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*** ,Jk..v. ,GOVEB.V()? W. n. SIMPSON, J W^vi . TO TUB y \ If GENERAL ASSEMBLY, c? AT ITS SESSION 81 C0>I51KXCIN'UEN 1)AT, NOV. 23, 1S79. * Gentlemen of the General Asaombli</ : ? It is with ploasurc that, as the Kxccutit^ of the State, I tender you kindly greetings upou your reassoinbUug lor the purpose of ^ entering upon the discharge of the high duties imposed upon you by the Coustilu- N tion. I have no doubt tint yon Iftfve each cotne '? prepared to uioot fully your cospomibilities 1 and to do all that you can for the promo- 1 tion of the welfare of the State, aud to this ! end you shall havo uiy most cordial co-opera- 1 tion. My love for South Carolina, always ( K . stroug, ha* grown with my growth ojid \ unite with you in an earnest effort to A?0&tn-^ f push during this the last session of the onernl Assembly of the present administration such results as may rewound to her lasting prosperity, honor and glory,?aud I - oarue?tly hope that such may be its cou m ouuunanon. | ^ duties of ttifcUMMRNVf^^ of wiiVon nnVe been difficult and perplexing, tho Constitution provides that tho Governor '-shall from time to timo give to tho Gouoral Assembly information of tho condition of the State, A and recommend to their consideration such M measures as ho shall jud,;e necessary or cxpcdicnt." This Message is intended to &M meet this constitutional duty, to wit: to K give you information as to the oondition of tho State aud to recommend tho adoptiou on your part of such measures as, in my r judgment, may be promotive of tho common good. In proceeding to discharge this two fold 1 duty, you will permit mo, first jbriefly to 1 call your.attention, by way of information, to several matters which seem to me should afford abundant cause for great congratula- 1 tion, not ouly on tho part of the General ] Assembly but of the whole State, and espcLcially ou the part of the General Assembly, 1 for the reason that some of these matters \ have been the direct results of its previous legislation. ! First, you will permit mo to congratulate you and t ho country on iho cvideuccs of : agricultural industry which have come up 1 from all parts of tho State. Agriculture, as all understand, is tho most important of a people's various interests?it is, in fact, ' the groundwork of all elsj. Lot it lnuguish, ( and everything else languishes ; let if flour- 1 ish, and everything else flourish ;s. When 1 Ar"?itccessful operation, it gives rise to all ! other improvements. It necessitates the building of railroads and tho establishment of manufacturing enterprises. It creates ! commerce, and extended educational iuoilitics arc its legitimate results. During the past Summer this great interest was threatencd it one time with serious tad widespread disaster by au impeiidiug drouth, but at length the showers came and the rains descended, and this danger, cotuparatively, passed off, and our people, taken as a whoio, have been blessed with a reasonaable harvest. Their garners are generally . full. 1 have taken some pains to obtain * information on this subject, and the reports from the different counties show that thopeopie of all classes and couditi uis have been Wt more industrious, more energetic and enter* W prising, in this dopartmontofiudustry, during W the current year than for many years past, J and [ am rojoicjd to believe that the new ~ relations of labor and capital which our suddeu transformation has imposed upon us as a people are beginning to adjust themselves more harmoniously; we have certainly touched bottom and the rebound has commenced. Those reports further show that while cotton still forms the main produce, yet that the people all over the Stale ure beginning largely to diversify their M n 1 .li? ?i i'lUiu rviii.ili 1^1.11 II, Ily WUCtll | ji art J outs, has been cultivated and harvested, |' at least, in upper South Caroliua, during 1 the past year than at any period since the | war, and greater attention is beginning to be paid to grasses and cattle, and the people J arc generally and wisely, I think, coining to the conclusion that while their soil is ? well adapted to the production of the great ' staple cotton, and that this product should j not be neglected, yet that their corn cribs ' and incut houses should be built 011 their ' own lands and under the protection of their own eyes. When this practice is more generally re-established and fully adopted, our : future, agriculturally, L think, will become inorc secure, and, while affording all of our people the means of a comfortable living, 1 it will largely tend to relieve them from ' those fearful pecuniary disasters which not unfrerjuently occur among every people ' relying upon but one industry and the cul- ' tivation of a single staple. in lhi4 connection it affords 1110 pleasure 1 to state that tlio law known as tho stock ' hw, passed at the last cssion, has fully realized the hopes of its friends in those Counties where it has been put into opera- i tiou. Of course a measure so radical in its 1 character and so suddenly adopted would f meet with some oppositlou, and, as was ex- l pacted, some complaints were made against this; but this was immediately upon the I passago of tho Act and before the people ! had "pnparcd themselves to moot it. Since s thou it has given as nearly universal ratis- I Mr fiction as any la.v ever enacted, and the i concurring testimony from all quarters is I that it is tho greatest blessing to agriculture l ever bostowod by the Legislature. It is I for you to determine whether or not this i law should bo extonded to the Counties not I now embraced, upon such information as I you may receive from tho Kcprofeutntivcs I of these Counties. j It gives me pleasure, too, to state that < I r v A flrfTory'eTcuicijrtSDrpa7ty contention whtclt 01 avo hitherto burucd in our midst uud kept n< ur people apart, at least during election it cars, and winch, on account of the peculiar L out position ol' our body politic, threaded p srious consequences in tho past, ,if not "p uttrely extinguished, have been hold iu tl boyuueo during tile present year, and our t diolc population, freo from those discordant tl ntigonisms which seeuiod likely to occur, u lave united in a common clTort forthfc ( oinmon good. There is apprehension, / lowevcr, that in the ucar futurcall this/ vill bo change 1, and that in tho cleq/ a ion of 1830 turmoil and party strife wiPl n igaiu rise to tho surface.'' 1 hope not. It s s true in that cloctiou, involving as it 1 vill, to a groat extent, the future poliey of t iho goueral governuieut, and arousing, as I it must, the unholy ambition of tho politi- | sal aspirant as well as the noble impulses i jf tho patriotic citizen, souio cxcitcuieut i must ensue, uud we uiuy expect that every UWWVVOr, IO ?! ?? vuv vi.invua "* " I arc beginning to feci that we constitute but one people ; that our prosperity is bound up with each other; that we arc all Carolinians ; and that, while we recognize the general government as supreme in its orbit, and, to some degree, affecting our interests, ?- ?baupiuoss as a people depends chiefly upon atlo -^l-.stiny of our own State, and that we will not niifltv VuT. internal and homo interests to be swallowed up in the maelstrom of Federal politics. I desire also to communicate, as a matter of most pleasing information, based upon reliable data received from the Solicitors of the different Circuits, concurred in and fully supported by the Circuit Judges, that crime i has greatly diminished all over the State? i diminished to the extent of at least thirty per cent, in this the third year of the administration of the party now in power, compared to any period previous to its in- * auguration. This, no doubt, has been the ' result of the fair and impartial administration of the laws which has taken place since that party has been in power and the con- ' lidcncc which all the people are gradually , beginning to feel in the protective power | ind willingness ol the government under the control and in the bauds of that party. These results it promised to bring about, | uid the statistics will show that its promises bavc been faithfully redeemed. This is a most gratifying fact aiid augurs well for ) jur future. There is room, however, for , further advance iu this direction. A .1.1 ' muiig mo tuner evils lolt in tlie track ( if the lato war there scorns to have been ' ngeudorod in the minds of the people a i .00 great disregard of human life?nut i noro in our midst than elsowhero, but in ivory part of the couutry., as is evidenced ' iy the startling homicides reported in dif- . oront portions of tho United States. This foeliug is fed and stimulated by that dangerous practice of carrying concealed and j lc.idly weapons, and by their manufacture i ind sale, which prevails so extensively in I ( I'liferent portions of tho couutry. It is not j . surprising that the people should to some j jxtent forget tho value of human life when j i housands and thousands of these instru ments aro manufactured and sold for no j . ithor purpose but to kill and destroy it, and j ' ivhcn they are made familiar with the idea ' < if their fitness to that end, which the conitant wearing and handling of these instruments must eventually produce in the minds j if those who thus use them. I s This evil is-not more prominent with us , ' han iu other communities?in fact, L nin j gratified to believe that it prevails to a less I . ;xt en there than elsewhere?but still it exists 1 j tore to to*) great an extent and should be jorrected if possible. If within the reach ( )flegislation, your wisdom will find the emody ; in addition to this, the <?ood. the ,vi.su riiiil the lovers of peace anil order eve- ( ywhere should combine together and bring ] o hear upon it with crushing power that j nost potential of all iniluctices?public | ipiniou?and this 1 invoke. I do not mow that any additional laws upon tho ; | iubjecl of homicide are necessary. What ! s needed, perhaps, is a sterner enforcement i )f those already in existence; it is safe, lowcvcr, to leave ?his to tho Courts and the ( urics. Full information as to the operations of j lie tiuancial department, the public schools, ' he militia, the Penitentiary, t!:e Lunatic i j \sylum, the Institution of the Deaf and Dumb and other charitable institution", tho 'inking Fund Commission, the Railroad ( Jomniis ion, the Hoard of II >ahh, the Fish lommis'ion and the phosphate interest" will ' jc fouud in the reports of the several ollicers laving these interests respectively in charge, ind which will he upon your tables. It vould eiicumbcr this Messairo unnecessarily l o incorporate in it the valuable detail* bund in these reports; I shall, therefore, present only such prominent points as 1 nay think advisable, leaving to you that lull and thorough exami nation which the mportauco ol these various matters will icmaml at your hands. M K A S t; It RS K Kt 'O >1M K N I) E I). The primal object of government is proaction?protection of the natural and absouto rights of the people?the right of perlonal security, personal liberty, and the right to accumulate and enjoy property. These important rights h id existence before government, and came from a much lighcr source, and government was created : ind established for their protection. Hut for the danger to these rights in a state of lature there would have been no necessity for government. Laws are the instruuicn* alilics through which govcriimcut is Drought in contact with tho people and by ivhich it accomplishes its great end. Such Doing tho fact, it would seem that all wiso legislation should bo directed to tho ends, Irst, of establishing and supporting tho governmental machinery unon as mind and * - i n I economical a basis ns possible, and secondly, ' anurain? it ju?i outu uivaua uo* M..y ^ ecessary, and u<f lytypi; to enable it to uieet 1 s fundamental purpose, that of protection. J laving doue thla^ legislation has ucconi- J lished'ftll tfiat U should sock to aocom- J lish, In et?doavQii?^ to roach this, result "< ?0 tendency of mosHegislafTv# llodies iiv > ho past bus bcetiTtb Ovur legislation, rather i hau to too little?tf> the enac tment of too < inny, laws rather than to too few. The | ?cral Assembly of this State has not i a exempt from this tendency in the past, , our volumiuous statute books will show, .ml you will pardon uie in warning you igaiust its too great indulgence at this sesiion. In ad litiou to this, what is desired )y all is an increase of wealth, because as i people grow moro wealthy withiu proper Kiunds they grow more powerful and pr<?.s1 nnnKlml III Sill*- ' porous auu uiu iu? ? round themselves with all the comforts and improvements of a higher civilization. ^vVJV,' S^?9!!f^cn>^i|',''that the Best iTrtrl j safest, and conscquenHy the wisest, govern-1 mentis that which is content rather to I protect than to attempt to create prosperity, since tho former always promote* and the latter never fails to impede tho efforts ol that individuality which makes men industrious and enterprising and which produces the wealth of a country. Having these views, aud looking at the State from my standpoint, I am impressed with tncwUelieF that but lituo ujumJ, i legislation is now demanded by tho wants of our people, and consequently I shall have but lew recommendations to make. What they want is not so much more' laws as more political rest and a quiet opportunity, through their own individual enterprise, activity and industry, of building up and recuperating their lost fortune#. FINANCES. * As to our Gmvueial sytitotii. t'?o prose#!-, 5 cue mo in operation for the support and maiiitcnauco of the government stands upon as just a principle and upon as ccouoiuieal i basis as can well bo devised. It rests upon the broad principle that everv citizeMi di mid boar that proportion of tho uecessary burdens of government which his ability lud property shall demand. This makes it bear C(ju illy upon all, and aJl arc satisled. I am not aware of any improvement that enn bo made in either tho collecting or disbursing of that portion of the public money ivhich is administered by the tstate Treasury. As uow conducted the present scheme seems to afford absolute security both for [he prompt gathering and tho prompt and honest disbursement of this p u t of tho public funds, liut while this sceurity exists is to that portion of public moneys administered by the State Treasury, yet it necuis to h ive been forgotten that a large portion >f the taxes collected is collected for County purposes and is administer d by the County L/'ouunissioticrs of the several Counties without any suliiciout check being provided for tho correct disbursement thereof. It is true that tho County Commissioners are reipiired to m ike reports to the (leueral Assembly, but it would be almost impossible for the icucral Assembly to look fully into all the icts and doings, contracts and vouchers of he County Commissioners ol the thirty two Jountics s> as to affor 1 that check which lie magnitude of this part of our financial scheme demands. It w >uld be better that these reports .ll.ltllll !><> tll-|ll.> )|1 U.lllli. !i->..-.l ....I I.... ! .there the fuels could be more fully examined and the vouchers more easily tested ; ind for this better security I recommend :hnt those reports be required to be made ;o the Circuit Court in the several Counties, to be examined by the grand juries tinier its supervision, after being published in lie County papers just previous to the sitling of the Court to which they shall be made. Nor do I see at this time any opening for greater economy or retrenchment in current jxpenscs. Salaries have been reduced as low as it i- wise to reduce them, and all the expenses of the government have been cut .lown as far as it is perhaps practicable to Jo so. This will he seen more certainly by somparing the expenses of the different departments of the government before the war ind since. I refer to tlio.se xpenses which (V.M,? it... <?<*?.. t r.. iur.ii tlio aggregate of salaries of the executive department. amounted to nineteen thousand rsight hundred and fifty dollars. During this year the sunt required is thirteen thousand nine hundred, notwithstanding an additional office, that of Superintendent of Ivl licit ion, with a salary of twenty-one hundred dollars, has been created since 18.~>0. J'eforc lite war most of the executive officcrs could live at their respective homes and discharge their duties by periodic visits to the capitol. Now their duties are largely increased and they are required to live in Columbia and attend daily tit their offices. It is true these increased duties have called lor an increase of clerical force, both in number and qualifications, which has also increased tire expenses of this department, which, when added to the sum above mentioned. will bring thess expenses to about what they were formerly. Yet, when the additional work imposed npou this depart incut, in consequence of our changed condition, 'u considered, it will l>c scuu that the strictest and closest economy has been observed. In the judiciary department the amount required in 185!) was 881),200 ; during this year this department has required $50,800 ?a difference of ?17,000. This difference, however, has not resulted from an increase in the salaries of th i officers in this department so much as on account of the fact that an entirely new system has been adopted siuco 1850. Ill 1850 the Supremo Court was not in cxistcuco, and the Solicitors wore then paid principally from fees and costs derived from the cases prosecuted. Now Jpnoinfayuut tfb 611.000, and the SolicijirfrY&ro -paid 612,000 directly from the 1,1 tfeasury. J] In the legislative department in 18.>9 the sutirc expense, iucludiug pay of members, tl Solicitors, clerks, attachecs, printing, Ac., ?t mounted to ?10,550. Now the sum re- J-"' quired is ?40,1 15. All theso expenses ag- (j grcgatcd during the year 1850 amounted to 8105,000; now to 8124,895?a difference ?> of ?18,295, chiefly on account of the change ? in the judicial department, which was itn- 1 portant and essential, and which absolutely J, necessitated this additional expense. t When we reflect upon the great change .1 which has taken place in cur condition, so- t cial, political and otherwise, and when we 1 rouiember that our citizenship has been t pioru than doubled by the emancipation of , .thoso^ sO'ir people who were formerly our i ruin which had been brought ' l/St* #lfTV,w ry by tiic flagrant misrule , ^ ^ jy.cc of those in potjtir previIII ILlliiLiWM* lj*ll1''lli" i (BYvSppucSuon or new principles ana almost an entire rebuilding ul'our political structure, it is not only a gratifying but a surprising fact that our expenses have so soon been brought down to the level ol that peaceful and quiet state of things which existed in 1830, and it will ever stand as a monument to tho patriotism and practicil wisdom of those who have conducted public affairs for tho last three years, within which time this result has been accomplished. ' " more striking when the cxTlus is stiu ? -o ired with those ot peases of 1S70 are codfJO'l'S Spkv^c'Jibcr, the fiscal year commencing Auvu I t875. ' Ihc expenses of 1870 in the legislative, executive and judicial departments, as will be soon above, amounted to 81- 1,805, while for the fiscal year 1875 the sum required | was three hundred and fifty-one thousand 1 dollars?a difference of $226,205. This ' Comparison has only extended to the appro- ' priations made for the legislative, executive | and judicial departments for th? years men- . tinned. If carried out with the other ap- i propriations, the contrast will be found still more striking, and will afford abundant cv- ' idencc of the vigilant economy of the (?en- j oral Assemblies of the last three years. The road, then, which lends to the lightening of the people's burdens by reduction ' of taxes, either now or ultimately, is not ! through an unwise withdrawal of proper , Sunuort to tho iliftoriMit ..c criiuicut uinlor the guise ol* economy, but by that increase of wealth ami population which 1 will certainly come from stability, effectiveness ami vigor in these departments, impnr j ted by a fair, just and liberal support, and bv the awakening of our sleeping resources < through the increasing industry and enter- ' 4)jise .1" our people, fostered and protected ' bv a just and stable government. , The building of the Spartanburg and . AsTiuvillc Railroad and other similar enter- * prises; the successful operation of the I'ied- ' uiout and Cauiperdown and other factories in the State ; the discovery of the ash cle- , tit out by Dr. Ravtiiel; the reclamation of s thousands of acres of most valuable laud in the lower portions of the State from the c grasp of present ruin by the introduction of sonic new product suited to the soil and , climate or some new mode of culture ; the i deepening of our rivers and the draining 1 of our swamps; the extension of education; 1 the fair, just and impartial administration of the laws?these are the agencies which , will add to and increase the value of the | property from which our revenue s to bo derived. And inasmuch as the rate of tax- 1 atioii will decrease as property increases, the ; sorest load to permanent and substantial rc- , diietion of taxes is preiccli mi and encourge- i nieiit to enterprises an 1 industries like these, i and to tlios i ends, therefore, legislation ! should be directed. I invite your attention to the following , condensed statement of our liuuuciul fundi- j Hon, gathered from the clear and able re- i ports of the Comptroller and Treasurer, ' which is herein incorporated so us to be iu ' convenient form for reference : Consul lion Is and stocks funded to November, 1879 $.">,021,041) 9ft Less bonds retired by Sinking Fund Commission 3(5,000 00 i ! .$ >, 588,9-1*> 00 Amount to be consolidated $1,101,820 09 Kqual to 580,914 54 Certificates of Claims Commission already funded for deficiency bonds and stocks, less $2,072.20 o f bonds retired by t lie Sinking Fund Commission in 187!) $557,045 93 Certificates still to be ftiuded ",890 00 50 1,535 03 Total interest on 0,701,100 40 all bunds and certificates $019,">10 :b> Less amount in Treasury 175,451 80 414,054 15 Total debt and interest $7,175,154 01 lJonds declared invalid by recent decision of the 8uprerae Court, including interest consolidated, in gross $2,39*2,770, ci{ual when consolidated to 1,100,185 00 Tftlftl (innroTtninino UTil t?l UilU of the Hunk of ilio State supposed to bo still out 400,000 00 ,2'hto statement docs not embrace the contingent liability, if any, of tho Slate for railroad bonds guaranteed. taxable property of the State : Ileal cstuto p $70,583,800 00 1'ersonnl property :jt?,"i74,8 58 00 lUilroads 7,Ml!,000 (Kl Total $120.0.') 1,024 00 One mill will yield (net) $102,320 00 Poll tax last year 102,000 00 Tbisyear 07,570 00 - * The present sciiooi system w?* -,j te passage of mi Act entitled "An Act to niter id amend the school law of South Curoliuii," *' is'?cd nt the regular session of 1877. This system, though somewhat defective, was j " ic hest that could have been then devised, .and I' hns produced good fruit. Its defects lire of a ' linracter which, perhaps, at this time cannot 1 e remedied on account of our peculiar coudi- s on. ,n A perfect school system would l?c one which, 11 y its own machinery, would bring into the 1' chool room all ihe youths of the State between he proper ages and subject them for the greater [' art of the year to the tuition of thoroughly oinpctcnt and professional teachers?competent o instruct and discipline the mind as well as 1 levelop and discipline the character. This last ! icing, in my judgment, as, important it not nore important, than the first. ' The present system provides no special rncde if furnishing the State with the class of teach- ' :rs suggested. The different Boards authorized 1 io license teachers are dependent upon those who ' ipply?nmiiy of them entering the work as a mere temporary business and for present support. The examinations ate ncccsSarily to some e^Umtjar^criiiciahirlannut r^|h 'n,? and cliaractcr?required on the part of those into whose hands the educational interests of the young of the Stale arc entrusted, l.know no mode of remedying this defect except ihe establishment. of one or more normal schools to pre pare mi-1 fit teachers for this important work.? It may boon account of our depressed condition that the State is not yet prepare) to undertake a scheme of this sort and establish it on a firm basis; hut the whole school system depends in a "rc.il measure far complete success upon the character of the teachers employed, and we wid he compelled, ultimately, to adopt some better mode than is now in existence to meet tins dc The other defect referred to, to nit. the short perio.1 during which the schools are kept open, is I due not so much to the system as to the fact or '"ficiency in the sum nppropintcd for school pur!i. . I j kept open to the full extent of poses. ' XV "I. and, through the cner^ The schools u.. ' 'he State Su* i he means appropriate ( cj,eapcst ever pf' cry and most earnest efforts 01 . ,,jrinicndcut, are doing all the good that can possibly he accomplished with the limited means provide.1; and until the .^tnto is prepared to enlarge its appropriation, either through State or local < taxation, this evil must continue, unless in the meantime private efforts can he combined in ?otnc way with public aid to continue the schools < iftcr the puklic funds are exhausted. i This metier of public education, however, is . jf (lie very highest importance and requires the maturdst consideration ; and in a government ( ike ours, resting as it does upon universal sufYage, it is indeed the question of questions. , The time is coining, and is rapidly approachng, when public sentiment will not only approve , nit demand, that education in all its grades, j liglier and lower, shall be free to all, without ] money and without price. If I had the power , I would hasten the arrival of that time, and ] would then rejoice in the consciousness that 1 liad borne some humble part in a work than | which no greater can mark ihc history of any , i>o.?.to it..# ?..? e. * j ?. ..... .v.. uiii 1.11 mure cum[icii'in 111:111 | myself to deal wit 1> this great subject, and into ( your hands i commit it. commending to your | :on$idcriition the very able report of the Super- , ntenleat with the valubic facls5ind suggestions continued therein. It will ho seen that this report furnishes , micli important nml interesting information -howing the growth ami improvement of the ' :hoi>l system. The number of pupils attending 1 lie public schools during the lust year was l'J'2,- , lt>.'5; of this number 5S,:;ti8 were whites and 1 iI.(?' ') colored. This is probably the largest ( lumber of pupils that has attended the public | icliools in any one year. 1 The improvement in the schools for the col- ( >red race lias been marked ; it is worthy of note . hut since 187<i the average increase of atten- t lance of colored pupils has been more than 45 { >cr cent, geater than under the Republican ad- , niui trations. Four of the Counties, it appears, mil not made returns of the school fund eollec- ^ ed when the report of the Superintendent of , vl neat ion was submitted, but enough is known ( o warrant the assertion that the school fund for ( he tiseal year 1878-71) was greater than for any , preceding year. ( The expenditures have been kepi within the receipts and the general management of the 1 sclio il fund deserves especial commendation.? , l'lie heavy load of debt which was left by the chool ollicers under the Republican administralions has embarrassed greatly the working ol lIiis department, and tlie shortness of the school session is due in some measure to this cause. I would earnestly recommend some legislation which will secure to teachers in tlie public | schools the prompt payment of their salaries. ] The dillicullies with which teachers have to contend because of delay in this matter nro fully ! explained in tlie report of the Superintendent j u i.iueauon. ii win not no possible to retain | competent teachers if we do not make provision : for paying them promptly for their services. >1 I I.I I t A. The comlition of litis department of )>nl>lic j service will he found fully set forth in the report of the Adjutant and Inspector General.? | litis officer has heen most untiring in his efforts | lo place the militia of the Stale upon a proper j looting, and the result of these elforts will he seen in his report. The militia has heen surrounded and cmbar- [ rassed with many dillicnlties, not the least ol which is the scanty support given it by the Legislutnre. Notwithstanding this, a splendid nucleus has been organized, which, if encouraged, | could he easily extended to meet all the neecs- ! sities of the State in this department ; hut if it fails in the future, as it lias in the past, to meet j that cordial encouragement from the General I Assembly which the system demands, it is idle to expect the establishment and continuance of | a well-organized militia, such as would do cred- : it to the Statu and he prepared for an v emergen cv Ilinl might arise. The spirit, patriotism ami ; State pride of the young men of the State stand , ready to respond to any demand upon them to | build up this system and make it an lienor to i South Carolina. Hut they cannot dothisat their ' own expense. They need arms and suitable equipments; let these be furnished and they will do the rest. The report of the Adjutant and Inspector(Icneral, however, will present the I wants and necessities of the system, and 1 com- j mend this report and its recommendations to i your careful consideration and favorable action. 111 * It KAtT OF ST ATISTICS. Frequent inquiries have been made of me dur* i ing the year l>y parties outside of the State : seeking investments or new homes as to ;lie agricultural, tninernlogical, manufacturing ami I other resources of fiic Stale, with such statirti- j cal information upon these subjects as 1 might be able to furnish ; but there being mi depart- I nient in charge of these matters, with collected and arranged data from which 1 could draw, I have been unable to meet ibe^c inquiries as fully ns was desirable. There is no doubt about the fact tlint the Stale nboiinds in resource* of the character indicated?tliut there is ft wide field here for the immigration of tho agriculturist ami the manufacturer, and that we have n belt of mineral resources running through the State as rich, if not richer, than any that have been discovered elsewhero. In fact, those nai* urnl resources arc fat more abundant and imjtoi Ir it is tlie policy or inc cn?n> i? mmigrnlion, to bring foreign capital ljg^B|gK?E^| lidst and to bare these resources dj^B otliing. I think, woiihl tend more lishment than :*f ala collected by - r.e 1 nil I i Ic agency and condense ,' ami methodized into tntisi.cal reports and results, so that the charcter of our resources could be seen at a glance rid the valuhlo information thus collected iromptly utilized to the. en Is suggested. This is an age of rapK} thought nn 1 moredents, and condensed iiifortnati.ui is of the very ugliest imporlattcc, and nothing has played a norc effective | hi t in the progress of other coinnunitics than reliable statistics in reference to he various material interests upon whedt their rrowtli depended, and wlint lias been madi use'ul elsewhere can he made usef.il with us. 1 therefore recommend this subject to your .vircful consideration, hoping that some plan nay be adopted by vhi It we may not only be put abreast with other Slates in these matters, lint also our valuable resources brought to light in such way us to attract that attention which they so eminently deserve, and may Bomndctho means of promoting a widespread prosperity. Ft" tii.TC RnAt).' ~ Tl.m nf n eollliI rV 1 ^ . ..^ . ly said to l>c accurate aim degree of its civilisation one of the first indicati a people from barbarist should keep pace wit' t ion in numbers, v . of all which they . " ? evidence: they at commercial suppl blood of the SlaiS, sufficiency and O?LSSlH10X>6St gree, the health of the people." f>0? If our civiliz fear that our p, that has ever been brought (lie scale as we lie highways. as e l condition, an situation i s a "T"T" /"A 1 V (~i lIV'd radical change in the road system. - ?. railroads now running to most of the County sites in the Slate, and, as a consequence, the County villages have become market towns to the inhabitants of the Counties in which they are located, where their produce is sold, and from which they are mostly supplied with their commercial supplies. What km impetus would he given to agriculture, to progress, and improvement in every way, if to these different County sites, from t lie extremities of the respeclive Counties, were running well-graded, level md lirin highways? Kvery branch of industry would thereby t?e materially benefitted, the expense of carrying to market every article re- ? luced, and the necessaries of life gic..tly cheap:ned (w the consumer. The ililference as to ease an .1 rapidity of transportation resulting from improved highways? tn] roved hy proper skill and labor bestowed in lying them out, leveling ami keeping them in constant repair?is much greater than is usually imagined. ' Vs mi illustration of this fact, I would refer lo a statement made by 0:1c who has thoroughly examined this subject, as follows : "In a road rising a hundred feet in the distance of two Ihousand, its ascending slope would be one in twenty. One-twentieth of the whole load drawn aver it must be 'r.ally lifted up the entiro height of one hut; -ed feet : but upon such a slope a horse cotthl draw only one ha'f as much lis he can upon a level road, and two horses, therefore, will be needed on such a road to do the work of one if the read was level. ' If this lie the fact?in the mutter of leveling and properly grading simply?the cost of carriage could lie greatly reduced : and when t* added to this the constant repairs of the surface ? which could l?e kept up by n ju licioits system?the advantages would be incalculable. These advannges would not lie confined to those who trade it the market towns, but would extend to the owns themselves, enabling them to grow nml txpand indefinitely, multiplying their papula . ... ...... nu n ui'.iuu. imr present. system, if adhered to for till time, could never produce these results. It is deficient in two essential particulars?skilled supeiinlendcncc ami control, anil constant nntl ef!icient labor. Tliesc -innot he supplied l?y tlie present system. Each 'onnty should have a practical engineer or road commissioner in sole charge of the County highways ; his whole time should he devoted to the business. The necessary labors should he furnished him by County and other couviets, cornmutation tax,and such other labor as might not tic able or willing to pay the tax. And this otlicer should lie hold strictly responsible for the condition of the roads. In a system of this sort, after a short experiment, I am fully persuaded the people would most cordially co-operate; and, besides furnishing employment for many deserving young men, an 1 inducing scientific education in a direction much needed for the full development of our resources, a patriotic rivalry would spring up in the different Counties, and with the different officers in charge, which wotihl soon work n most wonderful change in ihe faco of our country?lendiup to the wealth and prosperity of the whole State. 1 most earnestly recommend this subject to your consideration as the one matter most needing attention in our present condition. Governor McDuffie, in his Message to the General Assembly in lSd7, in discussing the road system of that day, said: "The roads through the State are in a much neglected C< nditioti. 1 traveled through some of the Western districts of the State soon after the crops wero laid l?y, and found the roa Is in many places almost impassable by a wagon or carriage. The citizen loses, as it may he safely affirmed, fair times ns much labor as is rendered to the State, and the portion that is bestowed on the roads is so injudiciously directed that it seldom does any substantial good, and very often amounts to a |>iil?lic nuisance." This was said moretlinn tifty years ago, ami is as appropriate now as then.? Suppose that a more efficient system had been adopted then, and since that time faithfully parried out until now. a half century. The imagination could scarcely picture the diirerouee. 11 \tt.nr. u> CoMMisstoNKn. Under the Act of the General Assembly, Jj passed at its Inst session, creating the oflico of Itailroad ('oinniissioncr, and defining its duties, I appointed General M. I., Ilonham, <.f Kdgcfield, to this nllicc, who entered upon the discharge of his duties in January. The Act requires thai (he report of this officer should he made through the Governor to your honorable bodies, and I herewith transmit it.? The salary of this officer and the incidental expenses, as provided for in the Act, are to bo itornc by the several corporations owning or opcrating railroads in the State, according to the gross income, to be apportioned by tho Comp (roller General. All llto railroad companies in | the Stale have promptly responded to the assessments made upon tlieni by theComptroller fur Ibis purpose except the South Carolina llailro&d. | This company being in the hands of a Receiver, ; appointed by the United States Court. lm? .In clincd as 1 ant informed, up to this tinio to pay its apportionment, it wailing t )i? judgment of Mint Court as to its liability. Tlie proportion duo by this road constitutes a very considerable part of tlie commissioner's salary and other expenses, and, remaining unpaid, is calculated (n impede this officer in the dischnrgo ot his duty and seriously to affect his efficiency. In most of the States in which Uailroad ^Commissioners