The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1895-01-09
COLUMBIA NEWS.
THE STATE MILITIA TO BEREORGAN-
lied BY GEN. WATTS.

lied BY GEN. WATTS.
Two Hundred and Seven Companies to be
Reduced to One Hundred--About Three
Companies to be Allowed to Each Coun-
ty Regardless of Population.
COLUMBIA. S. c.. Dec. 30.-It will
not be long before the militia Of the
State will be recorganized if the pres,
ent plans are carried out. Under the
provisions of the recent Act the Ad-
iutant General is given very much
more authority than he has heretofore
had, and Adjt Watts intends to eNer
else that authority. Together with the
Governor and major general the Ad'
iutantyGennral will Undertak Ike the or.
ganization OF the entire militia to suit
the ideas Of the present officers. 1t IS
more than likely that the matter Will
be largely left to Adjt. Watts, and as
he is young. full Of ambition, and de,
sirous of making something out OF
the militia. He intends to get hard
at work and see what if anything can
be done. There are now two hundred
and seven companies in the volunteer
service of the State. To use an agri-
cultural phrase, the companies will be
weeded down to stand by reducing
the number to one hundred:
The new law provides that the
militia companies shall be distributed
among the several counties of the
State as nearly equal as possible:
Under this provision OF the law 1t IS
intended to divide the State militia,
and not concentrate the companies
as much as they have been for the
past few years. If the plan as con-
ccived is carried out it will act as a
boomerang to several OF the counties
in wlhch there are half a dozen caval-
rv companies and where there are as
many colored military commands.
The intention is to divide the hundred
companies as nearly among the coun-
ties as canbe done. and then if the com
mandS do not come up to the scratch
they Will be retired and room will be
made for the companies that may be
on the outside waiting.
The Legislature appropriated SO, 900
to the militia this year. and under the
OF the new law this money
will be distributed under the direction
of the board in such a way as may be
deemed best. Under the old law it
was distributed pro rata, and the COM
pany having the largest turnout re-
ceived the largest slice of the States S
appropriation. The new law IS in
tended to change this. and the chances
are that the money will not be used
by the companies, but will
probably be used for the purchase Of
equipment and such things.
Nothing has however been decided
in this direction. It is expected that
the new appointments will be an
in the course of,the next two
weeks. At that time the brigadiergen-
eral for the 4th brigadewill be named.
THE NAVAL RESERVE.
Adiuntant Watts will try to develop
the naval reserve on the coast. He
expects to 90 on to Washington short
ly to see what can be done there to-
wards getting assistance, and If he
meets with encouragement, as he has
every reason to hope, he expects that
several new detachments Of naval re-
serve will be organized.
FINISHING THE CONFEDERATE ROLLS.
Adjutant Watts is anxious to have
the work on the Confederate rolls
as soon as possible. He
thinks that most of the companies
have sent in their rolls and the others
have been arranged for. 1t is highly
necessary that this important work
should be finished and that the record
should be put in some permanent
form. AS it IS the only data that is
to be had of the men who fought for
their State during the late war is con-
taineu on sheets of paper that are filed
away in cabinet in the office of the
Adjutant General. The rolls have
never been published, and should any
thing happen to the originals now on
file they could hardly be duplicated.
1t would seem that every man who
took part in tie war ought to be suSii-
cientlv interested in his command TO
see that the office is provided with a
roll of members. but such does not
seem to be the case, as there are still
some commands Of which there is no
roll whatever. Moreover. it is very
difficult matter to remember such
things after the lapse OF so many years,
and where there is a willingness on
the part of many there is an inability
to give the detailed information that
is sought.
THE NEW Law AS TO MURDER.
One of the statutes passed at the last
session of the General Assembly, and
which is likely.to figure conspicuous
ly in the criminal prosecutions in this
State. is the bill providing fora sec
ond degree of murder. Inquiry has
been made for the provisions of the
statute. 1t reads as follows:
To amend Section 2,454 of the Gen
eral Statutes of 1882. being Section
100 of the Criminal Statutes Of South
Carolina, relating to the punishment
for murder:
Be it cnatcd by the Senate and
House of Representatives, now met
and sitting in General Assembly and
by the authority Of the same:
Section /. That Section 2,454 Of the
General Statutes.of 1882. being Section
10G of the Criminal Statutes Of the
State of South Carolina. approved by
the General Assembly OF said State of
1898, be amended so as to read as fol-
lows:
Section 100 (2,454.) Whoever is gull
ty of murder shall suffer the punish
ment of death: provided. however,
that in each case where the prisoner
is fund guilty of murder the jury may
find a special verdict recommending
him or her to the mercy OF the Court.
whcre-upon the punishment shall be
reduced to Imprisonment IN the Peni-
tentiarv with hard labor during the