Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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my > k'h} Press and Banner.' ABBEVILLE, S.C. | Wednesday, Dec. 3, 1884. The Usury Law. The Xeies and Courier has this to say of j the re-enac tnentof the old usury law: In the State Legislature a bill lias been ' introduced F>r the re-enactment of the 1 oM Usury law, which mad<?7 percent the I! le>?al rate of interest. The State legisla-j' t\\ro, we supposo, will not be inclined to I he reactionary on this subject. Tho hir-;' in(? <?f capitnl (lilFfrs in no material par- 1 tioulur from tho hiring of any other ob- 1 Jcet, and the pri^e charged f ?r it is deter- ] mined by the relation at' supply ami tie- 1 inand, like the price of other objects. J Nothing whatever i.s to b gained I?v restriction. except an iuereise in the price 1 charged for money. i1 Wiicn there is u > Usury law tho lender ! nsks what lie considers a fair price for the 1 money ho Ieuds, taking into account the ' nature of the rUk. When the security is doubtful in value, or difficult of conver-i' Mon in case that tho loan is not paid at maturity, the louder charges for the risk ' he runs as well as for the actual use of J tho mono. Whon there is a Usury law!' with its penalties, the lender must either,' refuse to let his money go out, or must ! tack on an additional percentage to cover ' the risk of punishim lit, in addition to j1 what he charges for the risk of loss and! the actual use of the inonej*. ; Usury laws, in lino, bear most heavily | upon those borrowers who have the least desirable security to offer. Persons who hold unimpeachable bonds and stocks can s borrow money at any time at tho bottom '? rate in the ma.'ket, while borrowers who! have nothing but real estate, or personal property which is not readily negotiahlo, |' must always pay a higher price. With if tho Usury law in operation, they find it! difficult to borrow money at all. Tho Legislature cannot fix by law the j lending price of money until it shall be ' able to compel the possessors of money l' to lond it to whomsoever wants it. During the last twelve months the rate of dis- i J count in Charleston has ranged at high asj 9 per cent., and as low as 6 per cent, on ) similar security. When money was'j Rcarco and difficult to obtain the price L ?"*"t "o nnrl aw soon as nionev trrew I plentiful the price came down. All thep usury laws in the world would not have i1 enabled a man to borrow money at 6 per s cent, when it was considered worth 9 ;! and the absence of usury laws does notj unable lenders to obtain t> per cent, when their money is only worth 6. What the Xews and Courier says of the rate of interest on money no donbt is perfectly true of a great money centre or commercial mart like Charleston, where money is needed in trade or speculation for only a short time, and where the parties are the owners of stocks or bonds. But in the country the case is different. The people of the country ate afraid ol bonds and stocks and consequently do not buy them, even when they have the money. As a consequence they either buy lands with their money or lend it to their neighbors on a mortgago of tbefr farms. "Borrowers" in this part of the State "have nothing but real estate, or personal property," to give as security, and lenders prefer mortgages of unincumbered real estate to anything else. We believe in no single instance has any man in this county ioanod money ?i.~ i ..r ii.> .......... i..... ? nilll'U buo 1 cpuai W| tuv U-1UJ j iai? nv iw^-c than ten per cent. In this county tho larger number of inules and horses which are sold, are sold in whole or in part on credit, and wo presume thut every one of these notes bear interest at tho r?te of ten per cent, after maturity. Nearly all persons who fail to pay their accounts at maturity are required to give notes at ten per cent, for tho remainder. j: Nobody iu this county expects to bor- t row money at less than ten per cent, and d the repeal of tho usury law has borne lj ? hard upon the debtor clans. g As the News and Conner truly says in t> many instances "tho lender will charge o for the risk he runs as woll as for the act- C ual use of the money," but there are ti thousands of instances where tho usury f< law did protect tho debtor class from the o excessive tnterest. Whether some men o ore more conscientious than others or not F yet there are a groat many who are too n cautious to violate the law. The usury law did much to satisfy otir b people that seven per cent, was a good in- ti terest, and any who did not caro to lend r bought real estate, and the low legal rate d of interest had a good effect upon our ii real estate. Wo believe that the re-enactment of the d usury law would be of an inestimable ? benefit to tho debtor class in this section a of the country. e Malignant Assault. s A few days ago the Columbia Register rvitvie a most uncalled for attack on Cap- ^ tain F. W. Dawson, editor of the News and Courier, because of the sight of somo complimentary notice of that journalist in a western paper, in which it was sug- tl gestod that Captain Dawson would prob- J ably have the ear of the President, so far C us South Cnralina affairs are concerned, e Tho article of the Iter/ister assailed Cap- i* tain Dawson, on general principles in t< the most malignant manner, and which n was so uncalled for as to meet tho con- ii demnation of any whom we have heard (. tsDeak of It. ' q The Register seems to hate the News n and Courier so much that it would say " spiteful and Uucalled for things of it, even e to its own hurt, und to its own degruda- d tion in the public estimation. We fuily n and thoroughly endorse the following ar- 'i tide from the Greenville News : 'I 'Every*lnstiiigT of journalism and * manhood rises to protest against the at- A tack made on Capt. Dawson, the eiJitor in tl ^-"chivf of the News and Courier, in the Columbia Register of yesterday. Itiswith- sl out visille provocation, justice or purpose !l and its only etfoct will bo to gain public q sympathy for the man attacked and pub- j. lie condemnation for his assailant. A man who has done on immense amount ? of hard work, whose success is due to his untiring energy and natural talents and u who still works for his li\ing and earn> it in an open and reputable way is denounced as an "adventurer." Me lia>? *' never ask ed for or accepted anyplace or ? pay from the people and he is stigmatized ,, as a would-be "boss" with heroic ex pies . aions of determination never to yield to hiin. The basis for all of it is a paragraph ' in H V/lIlcinilUlll nc?? >|in)>ci- i'A|iiraui); .? tho opinion th.U Capt. Dawson will have . much intluemo with Gov. Cleveland as the national committeeman from this J State ami one of the original Cleveland o men. We suggest to our esteemed co- M temporary that when Captain Dawson tindertakts to "boss" somcl>ody ami to as- , ^ hume tho reins of government it will lie 11 time enough to drag forth his personality p and weary the public ear with claiimV against him. Until he does something r to bo denounced for people will be likeiy ^ to put ati unpleasant construction on de- ^ liunciation of him, remembering past a controversies and professional rival lies. , We believe we voice the sentiment of the people of the Slate, enemies and friends v of our Charleston cotemporai v, in pr.?- t testing against attacks on a man who has a done an inestimable amount of good lor j the State and party which bear the semblance, at least, of wanton persecution." The Laurens Lands. Tho salo of the Laurens Lands took ' place Monday. They consisted of sever- t al tract", aggregating some six thousand acres, upon which was realized about 471?one-third being cash?the re- ^ m.inrfoi- nn nrmnnrt Iwn voaracredit. Ill , the main, tho lands wore bid oft' t>3r men " who are fully able to pay lor them. (j The iutereat on the whole amount at ten per cent, would realize annually n about $2,800, while tho gross rents, we are ^ imformed, hare been about $2,000, with [g incidental losses and expense.*), which made the net annual income from the lands about fl,500. This proves the correctness of our position, that money at; interest is more profitable than leased 1 lands. After receiving one-third of $28,-1 COO, tho credit portion of the land will J <} bring fifty per cent, rnoro money profit! than the rent, and unless the purchasers' j shall make the land more profitable than j j the former owners did, except incases! where homes were wanted, their profits j j! will be less than tho iuterest of the t money. i r Sensible Georgia Editor. j The Augusta Evening News hits the t nail square ou the head when it ?ays : "Reform is needed in the Superior r Courts of Georgia, says an exchange, That Fulton Superior Court, for in tame, nhonld spend f<>ur hours ot its time, tak- a jng the attention of. one J udge, f>>i r law- f jers, twelve jurors and a score of ?itend- ,, ants to try a coutemptible little ten dollar c<.\\ ? nse, shows Uto neeoMty l<>i < me 0 such legislation as will keep trivial litlout of the groat assize courts ol the ( State." ,j jp'v * ifeV;/* Board or Health. We are In receipt of the Fifth Annual Report of the State Board of Health which furnishes much interesting information on the subjects of which It treats. Dr. F. F. Gary, chairman of the Executive Committae of the State Board of Health, In his report to the Governor among other things savs: "In looking over the returns of vital statistics, it will be seen that malarial diseases occupy a prominent part. We may safely say that one-third of our diseases can be traced to this source und to a disregard* of sanitary precautious. S>? far science has failed to unravel the mysteries of what we call malaria, though many have put forth claims to thodiseovi>ry of its cause. It i-<, however, a well established fact, extending hack over two thousand years, that drainage and agriculture are the surest and only means of arresting it. If South Carolina had a judicious system of drainage in each county, thousands of acres cf good land now lying idle and worthless, breeding malaria and pestilence, would he thrown open to cultivation, and thus not only diminish our malarial diseases, but add to the material wealth of the State far more than the expense incident to such system. In inaugurating surli a system, the (Jeneral Assembly would show their appreciation r?f the benefits to he derived from salutary science as a wealth-producing factor, for without sanitary science wo cannot <ivo the citizen the highest physical, moral and intellectual culture, by "which lie can perpetuate the glory, prosperity iiid freedom of the State." Tlio Meteorological Observations by Professor Hood, are of intorcst, and liave aeen carefully noted. Dr. Edwin Parker, In his report of the ?ub-comuiittee, among other matters, >aid : "Consumption is the loading cause of leath among the colored people; not a simple case is reported anions tho wiiitos. l'ho increased number of deaths among lie colored population wo believe to be luo to their almost completo neglect ol jlain sanitary regulations. There is no ionbt of the fact tbat if our citizens, .vhite and colored, would pay more atention to sanitary precautions, our death ate could bo reduced to lower figures." Tbe following is a list of the licensed md registered physicians of A bbeville :ounty, as taken from the Report of the state Board of Health. Drs. T. L. Calloun, Andrew Yates and JL5. Parker havo tinco died, and Dr. I. A. Winstock has emoved to New York : T. S. Blake, Ninety-Six. T T Vil.nlnUU John W. Calhoun, Ninety-Six. E. K. Calhoun, Greenwood. T. L. Calhoun, Abbeville. E. H. Edwards, Duo West. E. C. Frierson, Antreville. Gibert, Bordeaux. 0. P. Hawthorne, Due West. T. J. Hester, Calhoun's Mills. L'?d T. Hill, Abbeville. P. F. Gary, Abbeville. 0. R. Horton, Lovvndesville, W. T. Jones, Hodges. W. Townes Jones, Donaldsville. J. W. Kenneily, Bradley's Station. B. M. Latimer, Donaldsville. J. C. Maxwell, Greenwood. Go<?. W. Mitchell, Mapleton. W. B. Milwee, Greenwood, J. L. Miller, Due West. Titos. J. Mabrv, Abbeville. Jos. L. Pressle}', Lulah. G. B. Reed, Donaldsville. John A. Robertson, Due West. A. J. Speer, Lowndesville. Steille, Antrttville. M. A. Travlor, McCnrmiek. 1. A. Winstock, Abbeville. J. W. Wideman, Due West. J. H. Bull. Antreville. G. L. Connor, Cokesbury. J. W. Keller, Abbeville. W. E. Link, Wilmington. Jhs. D. Neel, Troy. J. G. Johnson, Lowndesville. Edwin Parker, Abbeville. J. W. Thomas, Abbeville. M. C. Tag?art, Greenwood. W. M. Tairgart, M outer}'. Andrew Yates, Cokesbury. The Wortuary statistics of Charleston s fuller than that of any other county or own. From it we learn the cause ol Icath in each instance. Consumption ake.s a larger number of people to their ;rayo tlian any other disease. Out of a Dial white mortality of 540 in the city f Charleston, 63 died of consumption. >ld i.ge Is credited with taking off be next greatest number, 27. Typhoid aver follows, and is credited with taking ft' 22. Cholera infantum, 21. Congestion" f the brain, and heart disease each 20. 'neumonia, 18. Apoplexy and mara9us, each 16, and so on down. Out of a total mortality among the lack and colored of 1,288 : Consumpon, 203: trismus nascentium, 111; maasmus, 83; convulsions, 54 ; old age, 47 . entition, 45; pneumonia, 44; cholera nfantum, 42. It will bo observed that out of 540 oaths among the white race only 27 rere of old ago, ami that out 1,235 deaths inong the coioreu people, a smaller per ent was from the same cause. Only 47 ad died of old age. These facts should et us to thinking, and to studying the iws of health. Very few of the human ;iinily live out their alloted time. The Aiken Journal mid Review. Our Aiken friends seem stirred up on lie Prohibition question, and the Aiken 'ournal and Review and the Rev. Lucius !uthbcrt arc disputing as to the limit or xaut meaning of that gentleman's prom50 about taking the Prohibition question 3 the Legislature. It is alleged and admitted by both Mr. Cuthbert and the ed:or of the Journal and Review that Mr. Cuthbert had promised not to take the uestion before the Legislature unless a majority of the voters voted in favor of No License." About one thousand votd for "No License" and about seven hunred voted for "License." The question ow arises as to what Mr. Outhbcrt meant y a majority of tho Democratic vo:ers. 'lie Review contends that ho meant or aid a majority of all the Democrats in Liken county, whether they voted on tiat question or not. Mr. Cuthbert aserts with equal positiveness that he leant a majority of those voting on the uestion. We have used our own lanuage, without quoting the exact words f the parties. Mr. Cuthbert and Mr. Htitson are both Ten of unquestioned integrity and unwerving truthfulness. Mr. Cuthbert's efinition of his promise being in accord ith the common acceptation of the leaning of tlie word "majority," we are iclined to the opinion that Mr. Hutson ? more likeh' to be mistaken as to what Ir. Cuthbert said. We are still of opinion that the Aiken 'ournal and Review is on the wrong hide f the great mural question, and we see o reason to change our opinion that that aper is in error in cluimimr theconstruciou which it puts on Mr. Cuthbert's romise. Tho Journal and Itevinv's logic is not ood, and its construction or definition of Ir. Cuthbert's promise seems nnreasotible. We never before heard of anybody uaking the promise * 'that they ,ould not present the petition unless hey received a number of votes equal to majority of the votes cast in the late 'rimary election." Charleston Awakened. Very much to our surprise, and entirey at variance with its history since the far, Charleston is now impressed with he necessity of building a railroad. A harter has been applied for, which will uthorizo tho building of a railroad from ,liarleston by a in reel route uy voicm-i iia, Newberry, and Laurens to Greenille. Wo wish'our metropolitan neighiors great success in theirentorprise, and ; nly regret that they could not some years I go, lind it to their interest to help us build i road, which should connect with the iouth Carolina Railroad at Aiken or else-1 . here. Our people not having received ny encouragement, have now in a ^reat j measure turned their eyes towards the! ity of Augusta, which was willing to i ive us help and lias enabled us to get onoj oad, with good prospects of getting auther. Our people would naturally goto Char-i eston and tbev as naturally look to Char- j eston for aid and friendship. A largo! tart of this people were almost cut off rom any communication with Charles-1 on because of their remoteness from a ail rod lino. Feeling the disadvantage of hat situation they sought to build a raiload along the western side of the eouny, to run through EJgetiold and then nterseet with the Soiitti Carolina Raiload. But Charleston would not given lollar. Augusta responded to our imil, nd our ej-es are of necessity, turned roni the city which is ours by right, to a ity, which lies within the borders of an>1 her Si:?tp. W e are gra itied, however, to see tiiat j,,nrleoion |uo,ji>scb to build a road now. it will be well for her and us. ? For SIiadic. The Charlotte Obsei-ver lias an account j of theshootingof h negro in Mecklenburg i County on Thanksgiving Day. Tho particulars a3 to the provocation and shooting is not cssentiily different from the sterotyped facts attending the killing of nearly every negro who 13 killed by a white man. As a rule the r.egro advances, the white man run9, tho negro pursues, and then the white man becomes so badly frightened, he deems it necessary to shoot the negro. Wo do not recollect to have seen the account of tho killing of a negro at any time or in any locality where the particulars were essentially differently. The Old North State now 6njoys the blessings of Democratic Iloine Itule, and the prospect is, that she will enjoy the fruits of the election ofa Democratic President. In common with all the Southern Stales North Carolina has made pledges that the negro would bo protoctod, not only in his rights, but in his person, as well. Wo aro inclined to tho opinion that there are men in North Carolina, as well | as well as in other Southern States, how think that the Democratic Government. SLatenndFodor.il, will protect thorn in the killing oi'negroes at their own sweet will or on the slightest provocation, and tihs opinion is formed on the fact of tho killing of negroes since the election. Wo submit that the Democratic party has pledged is honor, and its sacred obligation, a thousand times, to see that the negro shall be protected at least in liis person, but the records of the Courts, as far as wo now recollect, do not not prove that any white nian under Democratic rule has been punished for the killing of anj' negro, no matter how brutal or how wanton the killing may havo been. Lot the Democrats ceaso to proclaim protection lor negroes ns long as while men shoot them down as wild beasts of the ttsvl/l T? to o (a ai?? AIU1U* IV ID aui^ittuiu UUI VJ WilOdllVtl that these poor, helpless creatures may he wantonly killed at an}' time with porfci-t impunity, and $ho Charlotte Observer may cease to make any pretensions for an equal administration of the laws, if such killing is to go unpunished. We claim no exemption of blamo for Abboville County, or this Judicial Circuit if there 1 has been dereliction in tho prosocution of ' white men for tho killing of negroes, and ' we believe no white man has ever sufferred for any assault upon a negro, although numbers of thorn have boeu slain. < With the newspapers filled with apolo- I getic accounts for the killing of negroes, such as the Charlotte Observer and tho Laurensville Herald, it is useless for us to attempt to proacl) peace and good will from the whites and blacks. Why is there such unrest among the negroes at Laurens that whole colonies of them are going oil ? May not circumstances like , those which they relate have something , to do with it? It is not only useless and ( senseless for the Democratic party to pro/?aa/Lu-I!1 fA tlm if u'o iir*f falsely to tho performance. If our news- j papers apologize for brutal murder of negroes and our juries acquit the culprits, whore is our manhood ? The Sarannali Valley Kail road. The work of grading tho Savannah Valley Railroad progresses, and Anderson will do hor duty nobly. That city has just voted its Imids for tho road in an additional sum of 525,000, and the act is now only waiting ratiiication by the General Assembly. This will secure the completion of tho grading of the road from one end to the other. It is reported that in consequence of the refusal of the townships, through which it runs, to vote an appropriation toward the work, that no depot will be established between Lowndesville and the village of Anderson, a distanco of twenty miles, and it is furthermore said tliPt Anderson ha3 voted the last 825,000 on tho express condition that no depot or stopping place shall I*" * * I?j1? Itottuduit t liAco nlnr>no Wn UO u^i if veil VUVOV |/?mv/vo* ?? V ^ Lave implicit faith in tho financial sagacity o I the people of Anderson, and as such an arrangement would be greatly | to thoir advantage, we are not surprised , at their action in tbus preventing the ea- , tablishing of competing stations. If the | pcoplo alrng the lino of this road had ( contributed to the grading, they would have had at least two stations on the road between Lowndcsville and Ander- . son. On tho Augusta and Knoxville road the depots are located at intervals | of from four to eight miles, and the same accommodations would have been iur- ; nished to the people along the Savannah Valley road above Lowndesville, if they t had helped to build it. Of course all the J trade and business which would go to ( any little stations that might bo estab- J lished would bo just so much taken from < Anderson, 'nit as Anderson advances the ; money with which to secure the road, 1 wo think it nothing but self-protection ? lor Anderson to claim her just rights in J the matter, and thus prevent others from i appropriating the road which she may build. If she builds the road she is entitled to tho largest benefit. and this can be secured only by setting an embargo 1 on the use of her own road to her own nuri. IjCI Aliuvrsoil suns. iu HUM rmum- , tion, and she will not lie hurt by the ad- ' ditional subscription of ?2o,000. , " i Pardons and Commutations. s Wo have received an interesting pamphlet containing a "statement of pardons ai.d commutations granted by Hugh S. 1 Thompson, Governor of the State of South j Carolina, frcm November 5, 1833, to October 21, 18S4." We would recommend this book to the caretul attention of our Legislators. Tnis book, we think, proves conclusively that there might bo some improvement 1 in the laws, so as to relieve the Court 1 from the necessity of trying some ol the i cases. For instanco: In the case of the J negro woman from l'ickcns with twins, r charged with a moral offence, tho (acts upon which a pardon was granted were 11 all known to the Court at the tune of the trial. Then why consume tho time ol ttic Court in convicting a woman it was > almost certain the Governor would par- . don on receipt of application ? The Gov- , hui'A rnfiitind it V. ,.x.? .... Tliero is much in this little book to which wo would like to cull the attention of our Legislators, but havo not the space. | We believe every pardon was based on reason, justice, and common sense, and from many statements of the Solicitors and Judges we are nt a loss to know why they allowed the prisoners to bo convicted at all. It seems to us that the Solicitor should want nothing but justice between the citizen and the State. Any idea that it is creditable to convict every prisoner, whether innocent or guilty, is as erroneous as it is iiujust. Could the Judge not be allowed sotre discretion ? Abbeville and Anderson. The people of Anderson vilkigo have j b.nided the town for $.30,000 to build the Savannah Valley railroad, and it will i prove a good investment. Why cannot Abbeville spend ?10,000 to secure the i same advantages for which Anderson pays so dear. With cheap freights at Greenwood and Anderson, we might* just as well go out of business, unless! wo ?nt td lniiltiifiLT tho road to Vorderv !, at once. We all recollect how Anderson 1 drew our trade under tho favoritism t which Dodameade extendod to that town,11 and we will see the same affairs ro-in- 'i augurated as soon as the Savannah Val-:{ ley railroad is finished to Anderson, un- i less the Verdery road is built. South Carolina Bar Association. 1 About fifty merubors of the Bar of l South Carolina have issued a circular let- ' ter urging tho formation ofaStaioBir , Association. They call for a convention :? of Bar Delegates to meet in tho Court f llouso of Columbia on Thursday even- ' ing, Decernber 11, at eight o'clock for the purpose of organization. They ask that a each comity Bar in the State will at once 1 hold a meeting and elect at least three t delegates to attend the convention in Co- c lnmbia. i We aro entirely in favor of such an As- f sociation. We bollevo that it would be t well not only for tho mem bora of the \ Bar itself, but for tho whole public. j e Mr. Blake's Letter. 1 We publish In another column n letter ' from W. K. Blake, Esq., In reply to our ( editorial comments on his recent letter to Clerk Zeigler. This letter was received by the mall Tuesday night of last week, but owing to the fact that we already had In Land all the matter which it was possi- i bio for us to put in type that night, its 1 publication was delayed until this week. Wo hope, however, that Mr. Blake's interosts have not suffered by the unavoidable delay. By tho way, we appreciate the courtesy implied in the explanation for tho appearance of Mr. Blake's lotter in the columns of the Messenger. Mr. Blake acknowledges that his Istter was intended by him to be a "private cor- 1 respondents between Clerk Zeigler and himself," and ho further claims that he 1 "had a right to ask of a public officer" ! the performance of an act for which tho ' law he cited did not evon hint at 1 giving him the shade of authority. Tho 1 law which he quotos is in these words : 1 "It shall bo tho duty of the presiding ' judge, before whom such oflicer shall be I tried, to cause a certified copy of tho in- < dictmont to bo immediately transmitted , to the Governor, who shall upon receipt thereof, declare, by proclamation, his oftico vacant." i Will the learned lawyer please point out i wherein reference Is made to tho Clork of Court in these lines? "It is tho duty of the Pi-esiding Judge, find not of tho Clerk of the Court, to cause the certified copy to be transmitted to theUovornor, and if the Clerk had wilfully and maliciously transmitted to tho Governor u copy of the iudictment, as requested by "Mr. niako, he would lmve been liable to indictment for "oppression in ofllce." But even admitting that the law did direct the Judge to "immediately" transmit the papers, what is hore meant by "immediately ?" Docs it moan that the Judgo is to send the papers himself, without tho intervention of another, or does it refer to time? If it refers to time, does it mean when the accused has ben indicted? or whon a true bill has been found against him? or does it mean at any other time before tho conclusion of the trial? It cannot mean before tho conclusion of tho trial, because the reader will readily understand that that would be contrary to evBry sonso of justico and right, and it is also contrary to the words and ? rnlirnTj nf t)ir> SnnrnmA Hmirt. That < Court says : "During tho tlmo thf> appeal was boing prosecuted, tho sentence was practically suspended, for it \va-? proper not to enforce it pond ing appeal, tho result of which might have been to reverse the judgment. * * * Trial was not ended until the appoal wasdismissod." Tho aboyo ruling of the Supreme Court would be sufficient authority for the Clerk's refusal to send the papers in Tarrant's oaso to the Governor, even if (lie law had directod him to do ho, but no such duty is, by law, imposed upon him fit any time, either before or after tho conclusion of tho trial. Then why this undue haste on the part of Mr. Blake to enforce judgment mproporly against Tarrant, or any :>ther man, before the conclusion of his trial? Is there in the books of the law. or in tho traditions of the law, a similar private effort on the part of any lttornev to "liavo n lodgment enforced pending an u^peai which might reverse the jugdmcnt?' That Mr. Dlake did ?eek to take an unusual advanage of brother lawyers and thereby do in irreparable injury to an officer is ex- j pressly alllrmtd by Mr. Biake, when ho 1 > ! n In I 5iij'3 Hint/ ma jjaiu in 1.1113 iiiwaw PAiitt- g irdinary proceeding "was intended t is a private correspondence between t Clerk Zeigler and myself." 1'hat is, lie, > Mr. Blake would endeavor to deprive t I'arrant, of his office, and liave him ( lismissed therefrom, not in the usual > sourse of tho law, but by his private in- g luence over tho Clerk, under a show t ?f friendship for him which was eouplcd t .vith a threat that he would "have to com- u nunicate with the propor officer," if the i JUerk should refuse to accede to hia re- a luest. 3 As a specimen letter of Che9tcrfieldian politeness on tho part of an able and c, earned lawyer, who *eems to be as well c t*crsod in tho art of writing letters as in \ .he practice of tho law, wo reproduce tho A otter of Mr. Blako, which "was intended as a private correspondence between c Ulerk Zeigler and himself." In the nean time tho public may bo curious to 11 'appreciate Mr. Blake's position in tho natter since Benct's tirade against him." J] Bero is tho letter : I Gkf.emwood, a. C., Nov. 15th 1881. Major M. G. Zijiglkr, Ahheville C. H? S. C.: [ Dear Major?'l'hvn> Is much complaint here t hat. yon li.ive not executed the order of Court i rqulrinu a copy of indictment of J. R. Tnr- , ant to tie sent to the Governor Immediately v See Statute. Sec. 2.V-6), on receipt of which he v s to dcclnre ttie ofllce vacant. Tarront is still , issuming to discharge the functions of his of- J Ice and cays lie has orders to soon. I hope H ,<iu will not entangle yourself with this mat- r er by delaying to comply with the order of e ,'ourt. t Please inform ine by next mall of the true itate of things. If I near nothing, I will have o communicMte with the proper ofllccron the , iuhject. I hope you appreciate my po>ition 1 u the matter since Benet's tlrude against me. ^ Your friend. W. K. BLAKE. f Mr. Blake, in his letter of this week, n vould mislead the reader as to the char- c icter of what "was intended by him ns a 7 )rivate corresdondence between Clerk * ieiglerand himself." He says: S "I was merely seeking theinformatW n 1 .vhieh I and those who had engaged me v ,o formulate the charges upon which the j, i.dlctmeutand conviction were based, had i right to ask." e It was certainly Mr. Blake's right to '' isk Clerk Zeigler for?ny information ob- ^ finable in his office. But we will leave it (1 or ethers to say if Mr. Blake did not ask "or "information" in a manner winch was 1 joth disrespectful and insulting, and ,ve are perf rctly willing for tho readers 0 >f the rresit and Banner to say if the J olio wing lottor was not a proper res- J )onse to Mr. Blake's threatening letter: r >V. K. IIlake, Esq- ' Lear Hir? I thank you for your kind koIIcI- ti tide in my belialf In nol wishing me entan;led In ilie Tariant ease, but at the same time u )ioie>s to know something of rny duty In the i natter and expect to act according to my own .lews in Uic premises. c I think you will Hud that I have authority 0 mil reason lor. my course. Yours very respectfully r M. G. ZEIGLER. t As Mr. lsitiico suia : niero is mucn i ' complaint here that you have not ex'oeuted the order of the Court," etc., and j vishing to disabuse the people's minds t is to any supposed official dereliction on t he part of Clork Zeiglor, and supposing \ he public of Greenwood was entitled to s eceive the information, we published i; ho facts, without knowing that Mr. t Slake wante.d a m >nopoly of the inform- |: ion as to the facts in the Tarrant case, d >r that ''the correspondence between Cleric Zeigler and himself wis intended 0 be private." Ilore is tho information or which Mr. Blake asked, in the vords of tho Press and Banner, and to vhich Mr. Ulako objects, and pourj out 1 1 torrent anathomas upon us, tho Judge, he Solicitor, and the Clerk. If he was 'merely seeking information," what is he . nad about? Didn't wegivo it to him ? Js, ie vexed because we made tlio inform:.- j iou public, instead of sending it to hiraj nivately ? . Ilero a copy of tho information which nake* Mr. Blake so furious, and which J. a copied from tho Press aud Banner of 1 November ID: * c "At the lad term of Court Trial Jusllcu TarAnt. was found iMilltv of misconduct in ollicc.' c uid sentenced to pay ?50 mid be imprisoned 11 me week in the county Jail Kroni tl)l> d?Tlsoil Tarrant appealed to ihc Supreme Court or n new trial. I5y consent of I lie Solicitor y lis Honor, Judge Aldrlch, ordered tin* Clerk >f Court to hold the papers until the case had t jeen heard in the Supreme Ujurt. and the de:lslo? had In on ,'iled. As It was Impracticable ojfet u special cession of the supreme Court, o hear this important ease, some little time iH'cessary In whleh to reach a filial Judjrnentiiithe matter. The eosr, we Relieve, Is . )elng puslu-d with due diligence,and we hope : ' hat the public tnav be willing to give the old j| nan the privilege of testing the correctness of, lie verdict and the validity of the trial." , c Mr. Blake, commenting on tho infor-j? nation furnished by us says: j0 "In the editorial communis, tho start- * ing revelation is made that tho Judge li ordered tho Clerk of tho Court to hold i the papers until tho case had heen heard ! in tho Supremo Court, and tho doeision j Hied.' If that is so, then the Jutlgo i>- ? mod two orders, tho one to execute the l' aw, the other to nullify it." In view of the law abovo quoted, and R villi tho rulings of tho Supreme Court |t icfore our eyes, it would seem strange hat tho learned practitioner in Tarrant's li :ourt should have made such an egregious [' nistake as to tlie law, and should have so li <ir forgotten himself as to charge an up- ? iglit and conscientious judge, against vhoiu, in a long life of hono.able public icrvice, uo *uuh cbargc as Ibat of an ef- (c lort to "nullify" the law has heretofore been made. Is this the method the loarnad lawyer practices in Tarrant's court? The learned lawyer thus arraigns the Circuit Judge: "The statement of Press and Banner without the records, is not sufficient to brand the Court with so grave tt charge as that of deliberately intervening to defeat the execution of the law." If the learned lawyer nad been nt Abbeville and in the presence of the Court, he would have hoard the "order" with his own oars, hut as we are not bound ?o furnish practitioners in Tarrant's Court with copies of the orders of the Circuit Court wo trust he will excuse us from doing so. In ordinary casos there would not have been any usoatall forsnch an "order," but whether it wan from the unusual circumstance of the conviction ol ui oifli-er that the mattor was discussed, >r whethor it was from an abundance ol precaution on the part of defendant's counsel to head off the evil that might follow the possible "private correspondence between Clerk Zeigler and myself Mr. Blake} is unknown to us. The result it would see:n has proved that it was well to provide against the cnntingen<*y. Mr. Blake closes his letter and reaches i grand climax with a magnificen; flourish of rhetoric, by saying: "Not in a hurry to get Tarrant out, as tho Press and Banner would have us believe, but an unwillingness that the law sh<>uld lie silenced aC the bidding if any man, whether Judge, Solicitor, Press, and banner, Clerk, or all combined." Mr. Blako hints that tho "Judf?o, Solicitor, Press and Banner, Clerk, or all combined," would silence tho law. As a matter of fact, we think the public will take quite a,different view of tho matter, ind give the officers of whom ho speaks io disparagingly, credit for only trying lo keep Mr. Blako from over-riding the law and trampling under foot tho most lacrcd rights of tho American citizen. Even if wedonotmako it clearly appear that Mr. BlaUe has acted in a manner unknown to tho Court at Abbeville intil the recent action of tho ablo and jealous practioner in Tarrant's court, yet >n gonctal principles, it is quite probable .hat tho readers of tho Press and Banner lv5!I rrli'A filthor nf lhA frni^ti?nrl credit for being ns law abiding, as public jpirited, and us worthy of public confilenre in every respert, as Mr. Blake, But when a question of law is at issue he presumption of Mr. Blake in setting ip his own judgment against each and ill of these "combined" may be well unlerslood by the public. Even in Radical times the Court never aecotne so corrupt as to warrant any lawyer in charging Judge, Solicitor, Clerk md village newspaper with combining 11 order "that tho law should be silenced." Such implied Relf-laudation by my lawyer while impugning the integri;y and honor of tho Court in which he practices, is without precedent. No lawyer in Radical times ever attempted to lestroy public confidence in tho only ;ribunal to which we may look for justice md the preservation of our doarest ight*. We are inclined to think thit Mr. Blake did not weigh his words when le impugnes tho integrity and honor of inch men as Judge Aldrich, Solicitor Orr, }lerk Zoigler, and charged opposing :oui>sel with "scheming." After having practiced so long in Tar ant's Court, it is no wonder that Mr. 31ake should exhibit eccentricities when 10 appears in iho Circuit Court, and t need not surpriso the public if he reiort to extraordinary methods to secure ho points which were not otherwiso at-.j ainable, but we are sure that no one hero vould have over charged Mr. Blake with naking a private ell'ort to influence the Jlerk ol the Court to do what the law, vhich he quotes, does not even remotely ;ivo him-the power to do. In the Clerk's lignifled response we have evidence of he advantage of having a Clerk who will ict strictly "according to his own views,", nstead of obeying the private dictum of i lawyer whose opinion had not been ought. To provo that we are not alono in tho pinion that Mr. Blake is in error, we jopy the following paragraph from last veek's issuo of our cotemporary, the ibbcville Messenger : "We hnveglven place to the communication >( W. K. itiakc, ii*q., though we tiilnk it iuj;lit to have been sent to the I'resn unit Hunicrtis it purports to be iu reply to that paper's rtlcleoi last week In regard to ilie subject natter ol ihepiesent communication. We tliink that Mr. XJ>uKc is laboring under i liilMaKe in Mip|iu>ing that the word "inlinellately" In I lie section ol the Statute winch lec.uotes, lslutendeJ to be of force i ill heia.o it an appeal by one convicted. That inu.idate loes not overrule tne right 01 appeal. 'It was he opinion ol the Couit Unit the appeal stnyd the execution ol the sentence an.i We think his Is right. For suppose Sijulre Tarrant bad icen pin out ul tils otMee ' Immediately" and ipou tlie hearing of Ins appeal the veidut rnereby ho was convicted bad been set aside, i bat icdress would lie then have/or his dls-i osM'ssioii ? We are sure that no one of the itltcers ol the Court, or the Court itseli has) . y other InLQrcst in this matter than to ear-! y oit?. 'he law, and any suspicion ol any oth-t r moil in injustice iu wunuj nuu nuiciciii, itlicerb." In conclusion. Wcarenot championing tlr. Tarrant's cause, nor arc wo vindicivoly assailing Mr. Blake. We only irotest against what we conceive to be ,n improper use of the law and its olfiers to punish even the humblest elti;en. Mr. Tarrant, although old and I'ee>le, has as much right to look to the, itate for protection as any other citizen.' Svon though he ho "compassed about1 villi so great a cloud of witnesses," yetl le should neither bo prematurely crushid nor illegally punished by the mall inery of the law. Jf Mr. Tarrant inuy >e unjustly oppressed, why may not any J ither man's rights be taken away from ; lim, if he happen to offend the oflicera of ho law ? mr. lanaut iiu uuuui- nn? niauu vnuio if judgment ami errors of law. What udgft is it that has not erred T What udge Is it that has not had his judgnents overruled ? Except in Mr. "arrant's ease the erroneous nets of all ther Judgos have been carried up t> , higher court for correction, but Mt. ["arrant seems to have been indicted for rime because of his misunderstanding if the law, and for those errors of judg-1 nent, ho has been put upon trial, is now >oing prosecuted tin lor the criminal' aw. If it sh'ill appear best to the highest tower to which Mr. Tarrant can appeal, o push him to the wall, to punish him n the extent of tho law, then be it so. Ve shall tnako no complaint. But we ay let not the officers of the law lynch lim. Let them not lay violent hands on lie old man, and rob him of his otlico. If 10 has to suffer lot him be punished unler the forms of law. Abbeville in the Legislature. Owing to a misunderstanding wo liavej io letter from Columbia this week, hough we might have published consid-1 rable matter from our daily exchanges, j ^s.yet the Legislature has done but little, i hat body having spent most of tho week j t\ (Vnllimr fi111 V Mr nlli'/.pfl. if Vfc?"0 *"*V "* ?- | Wo notice that Abbeville has a good cprcsentation on the committees. Mr. rraydou, waysand means, and engrossed j tills. Mr. Tarker is chairman of incor-j orations, and a member of tho judiciary. | Jr. John K. Bradley, agriculture, and ( icnitcntiary. Mr. II. R. Hemphill, hairinan printing, and a member of ommittce on claims. Mr. \V. K. Blake, nilitary and ongrossod bills. We think Abbeville should lie pleased kith positions which have been assigned o her representatives. The Governor's Message. This able paper appears elsewhere. * - - - ? ? ,,r VO 00 HOt pi ^1 VU a oj L, nor do wo attempt to rehearso its renminewlations. It is a document whieli very citizen should read. If is worthy; four able and cultured Governor, and tint is the highest praise to one who is so ivorably known as Governor Thompson. Among tlie notices of bills already Introuced of general Interest, iirc three for the barters of new railroad*, tlnee In reliti n; t) traff c In seed cotton, one, by .Mr. Ihake, f A'bevllle. to repeal tlie lien law, two 10 mend the stock law, one in relation to ini'iidmentR t<? tlie law respcct I in: the sale . Intoxicating liquors,one hy Mr. ISluke "to irii\idcf<>r the applhation ot tlie tun mill nx for the school purposes to t.'ie negro nnd rhite ra?e respectively, upon whose property t is lcvlc.1. one to piovide for the >1 uiaetil of i-ngineers In eaeli of tlie counties ofj ne -late, and one to change the penalty fur j trceny. so ns to < ompel the convict* to work ; n n.e roads of the respective comities in ! > lucli they may be convicted. Abbkvim.k takes a good stand on the; oinruitlees in the Legislature. * CONDITION OF THE STATE. GOVERNOR THOMPSON'S MESSAGE TO TEE LEGISLATURE. The Pablie Debt?Bedqctlon of Local Indebtedness ? Progress of the Public Schools?'The Good Work of the Colleges and military Com* mltitce?flow to Rednce Taxes OneHalf?Other Hatters of Interest. TI1E STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA,1 Executive Chamber, > Colombia, S. C., November 30, 1884.) Gentlemen of the General A stembly: In the discharge of the duty Imposed upon tli3 Governor by the Constitution, to give to tiio Oonerul Assembly information of the condition of t!ie State, and recommend for their consideration such measure* as h?.shall Judge necessary or cxppdlent. I hHve the honor to transmit. the following Message: Tho Pobllc Debt. The estimated amount of the public debt Is almost the came as reported, the only changes hpln-r the purchase and cancellation of Sll.'iOO .if Deficiency Uonds by tho Sinking Fund Cam mission, and the funding of $1 Sfll of Fire Loan Uonds not previously included among the outstanding securities. The whole estimated debt Is as follows: Consols (valid) $.i,K>4.6->8.77; Detlc'ency Bonds and Stocks, 9l50,toti.29: Agricultural College Scrip, SI 11,00; and bunds and sio^k fsnii unrumicu under the Act of i873and tlie amendments thereto, amounting, principal and Interest, to iihout I the whole oggregatlng So522,270.1)2. The unfunded debt, 3115.n5M.*j6, Includes Interest unpaid from July, 1872, to January. 1880, which under Act or 1878 lMfundabieatpnr,and also 8021,822.72 of old bond* and stock with Interest estimated to 1880, ana which under Act of 1873 are fundable at 50 per ccnt. Of thl* last class of bonds, notwithstanding the very large amounts still unfunded, but. lew are now presented for exchange, only 527.000 have been funded during the laat year, and less than 8JO.ODO In the last two years, so that It Is re-isnnuble to suppose ihut many of them have disappeared and will never have to he redeemed by the Stale. The exchange of Ore'-n Consols for Brown Consols bus progressed satisfactorily, there being but 8363,372.44 of the former class outstanding, nnd i f which 83-9,110.30 or "VA per cent. Is invalid. In addition to the debt of tne Stale, the Comptroller General has prepared a statement showing the debt of every County, city and town with the ciMiracter of the obligation and the purpose for which incurred. No greater evidence of the progress and prosperity of the Slato Is needed than the exhibit made by these tables, hy which it appears that In the short period of four yenrs tlie Indebtedness of the Counties ha* been decreased by very nearly ?1.200,<xi0. Ills a matter ot congratulation to the people of the State that by the regular and unfailing payment of the Interest on her debt, and the prompt settlement of all valid claims against her, the credit of the State Is now established beyond question. and roufldcnce In her willingness and ability to meet her obligations so restored as to place her bonds at a high premium In the markets of the country. The attention of the General Assembly Is i called to thut portion of the Comptroller | General's Report which refers to the year which hits been lost In the Oolleciion of taxes. I No more Iniportantquestlon will claim your attention than that of providing some methj od of meetlnif this emergency. The necessity of depending upon temporary loans from hanks to meet the Interest on the State debt, and at a time, too, when the hanks may he unable to give the needed assistance, Is much to be deplored, and no effort should bo spared to relieve the fiscal department of the State from such an unfortunate and unhnsli ness llki-position. During the last Summer, the condition of the money market, was such as to make It a matter of serious doubt whether the banks would be able to allow th* advances agreed upon with the State Treasurer, and. In order to relieve the pressure as much as possible, the Comptroller General was forced to suspend, for a time, the issuing of warrants to all charitable Institutions and ireno al claimants, compe ling these creditors to discount their claims, ana thus entailing upon them losses which should properly have teen borne by the State. I will siiegcsi no method of correcting this evil, satisfied, as I am. that you will, in your wisdom, adopt that remedy which Is most practicable under the circumstances. Revenue and Expense*. 1 It is estimated that It will require $372,195 IO meenne oruiiinry expeiim wi me uu?euiment fur the tiscnl year 188J-KS, und 8391,337 to pHy Interest. on the public debt. Tlie phosphute royaity should yield 3)50,000, and there will be In the treasury an estimated surplus o! 3121,255, leaving but 8!89,27U to be raised by taxutlon, and requiring a levy of three and a half mills. Tnls amount will probably be Increased by appropriation" nut Included In estimate for current expenses, but the rate of taxation need not exceed that of the last year. Return of Property for Taxation. The amount of property roturned for taxation for 1881 Is: Heat estate 3 87 5r>9 518 Personal property 46 901 706 Railroad property 15 263 306 8 149 7'21 609 This Is a loss of 3^81,695 on the return of 1S83; personal ptoperly having fallen oti' by 31,345,?14, while real estate has gained 3128,IS/, and rullroad property 8(5,402. It Is u notable fact that ine Increase in real esiaie, during the last year, is altogether in the cities and towns, the returns of country property having decreased by about 8UO.UOO. TUut these ligures do out truly repcrrent me value of the taxable property ot Hie State, is clearly demonsuited by the lieourt of the Comptroller General, which shows that real estate Is asne>sed at .ess than 68 per cent, ol its market value, while personal properly Is taxed at le s th .n one-third of its estimated value, in uddlt.on lotl.ic, ti eCumporiler (Jeneml estimates hull Limre are at least 2.000.000 acies of land wnicli ait: not 11 ]joii tlic tax buoks at all, and this estimate is sustained by lue He port of the secretary of the state on the a.tine subject. ibe value of the taxable property ol' the Stale may lalily be estimated at about 82jo,uU ',000, Instead of Sl X),(WO,uO, an assessed, in this connection, 1 beg to call alteiition to Hie Report ol I lie-Secretary of ."Stale to the hi lilting Fund Commission, wherein It Is shown tout mere are now upon the forfeited recoids ol the State, and nominally In the custody of the Coimnl slon, no le-s than hoo,,.9Jueies of l.uid, representing a valuation ol upon wiilcu there are due me State uccumu.ated taxes and penalties amounting to S-lia,8ti<5. Wuen it is remembered tiiat not an acre of tills laud pays taxes, and Unit It Is only nominally in possession ol the Stale, whlie the owners remain undisturbed lit the enjoyment of the revenues therefrom, the necessity of decisive legislation on the subject will be apparent. Any further abatement of. or release. Irom, the UiXeh upon this properly, will a<a as au encourage em to still greater delinquencies, laLller than us an Inducement to its redemption. I would call cflpi'dal attention to the suggestions made by the Secretiny ol mute as to liic legislation necessary to enable the i.otuinissio^ers of the ninkin,' fund to dispose of theiaige amount of land on the Koneited Land Keco.-d, and I recommend that sycli legislation be had as will aecoinpusii this much-to-be-desiied object. Tax Laws. Tn:inm:irh an a Commission hns bocn an pointed to revise the tux l.iwaorthe .Stateand report h nioie>u liable sy?leui of us?et>inueni and taxation, 1 sliait i;ol attempt lo make suggestion* on this subject. Tlie report of the Commission will tie submitted to tbo General Assembly at tills .se?Mun. i eoneui, however, In the recommendation of tlie Comptroller Uenmd us to a change in tlie time of t iking returns iind of collecting the taxes; and ii c-MiMStent with the general scheme ol such tax laws as may be passed at this session, 1 recommend Its adoption. I w-.ul.i a-lt your caieful attention to the full ami abie Ueport of tlie Comptroller General, which Contains much useful Information mid makes many valuable suguenlion touching the imporituil department of tlie Slate go\ criyticnt under his cnarge. Public Schools. The Report of the Superintendent of Education shows marked improvement in the general condition ol I lie public schools. Notwithstanding the existence of many ci.us. s tending to impede tlie work during the last year, very decided advances have been made. There were enrolled In the public schools 81,U'JS while pupils, and 101,591 colored, making a total of 18j,tiiD, an increase of 12,5.4 pupils over the luige enrollment of the previous yt-nr. According to the calculations oi the .Superintendent, this enrollment l> found lo be 6> per cent, of the total school population ; or, stated according to race, 62}/? percent, ol '.lie white, and oG 1-9 per cent, ol the colmed tiilldieu weie euioiled. This percentage si? >ws that i he schools have been brought wlth'.i the reach of the children as fully us is do.ie In New York or Pennsylvania. The Increase In INU 1111 11 > UCI VI IctlL'UUin 1.1 ijv, lu vnw uuiiivvi of tfciiuoU, 213. The school fund Is also Increasing witu tlie enhancement of property values. The total available school fund fur 1.-8I-82 wa- 8.71,171.19; for 1&.2-83 it was 3517.937,27. 1 he amount lor 1-,83-sl cannot bedellnitely u-certalned until the llual accounting of the county treasurer's ncxi April, but tlie>e Is every icasuu to bedeve that it will exceed mat of the preceding year. Most ol' the School Commissioners report better teachers, l etter school houses and u greater interest In education on the part of the people. These results, In the opinion of the .Superintendent of Education, are largely the outcome of the Normal Institute work Inaugurated in 18-0. The complete and suggestive report of Dr. E. S. Joy lies, which forms a purl ot the Superintendent's Annual Ueport, gives a bro.id. comprehensive \iew of the educational forces brought Into play through these Institutes. They have become factor*of groat Importance lu the development ol the Mate, and 1 cordially recommend them to the continued support of the General Assemoly. The Supei intendt nt of Education makes various suggestions lor the Improvement of the public school system which i com mend to your earnest considciiition. Among them Is one ask- , lug for the enactment of a ouv giving, under certain lestilctious, the power to cltie-, towns and Incorporated villages to levy local taxis lor the support ol public schools. The power to levy local school taxes, when conferred by the Legislature, should be so guarded as to picvenl the possibility of unjust and burdensome taxation, and to protect luliy the rights of property* against encroachment. Seveiai Acts hu\c been pu.-sed from time to time ?ilvi.... m .......i,.I niniitiins tln? riirht to lew such taxes. The uniform success which has attended the working: <>f the public schools wherever ilie plan oi local luxation fur ihilr] Mipporl has been fully tried, proves (hat. this i inoiic oi raising rev? nues Ik the one best suit- i cd lor supplementing the State school fund, i Under our system or government public edu-! latloii can oniy a tain the highest results! throuuh local support and local control oi the n schools. The local governments, teaching as i they do most closeiy to the homes of the peo- i pie. can best be entrusted with the care ot the educational Interests of their respective ' omuiunitiCN. 11 In givina further shape to our educational i work, we should nol everlook the Importance I of attaching to It that feature which pu:s the management of tne schools almost wholly In the hands of local authorities. The besL gov- i crnn ent lor the schools is that of the people, ( wit h no more Stale control than Is necessary I to secure the harmonious and orderly workin* of the system. Experience in other Slates ; has shown thai local management is the vital ; principle of a well organized public school i system,and Unit without it all that Is most 1 essential for the full development of any i scheme of public education will be lost. tine of the pressing wants in our school system is for good high schools. The only plan I which 1 can snguest by which such schools I can be supplied Is to supplement the State . school lax by local levies. The I'ltlrerMlfy of .South Carolina. The University of South Carolina,as at present constituted, compilses the Claliln College, for coloted students, at Oranueburg ; the South euro.Inn Military Academy,at O.'arl. s-1 ton, and the South Carolina College, at Colum-11 blu. Clndiii Collccp. 11 I No report <>i the operations of tills College for thelasl session lias been made to me, but I 1 have no reason to doubt that the work i done last year compares well with tliat ol I foniier years. Ciidi-r I ho ahle anil ellleicnt j ( manaiM-nn lit oft c Kev. K. Cooke. 1). I>., I Ills ! Institution litis ticj> in,dished much good lorii tlio youth who luivo hud tlic benefit ol its}; Instruction and through them for the im-' proveinent of the colored ruce In this State. The Military Academy. I ask to call your attention specifically to the Report of Ihe Board ol Visitors of that: branch of t.he University known as the South Carolina Military Acudemy. It exhibits a hlgh'grade scientific and practical school, the curriculum of which in thoroughly pursued. This iiistltutloti was reopened on Octobor 1, l&>2, since which time It has been in active and regular operation. One hundred and tlilrty-elght or the youth of South Carolina are now receiving Its Instruction, and Lite result cannot but redound u> the best interest*of the State. Every County In the State Is at present represented In the Academy, and the number would be much larger were It not that the standard of acholarxhlp, which the system In Its thoroughness demands, annually depletes the ranks or the classes. The course of Instruction includes the de paumentsof Mathematics and Engineering. Physical Science, History, Belles Lcttres anu KthlfS, French and German, Military Science and Tactics. This, it will be seen, embraces a thorough and comprehensive scheme of studies, such us addresses Itself to the needs of the Stato, especially in the sphere or technical and Indus trial training. Nor should It be overlooked that the military regulation and discipline which lie ai the round.itlon of this institution are valuable agencies in the proper moral a?d physical development of the youth of the The corps of officers and Professors, Agreeably to the application of thu board of Visitors, has been reintorced by (he addition ol a compt tent officer or Hie Unltt-d Stati-s Army, detailed by direction of the President as Professor of Military Science and Tactics. By virtue of my office, I have been a member of the Board or Visitors for the l.st two years, and I have yiven close attention to the affairs of the Academy. I am satisfied that It bus been conducted with nil the economy consistent with the standard of usefulness that has been established, and that the estimate submitted for the maintenance and education of the beneficiaries of the SUite cannot be safe ly reduced. It the full amount of the appropriation asked for is not granted, some of tinbeneficiary cadets inu-t be dismissed at once. From the fact that these cadets have entered Into an obligation to teach for two years after graduation In the public schools of the.-suite, it is but due to them that none of the nun ber be dismissed without fault before the completion of the court-e upon which they huvo entered. The wisdom of the legislators of our State who in 1812 established the state Milltiry Academy nas been amply vindicate! by time It stand* to-day an ImporUmt eleme nt in our educational scheme?one which well deservo* our fostering cure and llberul support Tbe Month Carolina College. The prosperous condition of theSouth Carolina College Is most gratifying, ami abundantly demonstrates the wl>dom oi ihe policy which effected Its reorganization inl->82. The last session was most successful. The catalogue shows a total enrollment of 202students ?a number exceeded but twice In the history of the institution. Of these 2)2 students, 1U8 were tmilveMoi theStati, the largest number of .South Carolinians ever assembled at any one time within the walls of the Institution. If comparison be made of the fourteen leanlug Universities of the South, us regards attendance and collegiate charges for the session ot 1831-4, It will be found that this college shows the third largest number of collegiate students?the University of Georgia having but. thirteen more, and the University of Alabama eleven more. As regards cheapness, it stands at the head of the list. It can be safely affirmed that equal educational advantages are not ottered as cheaply to t e students, and at less cost to the State by any other institution of learning in tills country. The ti.inl.oi- ,.f mul I'lf.i.l.. la.. I..- 11 tiutuuvi VI IHUUIVUHHOJ ???! IUV pic>ciu nca* slon is now ltiu, and tl In confidently expected thai It will reucli '.'ihj before the clos.-ofthe Second term. That the general business depression and the gloomy agricultural outlook in so many routines or the .-state haveatfected the attendance so little, Is as surprising as It Is encouraging to the fifends of the college The work of reorganization has been ranldly perfected. The courses of study ottered by the institution are coraprehenslveand vailed, and the lnstrticilou attorJed thorough and progressive. The discipline Is good, the bearing of the students admirable, ami the rela lions existing between thou, and the lacully kindly and harmonious. The requirement for admission, at tirr.l Judiciously conformed lo the educational necessities of the.State, are being steadily advanced, and the standards for uraduation, as high as those which obtain in ihe majority of the leading colleges of the country, are rigidly enforced. While loyal to the traditions of the past, and therefore desirous of maintaining its reputation id the Important department of classical learning, the authorities have wisely determined to adapt the college lo the clicum-tance of our people and to the activities and the demands of the present day. During the last session the courses ln:ciided to prepare young men lor the learned professions, fur scientific pursuits and lor the ordinary business avocntions of the life have been extended and Improved, and the new courses of Instruction in law, lr the science and art ol leaching, in physiology and pharmacy added. The d.-ientitic teaching is noi confined 10 theoretical In* slruction In the class room. Tnoroun and systematic drill in the laboratory and tleld Is wiig cu in QUI TVJ oiiu cn^iurcuiig in ^oucia't and In agricultural chemistry, in mineralogy, in botany and in pharmacy. The series of txpertinents made by the agricultural uepai tment daring tlie year Is extensive and valuable, and the results will be given 10 public tliIm winter. That the lntlueni-cof the Co.lc^e is already lelt in our educational uflairs, Ik shown by the fact that of tho twenty-lour graduates sent out lust year, thirteen, or more than SO per cent., are now engaged in tue work of teaching The organization and work of the college are beginning to attract the favorable nonce of the teadidg educators of the .South. A distinguished college president, predicts that "thin work will soon place south Carolina In ti e lead among .Southern States in university education." What has been already accomplished gives abundant promise that the lulnre<> the Institution will be In every %vay worthy ol its past, and that it will, as in tormer j ear*, repay the liberal support and patronage of one State by equally Uncial returns. To the value and largeness 01 these returns many of tne most distinguished anions my predterssors in ottlce have borne willing and eioqucnt testimony?testimony with which every one at all conversant with the history of tho State is familiar. To dwell upon the many beneficial results which can, witn confluence, be expccted lo follow from the establishment of the University of South Carolinauil its brandies upon a safe an<l peiman^ni foundation, or to press upon the General Assembly the importance of accord In g to It a liberal support. Issuie^ unnecessary lit this time, when our political skies are so bright with promise, when hope and confidence have returned to ourp. opie, when lio aity to the past and proper re^uru for ttie luttire. wheu the tcachiinrs of i iui-ri ence and the best, philosophy oi the day, when enterprise proves* una true wixi >in nil demand Hint our institutions lor hi her education s.shou.d be honored and cheusbedas accriaiu inoms of advaneing I lie material, the moral and Intellectual Interests Of tlie citizens of Hi is common wealth. i lie reports to be .submitted loynu wl 1 give full estimate* oi the amounts nqnlreu iot?up> port tlie dillerent branches oi the Uuul\ersliy during the year. 1 would eariie-tiy recommend ihiit sucn appropriation- l>e ui.nle us may be necessary to maintain their usefulness and to promote uuu increase their clli cieucy. The Institution for the Education of the Deaf aud Dumb and the Blind. The p.nnual report of the Institution for the Education of the leal and lJumb and the Wind shows an enrollment of seveniysix pupi Ik representing twenty-four counties. A department fur colored pupils has been opened, ami Is in successful operation The last United Hiates census thows quite a number oi deal, mule and blind children, of hch-iOi aye. in every county In the Sale. '1 lie audition now being made to the building will enable the Institution to adrnii and piovhle tor a much larger number than is now In Attendance. 1 would suggest to Lhe members oi ihe General Assembly the propriety ol culling theatteution of the people of their recpecti ve counties to the great Importance of having ali de;if or blind chi.drenof properdge placed In this institution, where :hey receive not only a literary education, but are taught trades, and fitted In every way to become selt-supDorLliii?. Iiiiouv noil useful citizens. According to their mean.*, pupils an; required, in whole or In part, to pay lor their board and tuition. The institution >8 i?hii aged wllii slriet economy. Under the control of the able and skilful superintendent, it iu.w ranks among the first Instiluilonsof ihe kind in iliis country. It deserves, ami It shouid receive, the continued support ol the State. Tile board of commissioners of this Institution asked last year for all appropriation ot twelve thousand dollars for erecting and furnishing the additional wing. now In proems of const ruction, which completes the original pian of the building. In view of the tact that it would lequire more than a year to finish the work, the Legislature appropriated six thousand dollars for the puipose, hut authorized the hoard to contract for the en lire building, said contract not to t'xeeed twi-ive thousand dollars. It wlli, therefore, be necessary for the present Legislature to appropriate the balance, six thousand dollars, to enable the hoard of cotnmlsslouei8 to carry out Iheli agreement wilh the coiitra-t >rs. The board of comtnlssioners ask for the following appropriations, viz: Fur the support of the institution, $10,000; for repairs.SVHi; for completing and furnishing west wing. 8j,0>)0; for insurance, $385; for colored department, 8590. I recommend thai these appropriations be granted. Tbe Lunntic Asylum. Thereportof thesuperintendentshnwstbat the number of patients at the beginning or , the la<t list ill year was tjO I, number admitted 20.1, readmitted S, making the whole number under treatment during the year Ool. The number ot Inmates at the close of the year. ' 628, wasdiminished t>y remanding3-1 Imbeciles In ilin I'll re III llielr resDective countv COinmls sinners, as authorized by Section or the ; General Statutes. The average numberof pit- 1 tlents was (iti inure than In the ^enr previous. ' The sanitary condition ol the Institution has ' been highly commended by the State bmiru of I)( liltI). Itappears that the number or colored patients is so steadily Increasing that they J will proiiaiily In a lew years constitute a ma- , Jorlly ol the Inmates of toe Institution. The poliey of providing for tliem In separate ! buildings, or possibly, In separate institutions, on economic or other grounds. Is commended to the serious consideration of the . General Assembly. As the census oi 18>0 shows that there are In ' the Slate 2,700 of tlic defective classes who . may claim admission to the Asylum, less ' than one-third of wliom are now Its inmates, In adopting a permanent policy it Is highly Important to look to the necessities ol' the fu- . tu re J A careful examination of the financial re- j port, wl 1 show that the Institution is man J lined ulth strict economy. It is true that the 1 appropriations tor the A-ylun? have, for sev- * eral .\ears, constituted a large propo:tlon of the expenses or the state, but It must be re- 1 membered that from 18U1 to 1*78, with trilling . exceptions, no provision was m.idt- for t!.e J [ onstantly increasing number or Inmates, 1 und that, consequently, the expanse of erect- ' lug niccssary buildings has added largely to j the outlay of the last few ycirs. The appro- 1 priatlon asked for this year will com pete the 1 centre building of the m w Asylum, which will hereafter leave the cost of maintenance the principal expense. It. Is gratil'ylu^ toobsprvothatthepercnplta . costol maintenance lias been reduced from ' 5M0 5I last year to $142.78t.l.Is year; or, deduct- 1 liii the amount received lioin p iy patients, U I he cost to IheStilte has laden lioi"SHI.M)last | 1 year to 812X.7.5 this year; ami that of lust | year's appropriation, SUJ.S.Isi remains to the if . red It or (lie institution. It also appears that. ' the estimates for this year, for all purposes, M ire less by $>,4S:?.Q5 than the amount appro-;' (iriated last year. 'l'lie suneriiilc iulent calls attention to ccr- ' tain ainendnienlx su^uestcd to the lunacyj' laws, all providing fur the exclusion from the :V*ylutn of such classes as are noi tit subjects < lor lis benellelary care, to wit: harmless 1 Itl.oLs, epileptics, imbeciles and Insuuc con- < vlets. i: l'cnltentinr.y. [ The report of the hoard of directors oi the s Penitentiary, in which are Included the re- t ports of the superinleiidcnt and of sub.trdi- I nate olllcers ol th<-prison, and the report of t Hit: engineer of the canal, clve full inlonnatlon on the subjects to which they respective- i ly t tfer. The number of convicts on the :11st of Oct? I L?i-r last wu? |j.r>f>, an Increase of Go over the e r- t res| otidlng peilod of hi-t y< ar. Ol ihNnuiii- t lierMti were coloied males, :ss colored icniahs, y Xi white males and 2 white leinahs, c The superintendent i eports thai t tied I Iter- < int convict cuiiips were Inspected during ilie f >'cur by biinsell or by the singcou of the Feu-t \ Itenllary, and although, In consequence of the t unusually dry summer, aickness has prevail- I cd to u considerable extent umuDK the leaned 1 convicts, their condition was an lavorable as \ was possible under the circumstances. i In all instances the contractors have shown e willingness to make audi changes in the man- 1 agemcut and care of the eonvicis as wax t suggested by the superintendent or the sur- t gl'ulj. e The work of completing the north wing of 1 the prison has been pressed forward as rapid- J ly as posslblo, and a large Workshop similar c to the ono now in uso Is In course ol erection, t Until the north wing Is finished It will be imI o>siblo to provide accommodating within the walls of the prison for all the convicts now uudeiKoInx sentence. Theplxn ol hiring convicts to contractors ' to be worked without the supervision of the itnecrs of the prl>on 1* opeu to many and se I rlous objection". Whenever employed undei ' .-ontract they should have the supervision o; 1 >Illcers who have the vigilance, judgment 1 >nd sk111 In the manogetnent of large bodiet 1 of convicts which can be attulned only by ex- ? pericuc: and aeeun-d only by official rcsp'-nslblllty. In no other way can the gre it objec: ' of prison discipline?the reformation ol crim- ' Inals?be promoted. The Penitentiary la uow not only aelfaus- ' talnlng, but isasourceof revenue to the Slat . With continued good management the lu- ' come from tills source will Increase. The ca>n receipts for the lust fiscal year 1 Were 576,0)3.22, the disbursements $74,.r?i7.71, 1 leaving on hand a cash balance ol &G5.4&. 1 The disbursements lncludeall ol thecxpenses I of the Penitentiary and of the canal. To the casn ba a ice ah nil 1 lie a Ided. as sbo.ving tne 1 earnings of ihe Penitentiary for the year, 48, ' 14i(jy, due by contractors for the hire ot con- < vici?, tnaeiner wun one minion uncus mauc by convicts, wiilcli ure worth iiboui j8,jtX>. ; From peisouui observation I am bc.>r ie?ilinony to ihe zeal, economy and eiHcloncy 1 Willi wiilcli I lie superintendent unci his sub- < ordinate officers have conducted the attain* of < the prison. No belter evidonce of the econo- I my practiced need be given than Is contained > In the siatcmeut which appears in the report 1 ol the superintendent. that the cost 01 main- 1 tcnance. Including, guaiding, clothing and ' medical attendance, Is 21 ceuta p*>r ?ii| Ita per ' day, while the entire cost Including Impiove- I iinntx und incidental expenses, is aboul 33 1 cent, per capita per day. The Acts of the General Assembly "To pro- ' vide for the mitre speedy development of Ihe ' Columiilti Canal." authorized the bimrd of dl- > rectors of the fenlleiulory to expend during < ihe last year in the prosecution ot the woik I the mi in ol S170VJofthelnconieofibe Peidlen- I tlary overai.dabove ttie amount n- Cessary for < ibesupportund inaiiteuaiiceoi tli Ins Itutloa, I and to euipioy ilie Services of 200 aitie-'-odled i convicts. Of the amount m lie expended nut ' 81e!,0^i.2a wns spent lusi year. In consequence I of sickness p'evading in some of the eon- I vlct camps, the outructors dec ided to accent I the full number of convicts to which tney i were eutliied. and the revenue of the Peniien- < llary tor tbo hire of conricls was go much re duced as to make It impossible, with proper > regard to all tiie Interests of the institution, to expend on the Canal the lull a'tiouut an-! I thorlzed tiy law. A uailv aveingeot 102 hands I was employed on the wink. The ma>'itk:er oi I the canal states In his report that while a majority of the hands so emp oyed were able- . bodied about <;ue-lhlid were disabled, and J therefore Incapable otdolng full work. Of toe able-bodied convicts, Lhe life convicts and those servlm; lonif sentences were required. for safe-keeping, to wear shackle* wh'lie ut work, and their efficiency us laborers was thus inucn Impaired. It will be Keen, therefore, mat while the dally average ol couvicts employed on t lie cmiil was 1W-, the umount of aide-hodled labor was r^aliy much leb*. The work d'-ne on the cu-ai stiould nut be estimated by Hie amount of money appropriated or of labor authorized to be used, but hy I tie quantity of each actually ell ploved. It Is a: fact worthy of note -that the canal furnishes employment to a l.uge number 01 convicts who would otherwise t>e comparatively idle, The engineer of the canal leporu* that one mile of the heaviest of the Work Iihk been opened, and about 78 per com. finished. J'tio c.ish expenditures,after deducting ihe value ormacninery on hand, has bi'CD Jii.tW0. The engineer states that the wot k has been done In accordance wlih the piansaiid specifications, and Is of u >ubstuullul character. All p:an? and estimates have been carefnliy revised, iind as the work impresses n > material difference I* shown in the classification or kind of material us provided for In the original es-,1 11 mates, nor Is thero any reason to suppose! that there will be any change. During the re- < cent drought, which has beea of unusual I duration, Broad Ulver, the feeder of the new I canal has been at its lowest stage. Accnra'.e I miuutngs taken at this low stage of the "wat: r < in the ilver chow that the supply ni water, I under ad clreu nstances, wlli be amplo for tho i canul when completed. The engineer makes I no estimates of lunds necessary for the future rtf ll?n Iimnlr tliuflA m . I t/i?a Km A I Iieen lully set forth In din farmer reports. In view 01 the Importance ol this work, of the amount of money a.ready expended upon It, mid oi the fact thai during the lust fiscal year there was a deficiency, i>o;h In th>* labor < and money uuthorlzed by law to 10 be used, I, < recommend Hint the dlrertois of the i'enl-1, tentlury he authoilzed to employ on the Canal;, during i bin year at leust the -s.nio amount of , j labor and ol iuon? y ax wa? allowed la?t year, provided i hat. the money go used shall be over j, and aho\e the amount necessary for tue sup- L port of ihe lVnitenilary. This i anal, when |, completed, will be 01 great benefit to 110 , State: Hmi. In my opinion, will well repiy , ibe eostof Its construction. It should be car- | rled to complet ion us rapidly as the flnauces | of the State will permit, The Militia. The ndjutanI and Inspector general reports ' that he ha* made a personal ln>peetlon of hII { the compuniesoi theState, w.th the exeeptiou of three. Notwithstanding the difficulties with which they have to contend, and ilie In- 1 sufficiency of means provided for sustaining: j these organizations, he has lound that, In ' nearly every Insiance, Ihey have Inereascti In ! J etnmcncy. 'mere nas neen a uecresise on inoi' rolls, as comi ared with iHst year, of 531 ortl-|{ cers iiml men, while the niimbrr present at!1 Inspection was less than last yeiir. The balance oi the appropriation remaining J after arms, ammunition, Inspection expenses, j j &< .. h:,U been peid fur, who til vlded nmonj; the i companies which produced at Inspceiion the ' number of men required by luw, each of these ! companies receiving under the disruption J 32 -11 pi r capltii. Seven eoiu| anle-oi the Vol- ' unUer-tHie Troops and si* comi nnl<t? of the j National Giuiril, millmk lo mu.-ter lor ln?pec* ' I Ion i lie number of nn n required by law, were 1 11)us deprived of iheir quoin. In accordance Act ol the General Asaem- . biy, ii hnnid of ofllcers appointed by the ad- J Iniant and inspectorgenciai metal his office io prescribe a regulation uniform for nil , branches ol the service. Tills board adopted j a neat un-t durable sray suit similar t<> thai of k the United Males army, the eomple'e cost of . which Is from SKSO to 8 8 5.'. Tlie adjutant 1 and Inspector-Bcnerul, after having Inspected j J .oiiiiao.es which hav? adopted this pre- 'J scribed i.nlioini, is favorably Impressed with 1 lis general ctleet. With one exception there hus been no vices o! nny of the militin to md the! civil uutli ritus. The excellent tn?> ler.al of which the lone ik ci.inp'u-ed Induces tin- beiici'thut should -uch ei gi-iuy a. i-e a wll' he :ound equal to uny demau i which i w ill lie m i(le U|nin It. ; Tun adjutant nnd inspector-general ex-1 p e-scs much trratltudi-Mt inoi- ofl.tct of t>-e Increased appropriation for the milttIn t??r the Eie?ent ?0', ah WiiK pio\lUcd for tiy the last i gisiutuie, thuuxli even ihiti : pproprlatton ?< .11 sill I b' lin-' cqiint^ Provision lor the main-. , teuauce of a well organized body of militia, j The Railroad Commission. \ The report of tlic railroad commission fur- I nishes full statements of the ope atlonn <luriiig the la-i year of the ral roads In litis Mate J and of the workings ot ti e < on mission. The 1 carcttiily piepnieu ti.ble.?, which onu part of ! the n-| t rr, ghe In <on?ieD?ed torni iiiticl vnl- ' liable information ot the c ridith n of the dif- ' terent rulirofttis. The report niai.es no recom- 1 nici.dulloii us lo any chun^es in the law prescribing (he power.- ami dutiesof tbecoinmU- 1 sl'*n. The commissioners report that "there la less disc, iminatlon, tn >re siui.i.uy In iates. fewer ' complaints and greater hai'inony between ' the iailro<>ds and ihe | copl> tliHiiatany time ourluu the mlmlinstra ion of the present board or of their Dfedccebsor. I Department of Agriculture. The report of the commissioner of agricultuie lnciinlns ihe leporis 01 the special as-: l.stanL of (lie department, cln-mist or the ile-. ; an meni and the superintendent or fisheries. The commissioner collect, d during the the year 8i>,262 10 tux on commercial fertili-1 zerti sold In the staff from November 1, 1883, i ^ 10October 31.18SI. Tiic regulations governing Mile of fertilizers In .South Carolina nre reported. and the opinion Is expressed that by he enforcement of these regulations ample j protection Is hlfordeil consumer*. lMiring tin* past .season ?5 broods of com- | tnerrlal manures were admitted to sale in L .-Miuth < arolina. The laboratory of the departm?i t was com- t pleied in tune lor tlie execution ol the annly-!( -cs nffertilizeis, as 1s shown by the repurt of < i lie i hem 1st. !, The coinrnl-sloner calls attention to the I?. necessary expenditure In tlie phosphate ter- j ritor.v, anil recommends tliatn:l tlie expense*!, incurred in litigation he refunded to the de- t |iartment out of the phoppha.e royally/ 11 I lie report of the special assistant in the , ph-sphate department shows that the market ( ior rock durliiL' the last year was not as good | as was anticipated when the last report was x made. This is altrlimted to the hhort crops of; c the previous year, not only in this country ( but In Europe. I r Luring theyearendr-d Au rust 31, I&<4,151,2-3; e toiiM <ir rock were removed from the mivlvuble j -lipaiimof the Stat-, against 129,318 tons lu t 1883, an increase of 21,92-"> Ions, j Ills l? the t larjusi amount ever removed In one year. ( The Stnte has received for the last ffoctil your t, royalty on rock mined amooullm; to S153.-1 g 797 62, which e*ieeil8 Hie Mini realized from j this source In the previous year by $J8,(M4 48. j v *evernl important stills lor recovery ol ro>itl-l 0 ty due and lo prevent fespasv o? territory be- J j, loiiuing lo the Stale have be.-n Id progress c durlrg the year, ot which full statements oreji, In the report of ihe coinmlsslelier. I a Much attention has been given during the 1 e pear to the preparation of the exhibit of tlie; n Slate at the New Orleans Exposition, and the | r commissioner thinks thut this exhibit will be; 0 entirely successful. Statistical Information relating to Hie area ^ ind yield of the principal crops is ulven. The i u report shows a slight decrease In the area de-! u koteil lo cotton and coi n in I'OK as compared ]( nrltli 1MS3, but an Increase in yield, and the irea and yield of wheat Hnd oats were both ? nenased over the previous year. i The commissioner recommends. if the cen- p ;iis of population is ordeicd by the L?Eisla:ure, that I he scope of the work be so extended is to include agricultural statistics. State Agricultnral and Mechanical Noclcty. j This society, which u ai organized in 18oo. ias done much towards tlie deveiopement of i>? r.i.ii<.rini intpreMs of the Sta'e. During .in1 civil war nil of Its buildings were destroyed and Is endowment wus lost. For gev>r.l y> ars past the Uenertil Assembly has aniim.ly appropriated Sl',5u0 In aid of the socle;y. f< The erection during thp last year of a build- T ng larger and more commodious than any of tl hos- heretofore In use, adds greatly to ibe fa- n jllitle* lor display of the pr? ducts on exMbi- h Ion, as well as to the eumfort and eonve- c< ileiice 01 the larue > rowds which attend the "I tnnual fairs of the society. q Stntc Board or Health. ? CI The annual report of the State board of >' leall'i tontaln* detailed statimen;n of the n Iteration" of tho board during the year, t)- n eiher with much useful and valuable lufor- e1 nnt Ion. h Hie great importance of preventive and w lanilary mensures In contributing lo tho ' jcaltli and prosperity of the people isgener- w illy reeojjni/.cd. It Is gratifying to learn I" rom the report of the board that interest in . his subject is increasing unci that, its impor- j nnr e in more nnureciated than ever before in :hlH State. Cl I commend to your consideration the re oiiiiuendatsons as lo changes in the lnw ' .vhich,?lu the opinion of the board, are needsd for the better preservation of the public " lealth. In this connection I would call to J-' ,'oui'attention a subject referred to In there ('! lort of the .State board and concerning which j' he National Hoard o: Health has recently 'E iddressed me n rommunicatlon. I refer t'> P1 he prevalence of Asiatic cholera in Europe n e|iideiiite form and to the danger which it lc hrea'ens to the people of this country. During the last two years this scourge has w iresscd steadily westwaid, and it has now a di outlmld in European ports, wheiue have pi >een brntiuhl to 0111 shores more than one of pi he epidemics from which, in the pa>t._ the ai icop eoi this country have sutlcied. While in villi our facilities lor conuMii-lcatloi nn.d g< >ur increased intercourse v.iih foreign pow U: rs we nia v not lie able to prevent this disease pi i'om obtaining lodgment within " d?> s ai re cua by proper precaution, n ltltfato the 0 Y .v. Wj mfferlng* which will attend its progrni H ihou'.d lunake its appearance in oar midst, '.Ml Earned t?y the history of simttat epWemlta rhicb Imvc visliod this conntry, we rJiould> nuke such preparation ?8 may be possible to h suable us to escape thin dUease, or at least to Irnlt It# ravages. To thin end I would comnend to your consider* lion the recommends Ion of the National Board of Health, thai flfl meh legislation be had ax will put tbe Htato n goodsanliary condlt.cn. and thai the 8 late 3.>ard of Health be provided with every ft- MB ililty for Hiding nnd dlrectiug tho local uahorltle* In their sanitary work. State Honae. flM The General Assembly, by a concurrent re*-* HI ilntIon pa*>ed In December, ls?A requested ne to obtain estimates of tbe cost of comjtetlng ihe State-House In detail, according o the original design. Mr. Nlernece, of BuiImore. Md? the architect who designed tbo mltdlngand who superintended Its amstnuy .ion uniII the work was flopped In ItftH, was ,'iuploycd by me to niiiko the estimates call* d for in the resolution. Tbe report required jy the resolution whh made at the last ses* inn of the General Assembly, but no action HI vtm taken looking to the completion of the ^B juildlng. ^B The architect reported that the present roof ^9 a inadequate to the protection of the bolld* BB UK. and .hat the wads and the foundation will continue to uitderxo nUmly deterioration jnill the waits are carried their proper ncight and the permanent roof Is placed in ^B position. In Aurll last, dnrlnsr the prevalence of a ^B v.i) wind, h portion o? tue roof on the north* A t st corner of ill's gulldln* was blown on BB nd some damage wan done l*y tha falling MB jrl. lcs and timbers to tlie celling and tlie floor it the hall til the House of Reprv?entativss. Hie roof hud but recently been pat In posl- 19 :lnn and It wa* supposed to be strong and Bfl ure. Such repair* as were ab*oiutoly neoe*- " wry to preserve the property were mpdeand paid for out of the Governor's civil continCent fund. Several days were required to nake the repairs. Fortunately there tauMtot flfl i heavy lall of rain (luring that period, otherwise xerlous Injury would have been in* aicted upon several or the public offices and their contents, and especially upon the ral?%?^H aable records In tlie office of itie secretary of *tute. some damage, though lew serious Htun that caused by the storm lu Aptl, was inflleted on other tortious of the roof during i Mtorm which occurred Iti July la?t. These tamaicr* have nlito been repaired. Tin* build* ine Ik su>-talnlsg each year heavy damage from defective drainage, and In its present '..million it does not afford protection from Ire to the documents; A'-c'tivea ami records of, rreat public value, which ore there kept. rhe architect estimates that It will coat HI (738,176 to coiniJete the building. Its com pie- MR tloii am-oMing to the original dexlgn may well ?e | ost)M>ne l for the future, but I dtslre to repeat the recommendation made to the last ien> rtl Assembly, that steps tie taken to preterve the property ami prevent future dam tg? from the causes mentioned. HH My correspondence with the architect and ills estimates and drawinits are on flielntbv Kxecutlve office, and they will be tarnished, f de?lred. for the information ol tlie General Assembly. BM Election Trials In the United State* ^9 Courts. | A* requested by the concurrent resolution >f November30,1888.1 "authorised the altor* ji-y-uoncral to <letend nil persons proeecatrd . it the UnitAil Stale# Coum* fur unv charge* that may be preferred against ttiem while In ; :hc discharge uf their duties under tiie Btato ' election laws." The ..ttornry general. In his report tn the Sencrat Asserob'y. gives a full utatement of. the trial and result of theee cnaos, Ten thouland dollar*, If so much be necess-iry. wosap? proprluted for the purpo?e of paying she ex- , l>eiiKVK Incurred la the election trials la the united stite* Courts, lobe paid on the wjr-r ' rant 01 the comptroller-zenenil on orderr of !hi? Governor. From this appropriation I liave palil fir the transportation, board and sxponses of defendant* and WltiiensfB and nher necessary expenses incurred In the trill.% ilie mi 111 of.. . % 2 56t 29 For fees of fhe three general counsel, representing all the defendants 1 GOO CO Total ._.? 4 061 * Vouchers for the?e expenditure* are on 111* In the office of the comptroller-general. In this connection it is proper to say that very valuable services wo?e rendered by th? learned local counsel for Hie* dlflerent conn* Lie*, who represented the several defendants* but 1 did not feel authorized under the terms . iii biio upuru^unuuiif ui uimr nnj wmpuiny lion for ihclr services oat of thl* Fand. The unexpended balance of the fund now in the treasury ts Amount Received Under the uIHrcct Tax Acts" of the Cencnai mi the United States. Iii July last I received from Ibe Hon. W. EL ' rrefciL a tlmfi of the treasury of ibe United Stale* for 9 <0,<75 96, which amount hxd been impropriated by ibetfeuer.il deficiency appro- _ prliiHi>n Act ol Congress ot 1H, "for payment to the Govcruor of tbetstate of Mouth Carolk na of one loutth or the proceeds of leases and -aiesoi land In ibe said State, under the Act Y. Congress of June 7, 1^62, according to the amount St*led by tbe commissioner of Inter , mil revenue, under the direction of the secretary <>r the treasury." This nuiount was collected and received by Mr. Trescot as one of tbe commissioners of tho Stute ofSonth CanH' liiia, appointed In 1876 under the authority of i concurrent resolution or the Legislature, paused in 1 7?; the lute Hon. James B. Camp* sell being tlie oiher commissioner. Tbecoow nsation of Me?srs. Campbell and Tresentfor the services then rendered and thereafter to be rendered In the discharge of the dalles tmpo>ed ii|Min them whs fixed in 1&4 by a" jomiiili^lun which was authorized to agree upon the same t?y tbe Act of Assembly approved D.fornher II, 18S2, (18 Statute* at Large, l>.<geU.) The compensation whs fixed at 10 per ., eni. for cx Dense*. mid a> percent for tecs, "to 3'- paid out of such money* as tbey may resover, unci in no other way." Under this itcreeineni the fees of the commissioners. *S per cent. o( Uie amount received, vir., 921.131,* |H| >9 were paid by me. The balance remaining, HB J.9,214^19, was deposited with (he mate trcaii irer. subject to the order and direction of the 3overn<ir. J'he money wo appropriated by 2onjaess. 3iJ0,3.5.9i, Is one-fourth of the amount *o ilixed by the United Slate* from sales,?nd ea-c? of lands honxht In by the United Slates it tax sale- for want of bidders, in excess of tmoiint due tor taxes on mild lands, and is 'for the purpose of reimbursing the loyal cltzens of the State, or sueh oilier purpose a* he Stale may direct." (Actof Conxrexs, 7th lime. 188.', Section 12,12 Statutes. 2 Brljcbtly'a Dlge.-t Law* of United State*, 1S57-C0, page 433, Section oO.j- flH I Invite your consldetation of this 'abject, WW imt appropriate Uginlutlon may be bad dlvctlng the disposition of the atnoun', $39 214.- [ 19, wiiicii is now in the suite treasury subject .otiie order ot the Governor. ^I| The Calhoun Ssrcophsgos. H At the last Ht-sslou of the General Assembly j|^H i Joint i solution wax ptsscd. "appropriating inids loi tlie enn^tiU- Uoii and erection oi a i tcopbugti* for the remain* of John C. i atlouii." x h<* sum oi ttir>*e thoiiMin-1 dollars * ?- appro) riaicd for th<- purpose of denning oii t:neilng and erecting the Marvophaitus In it.Phillip s. Inircliyard,in tbeCiiyoi Charles,oi>, according to plans and specifications to >e appiovtd by inc Governor. As soon as |^B x * practicable, alter the adjournment of th^Hfl Jim-rat Aa*> mliiy, an advertisement punished from i h?- Executive office, calliag~ [or tbe plans and specifications required by hunt resolution. 0; many designs tubmiitedr 3i < , wlilcli ci'ir.eil welt auiled for tho pur* !><>? , wa- chosen. The work ba* recently juen placed in poaltinu. In tbe presence of ^H| l^tlngutshed citttena of rbarleaton there* BB main* of Jolm C. Calhoun buve been rennov* ;d, with Hpiroprlute (solemnity, front tbelr lemporary re*:lug placo, und consigned to the :raiitte sarcophagus wlilch bad been prepared [or their rcccption. It hns not bent possible for me to inspect;hls work Hlnce its completion, but in tbe pinion or person* competent to Judge It ful?lis the purpo/e of the General Assembly in providing a flttlnn receptacle for the remains }( South Caioiina's moat Illustrious son. Comas. Wm It i? provided in Article II. Sect.nn 4, of the Constitution, Unit the enumeration of tbe Id* Habitants ot the 8tate for the purpose of tbe ^^9 ipportionmcnt of the Representative! be made in tbe yetr 1875, and in therouraftof e*? >ry tenth year thereafter. Tbla enumeration ihonld, therefore, l?e taken during the next HH V&r. and I recomincnd that wo'? approprla* ion bo made as muy be necessary for tblspnrpose. Pardons and Commutations. H In obedience to the requirement of law, I inbuilt herewith a statement of the pardons iml commutations grunted by me during tbe a-t year, and tbe reasons therefor, liy an \ci passed ut tbe laat session of tbe General I^H laseranly, It wua made the duty of the hoard >f directors of the Penitentiary to report ptarterly to the Governor anch cases as, alter examination, they may deem fit aubjecta for :x?'Ciitlve clemency. In consequence of tiiere examinations. recommendations for purdona iave been made in several cu-e?, which otb* Hfl ;rwf>e would not have been brou-ht to my at* entlon. In most of the cases recommended >y theb"ard of directors under the Act refer' ed to, executive clemency has been exerclaGentlemen of the General Assembly: You m et at tbla time under ci'cumatanoea of pe? ^B| hi I Inr encouragement, *et of peculiar respon* MB ibility. At the cloae or a heated political eonest, which hns effected a change in the Fedrui Administration, our p?-ople are looking orwitnl with brightened hope*?with renew* d it?t)tlde?.<-t* in I lie security of free inatftoions and with quickened aflectlons for the Jovernmeni of our fathers. All sljn? point HH o a revived and Increased prosperity for oar Hate. We may justly hope that, so for a* oar "eiiernl relations are concerned. every pledge trill be k Wen for ihe security and welfare of t?r people. But the Federal Administration. lOWever Important in its political bearings, unnut ensure the Internal and domestic wel- |^M lie of a State. The more Intimate, essential ml universal Intercuts ol our people will be HM ntruHied to your care, and henceforth only ^Bl >>n; fnlly, more freely, and thjif wlih larger i-xponslbllliy than heretofore, v?We the eye* f I he state aiKl of th? whole country will be timed more than ever with anxious and opefol solicitude to yonr proceedings and to lie unfolding of our domestic policy. Und>r lic>e conditions, alike nuspicl nuc and critical st us thank God and takecoura((e, and let u* HH ledge to each oilier in every branch of the t.ite Government to secure to all our people ie liles>ln({S of proteeiion, peace and pro?erity. Hugh a. Thompsox. LOCAL OPTION FLECTIONS. Hj 61 Minority for the Wet Ticket In Greenville?A Majority of 4 for the H Dry Ticket In SpsrUnbnl|~A Talk of Contesting the Latter Vote. HI {Columbia fcffUter.) |H| SpAKTASHCBO. Aovemocr a,-i ne nreuiiu >r license or no llcemo whs held here to-day, he Interest was deep and Intense. Both par* es put forth the most Mrenuous efforts. The ;sultwns: No license. 336: license. 332. Pro~ Ihltion majority 4. Tho wet party talk of Dimming the election on the grounds that Hfl LinientM were allowed to vote. All is now BH ulet. w. j. Grkknville, November 20.?The election '?? held ben- to-da.v on "I.lcenwe" or "No Li?n.?e_" The election passed oir withont dlsirbance and resnl ted in a victory for the vet ion by a majority ot 161. The total vote was inch smaller than that cast at the similar HH lection held a year airo, a decrease of nearly n'f, result He from the fact that the voters ere required to have heen previously rests red. The license party worked hard and <>n Its victory by pressing In ar unusually irge negro vote. All quiet to-nlg&t. |^H It Is of Interest to persons who tiiHik Gov-norCleveland was had Presidential know that the sma'I pluralltyof I.WOh^ew ork on November i was not in .fWAoquence HIU fa diminution of the support which gave H) im his ia> 000 plurality In ItMJ. His vote as indldate for the Presidency exceeded, in K?? rtili.f </W\ Tr> i'l, 111* vlllo nm.tl-uhusu u,' i ?. , u. 4x ,S2 tin* tolnl ol votes cist Tor lilin whs .*>35,347; i I *4 it N Sffl.nTM. 'I h?- secret of the close vote ? the electoral ticket in New Y<>ik 1? the icreasetl n timber ?>f ltepublicuns tliat came > i lie polls this year. IMC Home irgtn- Mnt the rinsing of the barrooms I^B oiild Injure tho business of the place by riving trade to other points. It has not ovedwiu: o .r iielj;! boring town of Pros- HB irlty. and we do not think It 1ms proved *o lywhce, or ever will. Country people aro HH j! so fond of tlieli drum is all that, if they ?t on without It lor weeks at home surely i will be wllllnf 'o deny In town; ee- HH >c:ally w they come in to transact brislness^ id thereloro need to keep suber.?JTcfcierry Hi 'wier, 8H