University of South Carolina Libraries
An Independent Family Jonrnal-Devoted to Politics, Literature and General Intelligence. VOL 4. ANDERSON, S. C., WEDNESDAY. JULY 15, 1868. NO. 4. int - B Y HOYT & WAITERS. **** TERMS: - '?W DOLLARS- AND A HALF PER AHNUM, I'S EXITED STATES C?KBE5CT. R ATES. OF ADVERTISING. -^Advertisements inserted at the rates of One Dol? lar per square of twelve.lines for the first insertion 'and ..Fifty Cents for each subsequent insertion. " Liberal deductions made to those who advertise by ^Jh?^ytearl^ .... v . .: - . f?jp* For announcing a candidate, Five Dollars inVadrauce.. ' .,. :ctov;.~Q?R$ xiisT COMMTJ??ICATIOI? TO THE LEGISLATURE. '?^'''^ciitfcinni of the Senate and House of ?%e2-resaltatives r v~ While .no Ipj^S official relation exists . ^between the present Executive and the ;"TTC ti en. I .' As*em bly',' I avail myself of the . .^op^tH'tutiity to" communicate io j our ro ? Hpe.cii.ve bodies'the information and statis l ti?s*wbie-h have come to my knowledge . . daring "??j administration, pertaining to '* "the jnaieriaraiid' educational interests of ' South. .OaL;oiina'.. The reports herewith 'transmitted to. you from the various ex 'Jfecui.iv.e offic'ers,and.ollierit connected with .- public institutions, embrace a period - .\jbet\veeri "the adjournment of the last sefl -*%u>h of th?'General Assembly, in" 1866, '?tbe''iliston- of the varions departments to ' r\v:iiich th?v refer, during the time".ndi v /citron. - ' . " ~ ~"-T:"e reports of. most of the officers of - "the State* Avid of those connected with .'."" '.public institutions', have been brought up to the 1st day of Ma}'-, under the irnpres sion thVt ?ny administration would cease about the middle ol that mooth. - . ":Vs':"_ Without further preliminary observn . -""tipnSv1 proceed to call your.attention to the sort i aUsubjects, matter of public in *.",r?*t?.';-e.si.'.a?jd-to such.other factsas-maj* ia cilita-'.c the discharge ot your duties as ' r'-L^UjrAofs; \ . . . . TAXES AND. TAXATION. v-r ^piduty is ever devolved upon tho leg -h f^firtvir ? ts vol Ving su.-h delicate and- ranii ''. . fie'd '-\6i ?resis ':sis Wit which looks to the j<HY?ti-.'u-of a just ?md equitable system of - t^txn :ioit. It is an accepted truth in po : .* ;'\h seal "economy, that i nv levying- taxes upon the people* it should be done, in a ..^manner wh.ieh will enable them to pay &?j?>ame with the greatest facility, and -.^VHisotit: unnecessary . oppression. Tire ?^?liid<Mt s change in the ^system, of labor . "?j\vh i-.-.; i -, 11 as pre v ?i t ted. i ii Son* If Carol i tia. f or '???^.many-yenrs; the destruction of. more ' -^t?iah oiie half ol'the estimated wealth of '.! .'"'-the.State W the abolition of slavery; the "? "? .'.devastation ol'cities- towns, villages, farms ...\?ud homesteads" ly the ravages of war, and by-jn.vud.ing and retreating'armies; the---disastrous drought which existed . .throughout the Stale- in 1SC6, cutting off ' "jj&fagf?* entirely, the cotton and greatly re -<^<};:(;r^ I he provision crop," thereby ren ' ^crff?> it. hecussary to purchase large sup v?^S^5TrriMm IIb>? 'a<J for the subsistence of ."} the ; ; ii ; thc irren t reduction, iii "'-..jTur.ii >?-cil>.!:s of i lu- Slate, ol' thc cotton '-"'crop'of"ISv7. l y life spoliation of the cat ^/^TptTfar^'iHi Lilli worm ; and the pressure . - >of -debts contract cd anterior to the wai", .. when the ha-is of wealth ned credit was ' - sb -e'ssci'tia'?y different from ?that which exists ni,-the-pre-cut time, admonish us ' '?that-lise people of South Carolina ure.um m aible to bear a burden of taxation which, f.nior to the aecti ni illation of these misfor? tunes, would have.been deemed moderate .niid inconsiderable. Whether, therefoi*o, . you look lo the contentment of the popu - i'lttion, pr the material prosperity ot' the .??^ate. it.is the di etsi le ot? isdom that 3011 '.-^.sboul-l''exercise the most rigid economy .^j?*EP?l f "!iu c l?X.p?ns?iii hy curtailing salaries . nia] dispensing with all appropriations not .?^*?bs?iali']y .necessary., to the administra . ton .or t ii e S La te government. . ... ~ The i tx.iii.in of the'present and preced? ing^ year has been a subject matter of '. ."great coniph-.int. The targe number ot reacts of land, a* well OS other property, ': levieii upon hy Sheriffs in tho various Dis? tricts, lor the non-pay incut of taxes, un. inistal;al?!\: evince- the extreme difficulty encoa tites vd by. citizens in raising money to 'meet tiii.s deuuir.d of the State. When - t'vev. tsixaf ion becomes thus oppressive ' upon a population, its influence cannot but-prove disastrous, becaiis? it tends first c^to demomiiztition, to dishonesty, to the .- maki.ng.ol false returns; and secondly, it is. .calculated to drive from the Staten valuable portion cl' the community^ to .:..;S?e.k other localities where the remunera? tion ot', labor and eajiital is not paralyzed by ,-uch heavy burdens. .Tiie expenses of the Convention, and of the piv-ojit session of your. Legislature - whose labors cannot? in justice to the various changes proposed in thu new Con t-LiUiiion, be terminated short of four mc> abs-will, of themselves, add to tho expen.-es ol the State not less.than $250, (Jbi). Thc -judiciary system, which you ;:re reipiircd.'under the C?HiStUuticil, to . ;. put intoCp'Tation. will prove much more expen-ive than that which now exists, r.ry! ad-i to tlcsc burdens. To illustrate : the expenses of grand jurors lor the city of Charleston, and for the country, assntning that they are occu? pied bat tlu.ee days at each tenn, will be ??-?.s^l For petit jurors for tho Court o? S< s-ion?. three tbriiis for city and coun tvy.?fis-uming an HA'ers?ge ot fire days per t -r-n, !' 1?.SI .'. For petit jurors for (Joiirts or t'oiamon Pbas. etty and cnn ri try; two terms; rive days per term, Stf-l.??? ; mak? ing a total expenditure for jurors alone, under lire new -Constitution, of ?09,224. The whole expense for jurors and con? stables for the year ending 1st October, 1867, (and this includes thom for the Dis . trict Com ls.) amounted to only $42,292. &8 ; showing a necessary increase of ex? pense far this service alone of 856,931.12. This evil may be obviated'to. sotno ex? tent hy moaiiyirig the law so as to pro? vide fur panels not exceeding eighteen in Diunber .for givtnd jurors, and twenty-four petit jurors, with authority to Rupply the ?deficiency at. the term of the court, should ;'^th'cro be any, by drawing talcs jurorn. Thc expanse of dieting prisoners wiil j not be le.-s than ?:") ',UU0 ; for continuing j . the -construction 'of tho Penitentiary aud j for guarding and .subsisting convicts, not J ie?s than 875,000 ; for salaries, according j " to estim?t es,'S80;0UO ; for contingent ac-1 counts, $60,000; for public printing. OOO; for contingent fund of the Exec Department, 620,000; for the Lu Asylum. $20,000} for thc University, 000 ; for claims against the State, $10, for other expenses, ordinary and ext dina ry, $40,000 ; making a sum tot $476,224 ; to which add for expenses o Legislature; $150,000; for deficit the sent year under Ger.. Can hy's tax o ending October 1, 1868, $100,000; $331,414.59-- being tho^ interest on State debt due 1st October, 1868-am amount to be raised by taxation will r the enormous sum of $1,057,638.59, v out one dollar being appropriated for schools. To redeem the Bills Receivable, w mny be outstanding on the 1st day of tober next, to pay the interest lipon State debt which may be due at that t and to furnish sufficient funds to carr the operations of the State governn until the taxes may be collected in Spring of 1869,1, recommend that $1,( 0000 be borrowed by the State upon bo provided the bonds cao be disposed o no greater discount than twenty perc lt is now believed by tho financial eera of tfie State, in which opinion I i cur, that the tax order of Gen. Canby gether with.the tax levied by the Con' tion, will not realize to the Treasury tr than $375,000. There is one striking even alarming fact with reference to pecuniary and financial condition of State, to which it is here proper to vert. Notwithstanding the order of C Canby provided for a more particular ; accurate "assessment ol real estate prcseut year, than has been made her fore, a revision of the assessments win a very considerable decline in the vi of all real estate and town propel Lands in the country . are worth fr fifty to ono hundred per cent, less tl they were on the' first of- Septem! 1865. Nearly as- great a d?pr?ci?t exists in the villages, towns and citiet the State, especially whero the lots not yielding rents. The above eatinu which it will be necessary for you to p vide for, embrace only the ordinary penses of the State governments and d not include tho amount nocessary for f or public schools, lt the taxes of the p sent year proved oppressive to all bran es of industry in tho State, and yield but $375,000, the expenditures of 1 next year should, if possible, be curtail by the reduction of salaries atid ot li wise, so as not to exceed that sum, exe sive of interest on the public debt. By the "new Constitution; the pol! t is required to be appropriated exclusive to educational purposes ; and, under I circumstances, it would be unwise, to i propriatc any other sum. The taxing power is always a delicti one to manage, and is invariably regard hy the tax payer with jealousy. In i recent political changes that have occi red, tho fact cannot be denied that t General Assembly are tho represeutaliv of a very inconsiderable proportion ot tl property holders and tux-paj-ers of tl State. The colored population, who co stitute the large majority of voters, ha1 little property; ?md yet, all the expensr machinery of courts, juries, jails and tl Penitentiaty, is as much to give prote lion to their persons and property ns : the tax-payer himself; and it would see to be only right and proper that son portion of this burden of taxation shoul be borne by this 'most numerous class i societj*. If the General Assembly, r? gard less of these views, should levy the ci tire tax of the Slate upon propertj*. would necessarily lead to much dissa ^faction and discontent among the chit thus taxed-very many of whom are nc only probibiled from filling uny offici: position in the State, but are actually ej eluded from the privilege of the eleetiv franchise. THE GREENVILLE AND COLUMBIA RAILROA! COMPANY. This Compauy issued its bonds in 1855 1853 and 1854, to the amount of $800,00t and secured payment of the same by firs mortgage upon the road. In 1861, whei tho debt was about falling due, tho Gen eral Assembly authorized the Comptrol ler-General to endorso tho guaranty o thc State upon the bonds of the Companj to the amount ot $900,000, thereby pledg ing the faith and funds cf the State for tin psiymont of the principal and interest o said bonds-$800,000-to redeem and can eel the mortgage bonds, and the remain ing S100,000 to liquidate the then floating debt of the Company. In conformity lr this Act Un? first Mortgage bonds were all redeemed except S32G,0U0. Thc Act provided that these original mortgage bonds, when taken,up and de? posited with tho President of tho Bank ol the Suto, should stand as security to thc Stale and give the Stale a lien under the first mortuaire un lil all the bonds now sc cured by mortgage should be retin-d. These mortgage bonds were deposited from time to time as they were? exchanged with tho Bank of thc State of South Car? olina. Tho Act further provides, that when the whole of tho mortgage bonds shall have been redeemed by the guaran? teed bonds, tho wholo cstato, property and funds of tho Company within the State, which they shall then have, or af? terwards acquire, shall stand pledged and mortgaged to tho State without any fur? ther act or deed on tho part of thc Com? pany, for tho faithful and punctual pay? ment of these guaranteed bonds, in pref? erence to nny other debt which tho Company may owe. The parties holding the outstanding $326,000of'original mortgage bonds, have neglected or refused to surrender them and take in their stead the guaranteed bonds aforesaid. Some of those bond? holders, representing about.$80,000, a year ago filed a bill in the courts to fpreelose the mortgage and force the road to a sale. This was resisted by theCompanj' and by counsel representing the Slate. Subse? quently a bill was filed by those holding the guaranteed bonds, very proper!}' main? taining that when surrendered by them the bonds were simply, retired and not re? deemed or paid until the condition? of the Act v\ ere fulfilled ; and claiming that they should be permitted to come in and share equally with tho original bond-holders in the proceeds of the salo ; and further, that the reservation by the Slate of the orig? inal lien lor the benefit of the State should be declared to inure to their benefit, which would seem tobo honest and proper. Subsequently, another bill was filed by a class ot creditors who represented the second guaranty upon the road. With the view of having all parties in interest properly before the court, thc Attorney General was instructed to fileno informa? tion in the nature of "a cross bill and bill for injunction and relief," in winch bill all suits and creditors were enjoined from proceeding further against the Company, and required to como in as parties defen? dant to the bill filed by tho Attorney General. It is insisted in this bill that the State, or the parties holding the guar? anteed bonds of the State, shali be per? mitted to 6 h ?re equally in the proceeds resulting from the ?ale of the road and its entire estate, if it should bc sold; and there is little reason to doubt that such will bethe decision, since it is so mani? festly just. Any other decision would 'operate as a fraud upon the State and the guaranteed bond-holders. . These cases havo not been brought to a final hearing, and it is not known whether the court, at tho instance of a very small portion of the bond-bidders, representing less than one-tenth of the general interest of that clutha, will permit them summarily to foreclose the mortgage and bring the road to sale; but 1 have felt it lo be my duty to. lay tho subject before- 3'ou and invite to it your special attention, in con? sequence of the large interest which the State owns in this corporation. Itsinter?st as a stockholder. $433,960 00 Under the Act of 1861, in guaranteed bonds, (only $700,000 of the $900,000 authorized have been actu? ally endorsed,). 700,000 00 Under thc Act of 1866, en? dorsing certificates of in? debtedness to pajT interest' and coupons. 203,848 89 Under the fourth section of j the Act bf 1866, where de I . mauds have been surren? dered three for one. 41,622 38 ' An aggregate of.$1.379,431 27 ll an arrangement could bo mado by ( which.the remaining $326,000 of original mortgage bonds could be redeemed and ? cancelled, thero would be no pressure of j creditors which would interfere with tho ! operations of the road for yerura to come. Thero could be no greater misfortune to the public, or no proceeding mor? ruinous to the Slate, than thal the toad should be brought to sale at a time when the finan? cial embarrassments surrounding individ? uals and corporations are so wide-spread, j II a decree should bo mado for its sale, it is not improbable that ibis large interest of the Slate would be entirely lost, and that the people, by future taxation, will have to malte good the whoie amount cf the guarantees noon tho bonded debt, to wit : $945,029.87. I therefore recommend that provision be made for the satisfaction of the original mortgage bonds upon some basis fair and just alike to the State, the Company and the Creditors ; or, if* that cannot bo done, that such action be taken as will to some extent, nt least, secure the large interest of tho State in this corporation, in tho event of its hoing ordered lo be sold. 1 have felt it to be my especial duly to postpone and defeat the foreclosure of the mortgage, at least until tho subject could be brought to thc attention of the General Assembly, and ample time bo given j-our body to make such provision to guard the State against ruinous loss, as in your dis? cretion muy bo judicious. TBK BLUE RIDGE RAILROAD. I commend, with great earnestness, to your favorable consideration tho comple? tion of thcL.BI110 Ridge Railroad. This national highway, intended to connect the great West with the sea, was com? menced in South Carolina long before the inception of any of tho enterprises in tho North and .East looking to tho same end, and more than thirty years ago enlisted the active energies of tho brightest intel? lects of tho State. The financial crash of 1837, however, suspended this great work alter it had reached the city of Columbia; but, in 1852 or 1853, it was again revived, a new line of survey was adopted ami the work was carried on wi lb redoubled ac? tivity. The war alone prevented its completion. The interest of tho Slato, financially and commercially, in this undertaking cannot be over-estimated. Tho stock which it now owns in tho Company amounts to $1,310,000, and unless the work shall bc accomplished, this large sum of money will necessarily become a total loss to vho State, in addition to loss? es which will result from the deprecia? tion of stock in other roads whose pros? perity is absolutely dependent upon tho success of this undertaking. In round numbers, tho xvhole amount heretofore exponded upon the road is $3,250,000. The road has been completod, and is in running order, from Anderson to Wal? halla, a distance of thirty-four miles. Near the latter place it penetrates a spur of tho Blue Ridge Mountain by a tunnel a little more than one mile in length, and upon this tunnel two thirds of the work has already been completed. Mnoh of tko grading and masonry in tho remain ?ni? territory of South Carolina, Geoi and'North Carolina, has also been fin I cd. lt is estimated by skillful and e< petent engineers, that the entire sum quisite to complete the road, put it running order to Knoxville, and stool with motive and car power, will not ceed ?3,5U0,G0U. From Knoxville to j rysville, there is already nearly compte a section of twenty milos of the road, : it is understood that tho Legislature j Tennessee has appropriated a suffiei sum per mile to purchase the iron ? ! erect the bridges necessary to comp] its construction to the North Carol line. The advantages of this route over Virginia, Maryland; Pennsylvania, N York and Eastern roads, are most ma fest. The trains will not bo interfei with to the same extent during the w ter season by the heavy freezes wh prevail at the North, and this road ni therefore bo worked more regularly a economically throughout the year, addition to these advantages, a very r terinl saving will be effected in the tra portution of all supplie? seeking u marl upon the seaboard from the West, a upon all goods, passengers and emigra; going from the seaboard to the Wc Cincinnati and Louisville are brought c hundred miles nearer the coast by t route than by nny other now in operati or -which has been projected. Tho ? vantage which this road will possess o\ every other terminating upon the Gulf Mexico, is manifest. All the supplies c ried by these roads to the Gulf ports i foreign markets must necessarily rou the capes of Florida, whore the navigati is difficult and dangerous, to say nolhi of the larger consumption of time reaching the markets of the world, a the increased cost of transportation up steam and sailing vessels, by tho inereus rates ot insurance required. Every consideration, therefore, wlii can move a people in tho promotion of great enterprise, should operate upon t citizens of South Carolina and induce t speedy completion of the. Blue Eid, Railroad. Whenfinished it becomes ti great feeder of every Other railroad in t Stato. It will not only furnish troigli for transportation, but in a great degr add to the trade and prosperity of evo; village, town and city in tho Coturno wealth. Tlie present bonded debt of the Coi pan jr, for which a mortgage has been e ecuted, amounts to about ?23U,000. B us tho road terminales upon the edge the mountains, stops short of any co Heeling lines and is dependent alone upc the production of a small tract pf count) between Anderson and Walhalla, it In not yielded a sufficient revenue to pa even tho interest upon the first mortga? bonds. Tho bondholders have not yet i stiiuted any proceedings lo foreclose tl mortgage, and it will be a most unwi: financial policy for the Slate to allow to be done and the Road to be sold 01 for so paltry a sum, when its sale won I transfer ult that has been done, togethc with the estate and franchises of th Company, to {strangers, and thereby lo* to the Slate and her citizens-lo the it dividual stockholders and to the city c Charleston-the enormous sum of S3.?25 UUO. lt is, therefore, indispensably nt cessa ry that some steps should be take to redeem this outstanding debt of $230 OOO-tho first mortgage bonds-whic constitute the only existiugjien upon th Company. The Legislature authorize the Company to issue bonds under thei first mortgage to tho amount of one mil lion of dollars; but the Company, exei rising a prudent precaution, suspends tho work about the commencement of lb war, when they had issuod, as airead' stated, only ?230,000. It is highly ?ni portant that those bondssbould be prompt ly renewed, by substituting bonds ^jnai an teed by the Stato for the principal ant interest, and that steps be taken to re sume tho work at the earliest praclicabh da}', looking to its completion. THE SOUTH CAROLINA PENITENTIARY. I transmit you herewith tho reporto Major T. B. Lee, Engineer, Architect ant and Superintendent of the Penitentiary covering tho operations and progress ol tho work up to the 1st of Jannaiy. 1868 Also, a supplemental report of the opera tions of the Penitentiary from the 1st ol January to tho 1st of May, 18G8. Also, the report of the Commission appointed by Major-General Can by to investigate certain charges of harshnoss and cruelty towards convicts made against tho Super? intendent; embracing tho minutes of the Commission, the evidence taken, the opinion of the Board, and accompanying documents. From the report of Major Lee, it will be observed that, although by thc Act of September, 1866,authority was given the Governor to appoint three Commissioners, to select a site for tho Penitentiary, and an appropriation of ?20,000 was made for the erection of temporary cells, ibero was little or no progress made with tho work unt il January, 1867. Since that timo, tho work bas been pushed forward with re? markable energy tttid ecmiomj', and tho construction, as far ns it has boen extend? ed, will show a larger amount of labor performed than was evor before done in South Carolina for tho same amount of public money. Upon examining tho original report, it will be seen that the valuo of the work and material on hand np to tho 1st of January, 1868, was ?72,171.79, the cost of which to the State, including the expense of subsisting and clothing tho convicts, paying officers and guards, and subsisting tho guards, was only ?72,139.87. The supplemental report shows that the valuo of work done and material on hand from tho 1st of January to tho 30th of April, 1868, was ?26,219.47, from which amount ia to bo deducted the sum of 84,450, bi the \youh nf material on band on th? of January; and the aggregate of ex diture for tho same time was $23,00 showing a balance of expenditure in cess of receipts of only 81,285.20. This result shows that the convict not only sustained himself by his ia but has placed the Stato in possessio a building and material nearly equa value to the entire expenditure requi both for thc construction of the Peni tia ry and tho maintenance of the con vi Tho Superintendent's report also exhi the gratifying lact that the cost of i porting a convict, including clothing, c guard and medical attention, since the day of January last, has been onh tIii four cents each per day; and that average cost, including tho above itc from the date tho first convict was ceived, is but forty-one cents per.day. The rapid progress which has been in wi teaching various mechanical emp ments necessary to the construction of building in all of its parts, as weil as the shoeing and clothing of the convi has enabled the Superintendent to penso with all hired labor, with the ceplion of foremen of some two or tli of the most important departments, s as quarrying und laying stone iii the w The entire report will show that t most important Stale institution has b satisfactorily administered in all of its fairs, and promises, if tho same g< management is continued to yieid fi the labor of convicts, when complete! handsome annual revenue in the treasi of the State. The ability and fidelity the officer in charge of the work furn every guaranty that it will bo energ cally pressed and speedily completed, i with au economy to which tho pcoph South Carolina have heretofore bi strangers in tho erection of public t*ot The great advantage of establishing Penitentiary, is illustrated by the J that the 28U convicts sent lhere, thus 1 have not only earned their subsisten but by their labor have also materia j contributed to the erection of the pris These prisoners, but for the Penitentia would have been lodged in jail, nt an i pense of at least forty cent6 per day sa with no return whatever to the Stato this heavy expenditure. Tho accompanying paper, marked "J shovrs that the convicts in prison on 1 1st day of January, 1868. wore: Whi 29; colored li>8; total 187. Received tween that date and the 30th of Apr Whites 10; colored 82; escaped prison recaptured 1; total 93; making agra total of 280. Of this number, 19 ha boen discharged by tho expiration of th sentences; 21 have been pardoned bj' t Governor; 4 have died, and 4 escup? Eomaining in prison on the 30th of A pi 1868, 232. By order of Gen. Cunby, tlio snm 36.500, monthly, was appropriated, st ject to the draft of tho Governor, for t support of ibo Pentientiary and for carr ing on the work. This sum has been regularly draw and would have been entirely sufficie ? for all purposes, but for tho tact that tl drafts were paid in Bills Receivable,at the discount at which they have been sc* has not only entailed a considerable lo* but has embarrassed the operations of tl institution, in materially reducing tl monthly allowance much below $6,50 The appropriai ion hereafter should at lea j cover 86,500 per month iii currency; an if the number of convicts is much increa cd, it may bo necessary to enlargathe a propriation to $7.500 per month. Full plans and specifications of tl building have been submitted by thc E: gineer and Architect, arid ore on Hie i the office of this Department. Whe completed, tho institution will aecomnn date, with ono person in each cell, 53 convicts ; with two in a cell, 1,06U coi vieta, which would not be an inconveniei number, as the cells are larger than thoa in most of the Penitentiaries of the Nort and West. Tho water po war furnished by the cami bas already proved valuable in tra lisper I ing granite from the quarry, ono mile au a quarter distant, to the foot bf the Pen teiitiafy Hill ; also in supplying mot iv power for driving cars up the inclinci plane, whereby stone, sttnd and othe building material aro delivered in th }?ard at tho spot at which it is required A machine shop has just been complete! on tho bank ot tho canal, tho machinen of which will be driven by water power When the outer walls are completed, thii building may bo indefinitely extended ant every species of mechanical and manufac turing industry operated therein, ut little or no expense to the Slate. Tho Act of the Legislature authorizing tho establishment of the Penitentiary ha: vested tho Executive with almost unlimi ted discretionary powers, with reference to tho general management of the institu lion. Ho is authorized to appoint snell officers and guards as in his judgment th? servico may require, to allow them such compensation and to make such rules and regulations for the government of the prison as may bo necessary. You will find among tho papers transmitted, the rules and regulations which I have adopt? ed. Thcso rules look to tho kind-treat? ment of tho convict, but at the samo time oxnet from him hard labor. If ho has been obedient, faithful, and has deserved tho commendation of the Superintendent, one-twelfth of his term of imprisonment is deducted and he is set free. In other words a convict sentenced to twelve months imprisonment, is discharged nt tho end of eleven months, provided his conduct during that period has not boen a subject of complaint. This large discretionary power with which tho Governor is invested. I recom? mend should bo continued. If, with the little experience which tbojpeople of this The Intelligencer Job Oi??e? Having recently mode considerable additions io th?8 department, ire aro prepuitd io execute MTB WdDSK ?T E3??IDS In the neatest style and on the most reasonable terms. Legal Blanks, Bill Heads, Posters, Cards, Handbills. Pamphlets, Labels, and in fact every style of work usually done in a-country Printing Office. f?@* In all cases, the money will be required upon delivery of the work. Orders, accompanied ? with the cash, will receive prompt attention. State have had with reference lo institu? tions of this sort, it is attempted by legis? lation to provide for the management, government and discipline of the Peni? tentiary in all of its details, tho statutes passed for such a purpo.se will be found to be incomplete, insufficient; and requiting constant amendment. On thc other hand, thc discretion confided to the Gov? ernor will attach to him a greater personal and official responsibility, in the general supervision of the institution, than would be the case if thc Legislative Department itself assumed entire control. To secure efficient and reliable guards for the Penitentiary, however, it is desira? ble that a law should be passed authoriz? ing their enlistment for not iess than ono year, on such conditions as the Legisla? ture may prescribe. }t wjfi give the offi ..eers of tho institution a more efficient con? trol over them than is now praci ?cable, and avoid tho frequent chang?s occurring under the present system. Proper pen? alties should be affixed for negh ct of duty desertion, and for ?lP?scapc of prisoners, ''voluntary or negligent." Some law should bc enncted nifixing a rigorous penalty upon ?ill convicts who escape Iront the Penitentiary or trom the guards. The rule prescribed upon tho-, i subject by me provides that, upon the re? capture of an escaped convier, he shall be required lo remain iii custody at hard labor for an-additional ti ?ne equal to the original sentence. That or some less penalty maj' very wisely bc incorporated in the law. There may exist sonre doubt how far this rule established alone by the Executive may be enforced by thecourts. All doubt, however, will be removed by the l?gislation herein suggested; What? ever penalty is imposed should bo pre? scribed by the law. and the Supeiintcn dent, willi the approval of the Governor, authorized toenlorce it without, requiring tho convict to be tried and convicted before a criminal court. I have fell it to be due to tho character and reputation ot Major Lee, Engineer, Architect and Superintendent, to trans? mit to }*ou thc recoid of tho Commission appointed by Gen. Cunby lo investigate his official coniduct. The investigation was open to the public and was searching. The report nf the Commission is a most satisfactory and conclusive vindication of the course pursued by Major Lee, and ex? hibit him before the State as an officer eminently qualified for ibo discharge of tlie varied and responsible dut ios devolved upon bim in his three-fold po.-itiou. The large number of convicts in tho .Penitentiary, tun! still greater- nun.ber.of prisoners in lite jails, show the amount of crime .existing in tho Slate lo be much greater than formerly.. The majority of cases are for larceny, upon every spoiics nf pro pert j\ and n rigid enhuci incut of the criminal law of the laud and the ad- - ministration of speedy and exemplary punishment upon-offenders, are the only means by which this growing evil can bo arrested. COXSISTENCT.-Gen. Cunby issued bis orders, ? recognizing the election of tho Hon. John II. Heid, Senator; and J. B. .Moore, B. Frank Sloan and Dr. John Wil? son, as Kop rosen tat i ves from the Comity " of Anderson. The Senate, very sensibly, - lipon hearing the order read, admitted Mr. Heid as the Senator-one ot the rntnnbers stating,'very pertly and correctly, that both blanches of the Legislature were certainly under military authority until ttye Legislature adopted the 14th amendment to the Constitution. In the House,, how? ever, w hen Gen. Capby's certificate was presented by Messrs.] Mooro, Sloan and Wilson, that b? dy decided that (icu Gail hy's certifii ate was not prima facie ev ?dence of election, and referred ihc credentials to. a committee. Little doubt exists as to what the report of the committee will be: It is the first instance, within oar knowl? edge, where a member of a legislative body, having a certificate of election, ard therefore, the prima facie, right ton scar ru the jrganizatiou of a body, has been denied The Anderson delegation furnished the body precisely the same certUii a*,c that, was furnished by every other member of the House. They were eonsen ?ti>.c; unit . yet, with thisprint?facfo evid.lMice of a right to a seat, ref used admit tance in the House. Anderson has,'therefore, beor? ex? cluded from any voice in the selection <f Speaker or other officers of the Iloiw, al? though their delegates held the same cer? tificates that arc Held by those that exclu? ded them.-Phoenix. AFFAIRS IX THE SQCTIL-:\tor. B.'irnas Sears, D.D., agent nf *,he IVnbody Educa? tional Fund, in ?ill address in Boston,g?\C thc result- of his observar hms j n the South. He thought that bot liI sections <f ibo coun? try misunderstood and misinterpreted each other; that the work of politicians, both in the North and in the South, is pernici? ous, and that what the Southern Stales " really need-is the henny co operation of thc business men of thc No^th to afford them capital to vitalize t Indium-rg i os. The Southern men look with distrust to the military and to those connected \\ "th the bureau; but, men from the North, with average civility and good sense, are cordially received among them. As to thc matter of negro suffrage, tho while popit lutiog, as a rule, are opposed to it-afc least to universal suffrage. He thought, however, they would willingly agree to some method of impartial suffrage which would work advantageously for both races. _-_o _^ little boy about six years oh-!, and a little ffirl about four, had bet r, cruttioi cd not to take away the nest egg; but gi e morning when they went for th" ?23% tho little sirl took i' and starred for the house. Her disappointed brothel fol*..wed, cryinr: ?'Mother, mother! Pusey 's been and got the ?22 the old bon measured by."