constitutional
Convention.

.ur. Editor am no politician,
aud for this think | am duly thankful
to an ipdulgent Heaven. But now that
the Constitutional Convention is set.
tied aud assured fact, it is proper for
US all to eudeavor to make it as useful
and as beneficial to our State as posi-
BILE. All OF US are sot aud cannot be
delegates. and yet the hnmbest of US
may make some wise and wholesome
sus usgestiou concerning new laws that are
needed Will you allow me to coDtrl-
butte my mite !
Firs, Of all. thiok the Convention
should enact Law something like this ::
The property or credit of the State
of South Carolina or Of any County, or
any subdivision Of che State, or pub
lie money from whatever source de-
rived, shall not, by gift or loau De used
directly or indirectly in aid or main
teoauce of any school or hospital or
other enterprise which is wholly or in
part uuder toe direction or control Of
any religious or sectarian denomination
or society"
This Law vii: further the cause Of
religious liberty, and viii compel the
churches to keep their hands out Of the
public pDrse.
Next. we ought to have some wise
law concerniOg the establishment Of the
whipping post as the means Of punish
ment for all minor ofenses and petty
thefts. The idea Of sending men-
white or black-,o a peni.eutiary. at a
large expense, for these small ofenses
seems 70 me to border upon nonsense.
1t has been clearly shown that the peni-
tentlary experience does not reform the
petty thief. Fifty honest lashes. once
in two weeks, for two months, will go
far towards protecting the country
against the inroads Of those who no~
seem to lock upon trip to the peni-
tertiary about like others look upon a
visit to Saratoga Or Long Branch.
The divorce law needs n,epdiug.
There is something Ike presumption in
the fact that South Carolina has been
trying to pose as more righteous than
the Bible. God says there is oDe Of
feuse which jasti6es divorce our laws
come 10 and say. No, God is wrong lie
this matter, and there shall be 90
divorce for aoy cause The result, as
I think am able to show. is whole
sale bigamy. and there are hundreds Of
men 10 the State who cow have two
wives
The method Of iuaicting capital
punishment needs revision The object
Of capital punishment is to produce
death !; but not unnecessary bodily suf-
feriug, and some means should be used
which will produce death in the most
painless mauzer. To bang man up
by the neck to die. as many DO, from
strangulation, is the perfection Of cruel
ty. relic Of barbarism. Ten grains Of
morphine would 90 the work just as
efectually. and without the attendant
miseries of the gaIlows. 10 the case of
morphine eaters. who are proof against
that drug. chlcroform would accomplish
what the law contemplates. 10 fact,
since death is all that's sought, should
be inclined to allow the criminal to
choose one Of half dozen methods of
producing death.
Our courts and their methods need re-
vision but | am DOT wise enough to
say 10 what way I only know that
too many red handed criminals have
gone free here in Sumter By the use Of
qulbbles and legal ;e,hoicalities. 10
fact, if man has money aud friends
aud an assute lawyer to plead bis case,
the chances for hanging him are very
few. \ case postponed from tine to
time virtually means acquittal. aud the
so-called important witness who is
purposely absent, is daily robbiog the
galioWS or tits prey Luis 'act IS nur-
turing and perpetuatiug the lyuch law,
and the people are 40 longer willing 10
entruss serious case to trial by jury.
And trial by jury is fraud. when
the law requires that the verdict shall
be unanimous. It is difficult to 6nd
twelve men who will agree 90 any one
thing 10 law or religion. Hence We
have so many continued cases. It the
convention will decree that majority
Of the twelve shall decide the issue. the
problem will be solved
These are some Of the things that
seem to need meudiog, and I hope our
Solons will give them due attention.
C. c. BROWN