Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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"svenue WeIch It to popmea to abstract, at the very MOsan when the Federal Troas& ly issad torequire to be replenished. it med seem like wantonly seeking a pre t to increase taxation. But coiidered in any point of view, it can be regirded is no other fight than that of a distribution tshe public revenue. In one year, du eing 'r m admiaistrarion, The pro eeeds the sales of ablic lands, produced a revenue of upwardof twenty millions W a maximum to which, in aoe prosperous tines, it would possibly again attain. Its may eves mow be estimated a gve millions. wbic ifaantnually withdrawn rem the Treasur'ieas that 4eceetncy at tobe so by increased duties .=n import, T t the gdvernent can asercese tbe power of tazation to raise enoe for stribution, is a principle I presume, wbhb this State is not prepared -0 admit. Under the operation of the va viemspreeption laws, aGW the (eqeat re iAmtions in the price of public lans, those .ery.States which were the largest con tributMo to the -Public Domain" or whose 'blqod and treasire" were most lavishly expended to acquire it, havo at the same time been subteed to the greatest sacri6 tea, in the emigration of their citiapus, and in the diminished value of their products, rednced by an unequal competition with the more abundant and teeming resource' of those now and eitile -egious. which their enterprise anti indety have been seduced nod abstracted to culivate, to the wtkste and abandonment of their own. It was enough to have borne all this with pa (iotic devution to the interests of nor coin .mon country; but when it is proposed to -divert that domain (tom the sacred purpo wes for which it was ceded, to afford a pre text for additinnal burdens and taxation on one class of Industry, to give protection anti bounty to another, it assumes a character of the highest injustice, as weni as the most palpable infraction of constitutional prioei ples. But the most dangerous, as well as the most humiliating el'ect of this measure, is the condition of dependency. ;o which it iedaces the States,. up-n the bounty unit benefaction of the governnest-existin: as they woiltI, in the relation of subsidia ties upon the profits of their osvia estate receiving its charity, duled out from their own wealth, and subdued to a state of homage, servility, and compliance, by bribes, stolen and lavished frotm their own Treasury. Is it not to lie regaded as the first step to the assumption of State lebts -<esigned to consummate a cotsolidatiot of interests, obliterating all distinctions ot onvereignty, or pride of independence, and renditig to concentrate Empire and Do Minion over the rights of the States, and the liberlies of the pcoplt? I trust. however, that the spirit of re fornn, w bich has been so powerfully evoked by theerrors of the late session of Congres,. and so detidedly manifested in thd relo. of the late popular elections throughout the Union, will prevent the spoils and plunder of this systetm, from ever sailinig the Trea, itry. or contaminating the coffers of a sin Cle State in the Union. Let as pause. at ;east for a moment, in the hope, that the errect'principles and high motives of na onbought, unterriaed, and: incorruptible Democrady, are operating their. s : and salutary inluences on the cga is and measaree of Government.- .; - Amogoth "tiea tng which, as the it Otial cOimteatik~esistr0 ate., is 01y -ory..f s'ubmii, to A CO!eodinate the elegibility or the Federal Executive to isne term of ollice, The experteee ot this State futuishes un. reasuns for such an innovation upon the long established usage an I prinesple's ofth e governmeqt. 1I can not conceive that it can be productive et any other effects than to increase the ust* ally oeer-turouagle excitement of the Presi deantial canvass-to renider its recurrence more frequent-to discovaeet the relation, of sympathy betweenthe E~xcnttvc andI his constituents-to direst him of the mu.t powerful tmotives to regard the eill, or to merit the apiprobation of the people-and iso make him the instrument of a party. tu minister to its pursoses, and to pander to its lust of domination. 1n all the history of our government, the influence ofthe Excutive power. to meth fy its action ont the reserved rights of the States, has been of a canservative, rath... than of an agressive character. More than twice has it been inter.osied to restcue the people fromr the dlotmination atnd abus se's of a National Bank. It v~as in tde fence ot our rigli-e nnd our m-t.tutiuns, that the determ'ina totn of a late Executtvei to refuse bi,. consutitnal sanctio to st-e abolition of sla'vry in any ofits formts, was so fearlesly avowed; and tail.Staste, ? pre sume, enn have no interest or motive to retmovo the few sitiutary checks andl em barrastmtents to the so often unju-t mud isi considerable legmslation uf a majority itn Congre-as, as to indtuce it to waor agatnat the digiiy and prero::niives of a depart ment, the weake,.t anud mnot conse4rvative, perhapsits the governtment. I also s'tl'mit fair the serious coualdern tion of the Legnainture, a copy uf thle cott muica~tioni of the Legislature. a copy oh the communlestion oh the Governor el Vir gitnia, on the proceedings of the Gecneralh Assembly of that State, on the suhject of her late controversy wuith New York; and Repor's and Riesolutiotis from the State of Alabaitne, responinig ti the views andl declarations so solemtnly announced by this dtate, on questions deeply mnvolvitng the right of property, and the security ad thedomnestc institutions of the Soth. .Bonnd by every consideratiun of duty, of interest, of honor, and of equity, to repel so Bagrant a disregard of thbe rightasof a sis ter State, weshould always be ready and prompt to redeem the pledge of our alliance to a cause with which our interests tire so intimately identified. Relations of amity cannot be preserved even between separate .neties,inwheb the righsts of propherty are not regarded as they exist, under the re spective laws of eseh; much less can soy .ereign States he permanently allied in a bond of Union,aunder the same laws, goy. ernent. and cestilution,, whbere fuigittves *oam the justice, plunderers of the proper sy, and violators of the laws, of one, and refu~ge and impnaitys under-the sanction of the constituted antheriesof the other. No wrong is more readily resented by na-j tions-no injustice can more deeply .stain osa rah. orumore essttial7ly ipeir the rend.ad laduiate, relatdsos of confede It would be a reproach 14 the Cha'ricier of our institutions, if clstis which are reeoguised and reciprocated by the comby and justice of all civilised aa tion,, shpimd be scornfully refused and con temned by States federated under the same laws and constitudou. If the obilasstnu of the constisution ,thich require one State to deliver. on demand, fugitives from the jtstice of aunt her, are to be disregarded. ear institutions assailed,-the plundeters of ouw property encouraged and protected. -then must we regard the perpetrator of these aggressions. -,no matter by whono committed," as a foe to our eights, and an enemy te our peace. Whether the wrung in this -ease has been done to Virginia or Sonih Carsfina, the principle is the same, the interest involved common to both. and the respousibility of protecting them should equally devolve on every State to the Unile. in which justice exercises doatin ion, orWiitttar institutions exist. Perisist ing in such a enurs.. of unprovoked hostil isv to the interests and itstitutions of the South, New York can only be regarded in the lit of any s.oher aggressing power is pencefriends. but eneines in war. The adoption. in all such instances, of a similar course of vigilance to that which the State of Virginia has instituted, would perhaps be a wise and necessary precaution, to prevent she recurrence of imtr aggres sions upon the property and rights oFour own citizens and institutions. Wc ought, upou every priuciple of equity and, of it icrest. to make common cause vsith any Soste whose rightis and institutious are tius wantonly violated and assailed. The.position which itainy becomie this State to a*sume, on any of the important questions presoeted,. would seem to soggest the imporanc and necessity of cultivating and improving her means of safety and de fence. It would be a msere sockery to vaunt of rights. liberty, or sovereignty. without the spirit. abilty, or resources to defend them. It would be better at once to endure threatened or impendiug ills, un aggravated by opposition. than by unwean ing denunociati'no-, and imipetent exhibi tielne of resistance. St) provoke and increase thtir bitterness. Prohibited, boith by- the character of our institutions. aud the re strictions of the constitution, from resorting to any other meansof cultivating our mili tia, it should he cherished to the highest state of pe.ifection. and with a pride aud assidtiity to make it the most elicient, as it is the enly means of defending the right.. the honor, and sovereignty of the State. Tie improvament in which it so rapidly progressed. under the inluence of the late Irigade Encampments, od'ers she highest encouragesents to the co tinuauce of your patronace. as well as the happiest illustration of the benescial efects - of the mnode in which it has hitherto been confer red Assembled in these Normal Schoots of drill and tuition, where a patriotic emu lation wait excited-where knowled;e was imparted and received, under she crticism of the most improved and accomplished of cers-where such favorable opportunit:eu were atforled for discriminating the guali iatons, both of the soldier and the cuizen -and where that murtial pride and feeling wasacquired, which is the best, perhaps $beeay foundation of an elevated patriot isat, combining so many motives, stits an;s advantages and incentives-it is not urprising tharrom itsresults I should be: abledteigi vIofU theg'atifyi asuirhce that ireutmilitia now comprises in its organ iatiop, aelass of odicers whose knowledge and eecomplishments would do credit teo any age, or service, or contry. Wis:5 such iducements before us. is is deeply to be regretted, that im) experimewnt productive est se mtany auvantages atd iniprovetneuts, without any dtetracting ennasequenIces what ever, should have beeu preatsurely aban doted. Already are she elfects of that abandon ment visibia, in the wanhing~ enthusiasue of the service, and she ressignatnon ot some us our ableet ,,llicers. from a con-ceetssous re gret and deasondecy. liar the future use uness and .tliciency of their exertons. Such inadicattons as these should he regar ded as a solemin inavocation teo resture a system from 'anicit she Stase has deriveds such important benefits. Cuuined per haps as thsose encamnpments should he-, 5in comsti~sioned'otlitis, it is no0t t. .be pre suted tthat anty othicer would be so iusenz sible teo tbe honorable pridle of his vocuation. r to the cosnidenee 'a hich th. St ate "re pow.s in his cosurage atnd hiidebtsy," as to regret the prititans anti irnconvenience-s of va dlays camp service, to learn she art ot ifending his country anid :us iustitttons. With some. fligiht asnd salutary mudica ins of the la w by which the-y were re-gu atdc. it is conalidenitly heoped that they nmay e made the schools of correct aorals, as welas of patriotism and mtilitary discip-. ine. WVitha the alteration or asdditoh suh preaviaons ats may promote this desi mble uhject, the bill utader the considera tion of thu Legislature, at the lust session,. in Decembsler, and res ised by the A djut ant Geeral, 'a ith the ac-comnpanying r-port, s respectfully re-furred to your considera Assid all she portents of the time-the p-ril shut every where surrounds our do aesic institttions-she emergency that may c-all upon us to viudicate our rights ad principles-I cannot but again and most seriously invoke %nur attention, to that organization of our tmilitary resources and dlefences. without adue regard 'o which n, State action can be ellicient, anid thme assertion of aove-reignty itself ho but a Dye word and a reproach. without diguity, and without e-fect. The cemtingency of a Nasinal War. (renaote ands distant as I trust it still is) cannot be overlooked, among the nunmer ous tther inducements to improve our mnili tary resources. The most exposed. -per hap., as we are, to its ravages, from the neglected condition of our coasthegreat es sufferers, from the bturdens which its expenses are destined so impose-no mat ter hose proeoked or originsaiasg, whether by the asmbition of one power, or the nii ious herder agiressions of the other-there can he I am sure, no selfisb or ignoble con siderationsi, that would ever restrain the most generous contributions upon the part of ths State, of treasure or of arms, to .ave the national honor from tarnish or disgrace. B an Aet of the -Legislature, in De ember last, the duty was devolved on this tance ofthe several Baiking estituiont othis State, an Act to amend A'. Char ters, wit a view& tpreventthe are sus pension of specie paym ens. The Bank oftbe State.: h South Western- Ril-Roxd Bank, the Unin Bank, and theiP-lanlers and Mechanics' Bank. with a esimenda ble desire to conform to the wishes ani objects of the State, have, in good faith and sincerity, accepted its provisions. In executing the insiructionsof-the Leg islature, in that spirit of mildnesand for bearance in which I an, sure they wer ouceivd. I deemed it proper to dverloo the dielay of a few weeks, afterthe precis period fixed by law, for the acceptance c the two latter institutionstapprised as was.that it had arisen from mjavoidabl circumstances, and not rmm a wilful ne! lectorrefusal to comply with the requisi dions of the latw. It is due to the -high character whie these institutions have hoithertnstainet and I am sure reflects no injustice upo the motives of the Legislature, 1o state that the object of ibis enactment was 1 prevent anticipated evils, rathe& than- i punish past or existing abuses. Ve Fed eral Government having, in the. exercis of a wise anti sound policy, almndone that control over the currency which it ha hitherto usurped, the necessity ofa sericts supervision over the meartary, affairs c this State, had become mute obligator upon these, to whom the people have -on trusied the power of regulating them. In sich a state of things, it cod not b deemed an unnecessary or officinas act c caution, upon the par of this State, ifsht resorted to all the ordinary and legitimat means of reuderi-g her own careac wound, safe, adequate, and stable. Tht exercise of these means she has hithert delegated, in a great (and perhaps an im prudent) extent,to her Banking itiiitutiott by the extraordinary privileges a imml nities with which she has endow '' them If the trust has heretofore been ithfull aid ably executed, the merit is to be ascri bed to the virtue and idelity of iliagent rather than to the want of any power o opportunity, to abuse it; or to aly provt ods in the laws, to restrain or pubish it. Under these circumstances, this State wa perhaps necessarily (inced to eniertan.e 'he qiestion. whether she had parted with all poer to regulate owl currency. ordelegated that powei, with out reverse, restraint. control, or._pervi sion, on her part. for the term of.gars fui which she has charcereI her moed insti 'utious. Ifin fact there does exist - thi impdriun in imperie. fir the exercise of s important a power, the people ofthls Stat might well ask, upon what constiutiona pritnciple a sureign right. wiich can nl be exercised egatimalely Ly their owl Government, has heen delegated toagent politically irresponsible to thea. An suel anl issue, it is not a very remote oritucifu .inticipation,that ifso importanvag righ wereindeed ituprovidetly lost irlaw, i would but too probably. in the abise c any other resort be reclaimed by toe;6ltiol The wisdom and propriety of retainial sone checks and guards, similar ,which have beetiproposed, u traordinary privileges with State has endowed her ch tioms, is I presumd' 'ni in referenceto those -tered. ItWill every relecti, .gislation in I nuue tof the exist The Bankih a more than equal to'itcs quirememts, aud the rdes rations in which it has been ye hay tinny years to comtpleto the term towhicI they were chartered. Such a disc imina tinm with re'gard to futeire and exishma in stitutinrs. uid thercforo bc as ineficiet as it would he ineidis. 1(1 have at just and proper enneptiot ..f the objects of the upoposed amendment ii was with those views and conceptions that the State thought proper to requti these salutary concessions from her char iered institutions, In her suvereictn authtorit; attd supervision. Deriving extraordinar, privdl"ges and immunities fromt her liberual ty, she has pre-eminent atnd irresistibl< claims upon their confidlence and gratitude Trusteud foria loni course of years, nili mlhe exercise of rachts and powers andi frasn chibes sovereign in their nature. and twhic1 can appertain to none of her citizens indi vidually, sihe may well urge a maoral. a' well atS polhtical right, to he trusted iu turn wv'ith a dii-reti-mi. which sihe cannot exer eise for her owen interest without promo titeg theirs. That she hn getnerously sus tatinted them in all past misfortunes an' difficulties, is the highern evidence of he futuare itisinde,,q andl liberality; and shotuh he tbe last p.ret,-at invoked, to sustain eith er present sir future acts of contiimacy. Atnd while the interests of her ciizens art so intimately cotnnected with their stabiliti and muccess, the restraining influence oft just and enalightented popular feeling. nil oe eyer ready io iuterpose, to prevenit tht cat>rcoUSi exercise of legislative nut bority ro the bigh. considerations, may per hapi. be added another. of not less gractica imnportance: that the salutary infiluence si State authority would perhaps greatly conaduce. in ttmes of extraordinuary calutmi cy, to p~revont thmose controversies and ie senasions between the Banks themselves which were so unhappily exemplified ir hes history ofusome of our own institutions during she disastrous events of the late sus pension. That it has already exercised a salutary and judicious itnfience, may be inferred from the fact, that under the ope rtion of its provisions, the Bank, of thi State s-lone, sof all thle institutiot-i South o the Potomac, have in good faith and reali ty met engagements or demands for specie a ithout pretext or evasion. Whtatever may have been the motivel or necessity which induced to the enact tnent of this statute, the rejection of it' provisions, by some of these institutions has made ii a question of the Eravest im port. from the discussion and decision o which. thtis State cannot, without a acri flee of her dignit y and self-respect, shrink or recede. In ihis aspect of the question I felt constraiued,b~y every sense of duty,es well as of allegince, to execreise all thes authorty with which I wasentrusted by tis Legislature or the Consuitution. to enforci the objects of the law through the judicia tribanals of the State. With this view, I deemed it proper to engage the services o~ evernl of the most efliciant ....z...... O the Bar, as ansistant counsel, to co-operat! with ithe Attorney General, and Solicitori I regarded it at the more necessary to d so, as the season of the year at which th I Court was held in Charlesiton, as well a the demands of their respective Circuits vould necessarily deprive the State < I the able service of some, if not of all. of th Solicitors. I had no authority to comman their presence and services in Charleston and under such circumstances of inconv4 -aince, as those under which they woul have been rendered, I could not presut: L ofcially to re-quest them, The arduot 4 duties which wo.uld therefore have devoli r ed upon the Attorney General, could n 1 have been perforned, even by his indefj B tigable zeal and industry, but at the ei pense of every oiherduty and engagemer And although having every confidence i the talents and attainments which have i , deservedly placed him at the head of I iofession, yet the grave responsibility m advocating the interests of the people. at , the dignity of the State, an a question 4 <uch vital inmortauce, I regarded a% t< r serious, (and it was even deemed so by b modest sense of his own merim,) to he d ' volved on the abilities of a single ad vocat I From the manner and ability with whii I their dtty has been performed. I have d r rived thegreatest saitisactinn; and he pe pie and the State I truss, lasting and r V sential beurfit, from the arduous and ab efforts with which their rights and inte ets have been vindicated. aud discussed e In connection with these remnarks, rel f ive to the controversy into which il 0 State has been so unfortunately drawn, f e he recusancy of some of her Banking il stitutiou. it may not he imprioper for y( r io direct your views top the consideration - some permanent and prospective mode, regulating our currency. I assume, I course, that this State can never acquisa in the existence of a National Corporati( or admit the necessity of subjecting iti in l netary affairs to the arhisrary and exclusi control of such ans institution. Much of she presue ouand difficulty ui r der which our community has tabnred. I - arisen from the constrains impo-ed upt - the operations of our Ranking institutios by ite dissensions, necessarily incident I anuinequality of Banking Capital. Ther i is probably no fact in the ecorimy I Banking operations more incontrovertibi than that ihe business of a moderate capite under ordinary circumstaices, is usual! r productive of the highest rules of profit - And if. in our experience. Their exists ar I exception to this rule, in favor ol the larl I er Banking institutiotis. it is because th late policy of the State, in creating so va I a disproportion of capital as now exist i has sub-tituted the dominion of the fev i for fhe honorable competition of all, at thereby produced strife and discord, who nothing but a generous emulation ofproi I and usefulness, sho-ld prevail. The greatest pr fi-s of the Banking sy t tem are presumed to he derived from i f operations in exchanges. In proportion i she.exorbitancy of the rates produred b he derangement of the currency. and il pressure and difficulty of the inmes; a proportion to the advantages of the cal which an institutien may -aonop( raneh of business, so nr. ,its it tendencies be directed to pre even to increase that state < rom which it acquires its gre; I cannos therefore be a wit hich supplies to private corporo in excessive capital, she power, mi and inducements so profit by she enr trassments, or to extort from the neci uitie's amid inconveniences, of the people. I do not mean by these general propos lions, to imply a censure ont the condue or illustraute she abases of any one of ori own in.4itutions. The exam~lel of one Ithem. at le iss, during the late suspensio: so ltr from msanifeuiing such a policy. cat not be too highly commended rur its foi bearance in the use of its advantages well as its wisdom ari firmness, in mai laining site faith and credit of sho Souti Still, an undsco and dangerous power ovc otur currency, is necessarily ineidem so th position of financial autocracy which it r< copies. Anti if that power has nmot her tyrannically or corruptly used to its irnjur: or the detriment of the public, it has hee I mwing solely to 'he idiscreet forhcarnncei, those wvho wielded is, and tnot to asny snaf I uards provided by th'e law. to restrain i A reduction of the capit als of thec severa Iitanking institutions of this State, (wel their charters so be renewwed,) to soms common anid moderate btantdardl. less tha ihas of otur St ate institution. wvouild probe bly ptrevenst the recurrence of future evi Iarising from thi" caiuse. limt itn thme men time, so strengthen the inafurutce of ot IState Bank, either bsy an increase of cap tal or of snmmuitiets, is pe~rhasps am presen the mnost elflenus, andi the only mean of'correcting existing ills, which legislamii action cannot etlmerwtse reach, wit hout vim lastng the charters which sancion shien WVhesher this State shonild parliiiate banking operations at all, cauunot now Ia regarded as atn open or a piractical que tions. But whether she should not use hI institut ion, in the language of a dissinguisl ed statesman, so "tunhmuk"~ she abus< te system, is a pitlicy that deserves to b~ well conisidered. Such a position is is prc staied site Bank of this State would oces, py, with a most dignifled, salutary atid jt dicious effect. Certain it ii, in my estims lion, that so long as the State engages an competes in barnking operations. hser insti tution should at least exercise a cont rollin influence on her monetary adi'airs; or el, present the strange political antomaly the public Tr'asury, (with whbich it is pirac ically identified.) asnd the people's mnone: subjected to the capricious and selfish dc minatstion of private corporations whici however beracieiently exercised heretofort is always liable tot abuse. That its pre sent resoareed are inadequate to this ohjeec is but too apparent from the inconveniene andi restrictions, so which. in all times e creat pressure and ditfeicuty, it has bee subjected. Wiheiher it may not be expedient, in tb event of increasing its capital, so ussocias private interests, which may always exer cise a salutary v. ilance on its operatiotns or, by merging, as their chare expire she whole banking capital of the State in to one system, proporTionately controlle< by she dtockholders antd Representatiue of the people, are measures which I wool< suggest as worthy of yonr consideration Suceh a system of finance, if uniform! adopted by the States, regulated and mo difled by the influence of a national Sub0. o treasury system, it is believed would fur a nish the best and soundest currency in the e world. I, The Report of the President of the Bank, I( will apprize you of the profits which have e accrued from the transactions of thiq insti. d tution for the past year; and for a teview of the circumstances and embairro-iimeus, pervading the community under hich they have been realized,'you need tnot he e referred to a monitor more faithful thatn is your own experience. Saiefactory as those profits are. coonsidering the charneter O thc timea. they have been derived front . ccommodations as henificent tie their ef . fects, as they have been safely and jadi t. ciously administered, for the benefit of the 11 inatitution itself. Without resurtiug to any e of the usurious expedients of the times. its is resources have I believe beeu as faithfull% f anl humanely directed to protect the pro Id party of the citizen, as patriotically to iub or serve the interests of the State. to From the aspect of the financial affairs is of the State, as you will find presented in e. the Comptroller's Report. you will prrceive . tlte expediency of exercising the same rigid -b and judicious economy. in the disburse 1. ments of the revenue. ahich has hitherto . prevented the necessity of iucrease-d taxa l. ion. Additional hardens upon thee labor Ie and property of the people, should not ie r ietposed in ttnes of such embarrassment and distiress. except for ohjects of such lri M. tnary necessity and importance, as affect is the permtunent ual andsafity of tihe State. or atty of the grea: principles oJ constitu I. tional liberty. Improved as out resources t are, in comparisoni tit the :a,pect preetit of el at the last session. the Treaseury is -ill f far fronl having obtained a reduntd.ini and of overflowing condition. It will be foeund I trust however, adequate te ieet all snch neces.ary exigencies, as cannot he neglec - ell without conseqeuenices more ruinots, than re the meost wasteful and iuconsidcratc extra vagauce. *. The condition of the public works and 3 improvements effected at so nuch cot to in the State-some of ni hieh are still eufinih ed,others unprofitable.aud manv falling in - t to decay-will demtanl your atittion. eiuh er tl abandon, repair. or otherwise dispose DI of them. The sale or lease of many of them, under the supervision ofconimission era appointed in the several communiie-4e in which they are located, at a price neat less thmua the value. (as estimated by the Iv Comptroller or Superintendeni.) woudli . perhaps be one of the most efficacious and satisfactory modes, of relieving the State trosa farther embarrassment and expease. at The impracticable condition of* the road . through Vance's Swamp. and its great im portance, as the ordinary. and I believe the e only cnaunel ter intetcourse with Charles ton. to more than three districts in thin State, as well as it large portion of North Carolina, makes it highly desirable that the liberal appropriations already made to 0 improve it, should not be utterly lost, by the ruinous and incomplete condition in ie which it now remains. More than ti-en d ty thousand dollars were expende by the . State, in constructing the original roatd: from which[;it has derived neither beteefiu, or improvement. Ten thousand dollars was afterwards received by a contractor. i for erecting the skeleton of a Brit'ge which. having been rejected as perishable mpd dan gerous, was abaudoied anil removed. 01 . the last appropriation of twerty thousand . dollars, to embank the swamp, the contrac .tor ha received the Irst- instalment and af .ter accotmplising a very conisidlerable por tion of the work, at a ruinous e.xpense to ~. h':,self, has been compelleal to abandon tt. ~*from the exh-sust inn of his resources, the tr itnfluence of recurrinl: resh~ets, and an inn Sbility to comnpleten cotract sao far exceedl ing the estimatedl rost and labior. The b. .lance of the aparuprinnaon -till remtain..i .the Treasury :and if diverted fromt the ulb s ject first contemplated by the Legislature. ~. will leave the State n ithout it single cor respondinag benefit, to comtpensaite for all r the sacrifices of treasure, whtich have been eso ruinously sustatined, by; bothi State and .indlivieluals. n No portion of the poehice or stati-tics of the , tate. as presutned to requtirae more radical re nfortm, thn oaur eystemn of flad wvorkmn. There ?5 no eobject uipont whlich so muchrl labor and ex pen.-e is el ttnproatitably be'stowa-d. or soe noie qually cntribueted. by the ditferent cla.,c, el: t- soaciet1 . Netwithsctandtingr the annuseal im:'posi Itinupnthe tulme, iebbar, ancd pair-es of oar e ciszes, he ondltio~n aof ''tr road-, is t'ar fromn e tamattestinag a corresptdim:: degree of impa~rove n maent. Nor is it less adai ion<. that mnuch the ~. grea:tet peortion of thec hunden wvhich thle p esent I.ste am devolves alpon the peolea, i.< suituinted. nhun.,'t ,xccen.ivelv.,lav the agrirultural inte'rest. nThme tlar or pirois s>f the . apitali-t. or ft th, Irpoeeos (no matter htow produci ive~ or enor |moos.) are pr.ac~icicly exempt fromt the..' as..e I, mets. which alay-a recer. andI wihich ,ome tune.- ttdh with mtutch intcoeltient force. ulpont e~ the intetests oaf the lanter. Near are the objec. . lions asing from principle, les egg-nt th.sn those which are so ampely ilhtta-ratedl byt the ex. '. perience of its inellicienacy andt mncqtualitv. The sovereign power of taxinegeven within litmitedl -., a owesed b the Dnrd eaf C'ommeeisiear5 rnow eestblisehed in the tseveral districta of the smate, can ,;ever be safely or wiseely repoea~vd jet , any body ofamen, however viritentn or ati~creet. er..t eaed b y the peopicl themselves. anad wholy irrespontsible teo any ot the penalties of the~ law. or event to the cooseqences of imapeac-hme t. for ansy of the ordinary abuses of thle truzt The powe~rs entrusted to the Boad of Cotanission I- era. are not only of a ministerial. but. to the ex. d tenlt to whicha they arc vestedt ot a fc~iisla lire i. character; and if they have neat been haithecrba abutsed. to thte ppression of the citizete, it isbhe cause the forbearance and jtaetice of the othicers, fhave imposed more salutary restraints,. titan the provisions elf the law. IC powers eof the 'atme character stad extenat, were conferred oat a mali ,tary', or anyi other tribunal, acccompaaniedl witha - be selfgecpcsatintg prerogative of ela.e'tin~g its t, own memnbers,. the hthe'rttes of the people, and , the authority of the government. wvoutld lie re .gardedl as deeply endangered or ahverted I do not know whether the effects of the piresent Ssy-tetnt are most to be deprecated, in the execra ble conidition of srst of our htie~ wars, or in the capriciotns, partial. anad oppressive ex.erciae. 0in numaerns intst.anees. of the moet desputically and obnoxiously admtinuisteredl power. in the a State. IC. thertfore the heresent system maust e necessarily he contintued. fronm a supposed itm. .practienbility of de-vieiur anay other. I woeuld re .commnende that the apppointmuent of the membersa of the several boards. shotJt deveolve upon the 'peog Ie. at the petme tiene. and undler the sae 'restrictions, as appetinO to the election of thmeir i ltepresaentatives. It canniot be inspired with a 5 spirit andl energy fur uasefulness. let it at least be shorn and divested of its powerand tendency to .evil. I cannia I tro4ts ttooipress eeivite .eyu auc.o.ti;n ,to a sbect ofr.o.nue,actical :... ituportance; and whlce the irnprovemlent of 5oods, as ojie of the indispensable means (of ada RUanciIg comlerrC. las juvstly been regarded in all isges of the war,d. as the evidence ofincreas. ing prosperity and civilization, the patrioticem. n!atlon which I am sure yeu are always ready to maniteest its promoting the public iscal, %will dizect your t..rot sedulous exertion to the im. pcoe"u.ntt of our swn. The revision of tur criminal law, in many re-ential pariendars, is required by tic Iitatre of pobey. as ic'A as of haumanity. The eflects of tame aAd carenistances, have proside.ced so an4iy modflicaonis in the character f some crimaeS, that it ts ditlicult, in many instantces, eith.er top protare con ictions or eaor.-e punish. ment. Where the penalty exceeds4 the sense of puiblic justice. or where the feelings ofcom mi-eration Ihr the culprit overpower the ap. -rehension of consequences to the a diety or in. tvrests of the community, neither the widattn or the Judiciary. or the firmness of the Excen. tive. can preveant a law from becoming as obmo. lete as it is odious. Of this class ofesses may perhaps be ennmerated some efthe leser grades ,.'fforgerv, the punisihment of.Wldch, as a capi. tal otnhesse, has gradually been ameliorated, even by the policy of those tations, frot whose com mercial exigencis, they wereoriginated. Wem at evei neccsiary to have excecded, in this in. statce. the inflictions ofthe divine command.in the enumerated otrdneen to be expiated by death. it is hoped that the force of that neeswty has gradually diminished, under the infuence cf Utiae and eincumstances. The trisl f slaves for capital of'eneem, iq de o.rdin.irily sutmunary mode ofprsoces, and in de midst of all those citcumstances of exciteent in which teelint of partiality or of prejudice are so apt to predo tite, must be aditted to he capalle oflproducing those perititns in the a tini-tration of justice, from whk the rilhts of humani;y and the interto( should he plrotected. Within the si eret ofneigbborlaood communities, so easily swayed by passion tor feelig, vendictive motives to de inmster. tmay sometimes conduce to the punish teit of the shive, while the influence ofr pepu., lar favotie, on the other hand, may be succes. tull exerci.ed to extenuate the crimes f the cilprit. The result of iy reflection and expe. rieice. theref'ore. indces me to reiterate the recsioncnntidatmon of one of my predecessoas. to n:ter the pre.sett mode of trial.to ajury oftwehe Cre. holders. to be asseIbled at tUe court-house; and the lproweution in all cases (and the de. feice wihen, practicable) to be conducted by counisel. The convenience of the Parishes, re maote as sone of theta are from the seat of'jus. tire, may readily be accommodated by special provi.ioons. If in makir.g this recommends. tion. I have said little more than to repeat the etgge-tois of somne of my pr, deressos. it is perhaps for tiat very reason entitled to your 1mtire werions consideration. as the reslt of the tnattired and ai-c mulated experience of this detpartment. in al it,. -tages of rccupancy and of success.ion The instances of awakened re gret and contrition. on the part of many of thtepe judicial inbunals, invoking the interposi. ion of :cxecutive clemency, to modify or arrest aheir o-vn hasty ar.d often illegal convictions, are of freq'tent anid ordinary occurrence. There-ett usode of applying the Free School 'und has been productive of no benefit. to correspond with the most mangsct1 of all the benefactions ofour State Government, to im. prove the mt-ral condition of her people. The experiment of many years, not only presents us w ith the result ofa large proportion of our indi gent citizens, who have grown up without the encouragement ot the opportunity tolarticipate in its advantages, but at the same time fArces u Ion us th,- convic tion, that tlese opporturities, Aran enjoyed, have it many instances been asr 1 o-ipanied by a standard of morals, as well as or tuition, a vitia ed, and perhaps inmore injU. r:ots. than the worst con-eqtences of the most profoundignorance While ourgrammarsebols anid literrary seminaries have advanced and improved in pr-,wrtion to the increasing inh.l ligence of die are,- and to -the higg eauire haunts of o.,r aole.e, et,e terneterbd uafr schools h-u depteciated itn all the emential re. qmatites of a sound and judicious course ofe. cation. hero are their beneficial effects tobe witnessed, in any of their indueneca on society? WVhere are the monuients of their usefulness to he es,n any new illuminations of scce, or imuprovenients in the arts ? What signal ex :snmple can be adduced, to illusirate a solitary in stnce of moral 01 ielleetual reclamation, for 'tie exp.-nditure of more than thirty.six thousand dloilars aninuntly I Iletter ivnuld it be to lease the icimd entirria to nature's influence,, and 1' bave's' i : : t -!i "i 'an to pervert the under. --:sindmg. :cud corl ie th,-' hvert, by a depraved atnd imjudicion- caue o.'f education. The me. stit of so imainy sears'. x; erience. is enough to dissatisfy your hopes, in the pre-ent mnde of applying the liberality of the State; but niot I tru,. to discourage your sfforts co improve it. Wi.en the State' assumes to become the guar dtian si the edlsuation of acey portion of her citi tens. lte character of that education should be of a 1-ind not atferior to the inost useful and ito iCo di a ardl "ftuition. I amninclined to the eme v~c:ioni, that if cie' a ed to the condition of ti .c i'~lhet uorder nf l'n:lish Gramlmar Schools --oto b e estabhlel,t in each district, county, or parish-i! c course of mtstruction being chief. Iy directed a.. thie argisositionu of some of those scient'ific a Iaitnmenats so n. ccssary to success itn the useful ansd mechanaic arts-and associated with a se 'temt of tnannial labor, to invigotate the body, as ns eli as to enilighten the understand ing-ta, y wvouild attain to a1 much more perma neu-tt as.d exsteded stphiere of usefultnegs. But , %ery neces-sary arranigenient, in my view, to 'eiy r'adical refortmation in the system, would be the appjoitmtient of a Genier.it Superintendent, wlme-e tpractical observation and experience, -eatnhl furtnish mtanty valnable suggestions fur y onr future actisin, as wvell as introducee in die matitime.lutary imuprovements,. ini die pre sent tmode of mtstruactiont. If the expense of a salary should be thought to constitute an objec ccon to tiis expe'rimlens, the amount necsesary to comapentsate sneh an oflicer might he beutef emlly ab-tracte~d from the fund itself: and I have nao dottht will be fasund toconstribute to the cronoimy, as we'll a's the ianpmving effects aris inig friitii the distributtion of the balance. In puirsnane of an Act of the Legislature, to carry into effeect a treaty, to extinguish the title of thin Catawbha Indians. to lands in the districts sof York and Lancaster, and to purchase ether territory for their residence and subsistence, an azett in whose instelligence and 6idelity the greate'st contfdenace is reposesd by the Proprnetors and Chiesf.a. wa's appoinited hy this department, with suceh specatic intstruactisa, as were deemned best comipsrting with the wvise and benevolent views oh the Legislature. Bv the roport of the agenit, here with transmnitit'd, ii wiilhbse percived, that the oebjections trged by the Ezeentive of' Northa C'aroln1. to the peurchase of Land in that State.p1re'ctdes the posibiility of gratafyin; he wish expressed by some of their Chiefs, to ui. their declininig tribe with thme rettains of the Cherokee Nation, nowv te-ideot there. It is hiopedf, however, chatE the acquisition of ether hands, withini the imnits of our own domain, m.iy be advanataigeously made for themn: ad the faut: of the State. as well as the exigency sot this niov Aoe-kss anid landless peop>le, require that the nseces--n appropriation snoud meande dluritng the. lr,-sent session, to com~sly with this icnport~ltit conidi'ionl of the treaty. The Pro prietors having on tcr part conformed to all the stipulatisits and reqtuiremeats of the law andl the treaty, the taxem imposed by the Legisla to-.e avinag been ree'i'ed into the Treasury a nid the anieunities which bave hithettoeonstitat ad te serdinaryti means of smbsistences the 3" dasns, being accordingly abstrsete'd-the fatS. mient of the obligations asesmited by the demos as now im -ecrative, to relieve this isponident pecople,ftomu a staite of' atner destitutisin, and de.