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An Independent Family Journal?Deyoted to Politics, Literature and General Intelligence. HOTT & CO., Proprietors, ANDERSON, S. c, THURSDAY, DECEMEBr1Ti869. VOLUME 5.---NO. 23. THE GOVERNOR'S MESSAGE. Fellow-Citizens of the Senate and Gentle? men of the House of Representatives: In transmitting my second Annual Message to the General Assembly, it gives me mach pleasure to congratulate you upon your occupancy of your new* Halls of Leg? islation, which contrast so favorably in -appearance and adaptation to their pur? pose with those you recently occupied* May their lustrous beauty bo typical of the brightning prosperity of our beloved State, of her unstained honor, and untar? nished credit; and may it witness the pu? rity, the patriotism and the wisdom of her *couneils, until her principles are as firmly ?established as the foundation of this edi SSce, and peace and. prosperity prevail ""within her borders. RAILROAD AID, I am gratified in being able to inform "you that much progress has been made ?during the past year in securely placing the financos of the State on a firm and healthy basis. This is owing greatly to the decided stand taken by you at the close of the last session in declining to jeopardize the State credit by yielding to the pressure brought to bear upon you by individuals and corporations for State aid >ft>r the construction of railroads. The financial reputation of a Commonwealth, like that of an individual, depends upon the care with which it cherishe? its re? sources and the promptitude and fidelity with Which it meets its obligations; and the correct and honorable business man who desires success is careful that his rep? utation and credit is not tarnished by un? wisely lending the use of bra name to .par? ties who have neither credit or reputation to lose themselves. THE STATU DEBT. Tho following statement exhibits t*be Indebtedness of the assets of the State, October 31st, 1869: Funded debt of the State six mif&ens one hundred and eigh? ty-three thousand three hundred and for? ty-nine dollars and seventeen cents. The total amount of assets held by the State on that date was two million seven hun? dred and fifty-four thousand six hundred "and sixty dollars; interest falling due du? ring the fiscal year of October 30th, 1809, three hundred and eighty-eight thousand six hundred and ninety-three dollars and ?eighty-six cent*. For a full and detailed ?stafcemerit ot the financial condition of the "State, I would respectfully refer you to the reports of the Comptroller and Treas? urer. The State debt is comparatively small, amounting in- the aggreejau-i to about six millions one hundred and eigh? ty-three thousand three hundred and for? ty-nine dollars. The taxable property, at a low valuation, will amount to one hun? dred and ninety millions of dollars. Du? ring the past fiscal year, at a season, too, when our capitalists, merchants, farmers, mechanics, and others had all their money invested in their various branches of busi wess, a million of dollars for taxes was re? ceived into the State Treasury. To more fully illustrate the ability of our people to meet all necessary taxes, we may refer also to the payment of our citizens into the Federal Treasury are Internal Revenue, & tax amounting to the sum of $2,622,690. 68, making an aggregate of taxes paid into the State and Federal Treasuries the past year ef over three and a half millions of dollars. RECOMMENDS A REDUCTION OF TAXES. I would here recommend that you me? morialize your members of Congress to Use their efforts for a reduction of tire In? ternal Revenue tax collected to such an amount as will meet the liabilities of the General Government, but relieve our peo? ple as much as possible of the tax collec? ted to pay the National debts. We be? lieve that the present generation should not be compelled to pay too much of the debt ot a great country that is to be left by them as a rich inheritance to posterity. The present tax system was new to our people, and it could not, perhaps, but be expected that much dissatisfaction would be felt in consequence of the charge. But it is gratifying to be able to state that the taxes have been paid as promptly as those of any State in the Union. When the present State Government came into power we found that the Pro? visional Government controlling the State from the close of the war, had contracted many debts, for the prompt payment of which, as well as to meet the current ex? penses of the State Government, it was necessary so provide. Among the liabili? ties was a floating debt amounting to $477,965.80. This debt was due to vari? ous county officials, Sheriffs, Magistrates, Coroners and other claims against the State. By authority of law there had .also been put in circulation bills receiva? ble to the amount of $222,000. In addi? tion to this was the past due interest on the State debt, which had accrued from the 1st of July, 1867. All of these vari? ous amounts have been paid, and the bills receivable redeemed. At the present time there is but a small floating debt that the State Treasurer will be compelled to meet. Owing to these payments the expenses of the State Government were heavier last year than they will be for the present fis? cal year, and the assessment of taxes may therefore be considerably reduced for the coming year, and the tax burden upon the various branches of industry made lighter than the taxes of almost any other State. CPiPOSES STATE AID TO RAILROADS. We have escaped from the disaster of lending the State credit to railroads, so earnestly pressed, and demanded at the last session of the General Assembly. Whatever the opinions of individuals may be, or however much they may feel that their interests have suffered from the fail? ure or refusal of the Legislature to com? ply with their wishes, all must concede that the examples by which wc are sur-1 rounded of the liberality of other States in this direction, and the financial results of their action, Justifies your course in re? fusing to comply with their demands. It is to be hoped that the same care and the same course will continue to characterize the action of the General Assembly. THE CREATION OP A SINKING FUND. There are in the State Treasury $2, 754,000 of Railroad Bonds and other se? curities, which I recommend be held, and ultimately used as a sinking fund for the liquidation of the State debt, as they are of a class and character which must in? crease in value. In addition to this, I would suggest the propriety of taking in? to consideration the very able plan de? vised by J. G. Holmes, Esq., of Charles? ton, to provide for a small sinking fund, by which the entire State debt may be paid off by the redemption annually of a small amount of State securities. It is believed that this plan would enable us to pay our entire debt in a few years, and would convince moneyed men, at home and abroad, of our determination to pro? vide for the prompt payment of all our securities as they become due. The State being sovereign, no action can be brought against it to enforce payment of claims against her. Its credit, therefore, and the price of its bonds, depend upon its re? sources, the honor and good faith of the State Government. The credit of the State should be regarded as a sacred trust. RESUMPTION OF SPECIE PAYMENT. A large part of our debt was incurred before the passage of the Legal Tender Act. The creditors of the State loaned their money when gold was the legal ten? der of the country. The creditor was promised, and expected to receive the equivalent of his loan, both in principal and interest. Were this and the other States of the Union to take this vie?v of their responsibilities, and decide to pay their obligations in gold, it would be a great step towards the resumption of spe? cie payments, and assist very materially the. policy of the present abh Secretary of the Treasury, in bringing gold and cur? rency on a par. It would also prevent the possibility of a recurrence in the great moneyed centres o4 wild and reckless speculations in the gold of the country, I regard it as a matter of the highest im? portance, that you should take into con? sideration the propriety of authorizing th<? State Treasurer to meet in future the in? terest due on the State debt in specie, be? lieving that but a short period must elapse before it will cost no more to pay in spe? cie than ia currency. On the other hand, capitalists seeking permanent investment of their su rplus rands will be -Assure'd that it is th? intention and determination of this State to make its bonds equal as an investment to those of any State in the Union, even to those of the General Gov? ernment. By the adoption of this plan, we at once fix the value of our securities where the resources of the State should place them. This measure would attract foreign capital, encourage emigration, and, as our'credit increases, individual proper? ty will enhance in value, and the general prosperity of our citizens be promoted. One important reason why the interest should be paid in the medium originally intended, and one that will strongly com? mend itself to your judgment as an act Of justice to our creditors is that some of our liabilities become due during the earning year 1870, for which provision must be made. It is therefore for the purpose of arranging these liabilities with the credi? tors as they become due, that it is impor? tant that we should offer them a security equally as good as the original investment. Not only is this to our interest, but good faith and justice demand it. It will be the means of meeting claims falling due as the original obligation contemplated. To meet these liabilities at present, would in? volve the necessity of so large an add tional taxation that it would imposb too heavy a burden upon the tax payers. Not to provide for these liabilities might lead holders to infer by our silence that we neither feel nor intend to take any in? terest in their redemption, and they would necessarily become an undesirable and un? sought investment. Should such ah im? pression become current, these securities will be thrown upon the market, and the credit of our State bonds will suffer from a seeming indifference or carelessness of our credit. I trust, therefore, that you will take this matter under earnest and careful consideration, and your favorable action may bo the first step in assisting the financial men of the country in the so? lution of the gold problem. No section of the country is so well prepared to both pay in gold and demand gold in return for the products of tne soil, furnished the markets of the world. It our business men could adopt the specie basis for all transactions, they would at all times be prepared for the financial crash that may come when the Geueral Government de? termines to return to specie payment. With the increase of commerce and in? telligence, insurance upon both life and Property has become a favorite security. Much of this business is carried on in this State by companies in no wise subject to ioached by the process of our courts, their solvency cannot be determined, and there is no adequate provision to secure the capital of our own companies to meet large or unexpected losses. I recommend that a law be passed requiring each com? pany effecting insurance in this State to deposit sufficient security with the Comp? troller General indemnifying policy hold? ers against losses. The deposit should be graduated in proportion to the business and capital of the company, making it a misdemeanor with adequate punishment in any agent attempting to effect insur? ance until the company he represents has made deposit of ample security to protect INSURANCE COMPANIES. our laws. property cannot be policy bolders against fraud or attempted frauds. THE BANKS. In this connection I would further re? commend that all Banking institutions that are Banks of Deposit, other than National Banks, also Savings Banks, Trust Companies, &c, be required to de? posit with the Comptroller General suffi? cient securities in bonds and stocks, to protect depositors against loss in case of failure. Some of our banking institutions are now receiving deposits Where neither the stockholders nor any of the officers of the Banks are in any way personally re? sponsible, and if in the event of fluctua? tions of the money market any of these institutions should- fail, the depositor Would have no security to protect him against loss. It has been the policy of all old States to protect the poor man, the widow and the orphan, for whose benefit these banks are professedly Used, by limit? ing their investments to certain securities. I would also recommend, that in the case of guardians and others having money of minors awl.others in tiust, investments in State bonds shall protect the guardian, Courts or party holding the trust against the fluctations of the money market. This will operate as a greater security for a careful and judicious administration of the investment. There is no possibility of the security becoming worthless, and it pro? tects the guardian and trustee against chances of investments in something more perishable or doubtful. TAXATION AND EQUALISATION. Under the law for the collection of taxes on the ad valorem, system, there was expected to arise many embarrassments in consequence of the difficulty in the se? lection and appointment of persons suffi? ciently acquainted with the system, or those who took sufficient interest to thor? oughly understand it. Many irregulari? ties and perhaps cases of hardships may have occurred to individuals in the une? qual taxation of property in the State. For information on this subject, I call your attention to the very full and able report of the State Auditor, who has charge of that department, and has made himself fully conversant with all the de [ tails of the system, and the necessary changes that should be made, fcLTJE RIDGE RAILROAD. At the special session of the General Assembly in September, 1868, an Act was passed authorizing the endorsement and guarantee of four millions of dollars of the Blue Ridge Railroad Company^ which bonds constitute a first mortgage ttn all I the property of said RailiTjuu in S?i'ith] '?ai'dlma, Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee. At that time it was believed that four millions of dollars, with such as? sistance as could be procured from other sources, weuld be sufficient to complete che great thoroughfare and open commu? nication between the West and Southern J seaboard. Every effort has been made by j the President, General J. W. Harrison, and other gentlemen interested in the re? sult, but without securing the assistance hoped for. We were, therefore, left to our own resources, believing that the in? terests of the people of the State demand- j ed the completion of the road at as early j a day as practica Die. The Company concluded to advertise for bids for its construction. On the 8th of July last the bids received were opened, aod the contract awarded to Messrs'. Cress well & Co. A ntw survey and an esti-j mate of the cost o:*the work had previous to that notice been made by the present ! engineer. It was then ascertained that great increase of the cost of such work over the original estimates made it appa? rent that the four millions of first mort? gaged bonds provided for fell short of the means necessary to complete it-, and that it would require about eight millions of dollars to put the road in running order. The Corapanyj impressed with a sense of the importance of putting the work un? der contract, entered into an agreement with Cresswell & Co., contingent *on the Legislature endorsing a further amount of bonds sufficient to complete the work. It must be apparent to every member of the body that the first mortgage, covering the entire pronorty of the Company, and the work but little more than half completed, the whole investment must remain as dead capital until the means are provided to finish the road. In any failure on the part of the company to open communication with the West, the State must be the suf? ferer. It would be adding to a direct in? vestment already made of a million and a half of money, a contingent liability of four millions of dollars, neither of which can be made to meet the accruing interest without the expenditure of more capital for the completion of the road. One of two plans should be adopted at once. The first is to abandon the whole scheme of a direct railroad route to the West, lose the three millions of money invested by the State, the City of Charleston and private individuals, repeal the Act of September, 1868, whereby four million dollars more of bonds, guaranteed by the State would be sunk, or assist the Company in their efforts to complete the work by snch means as would be valuable to them, and at the same time not injure the credit of the State. This the Committee, author? ized to make a contract for the prosecu? tion of the work, believed could be done by an endorsement of the first mortgage bonds of the road by the State to an amount sufficient to complete and put the road in running order. If thpir view was incorrect, then the whole project, from its inception, was a blunder, and conceived without thought as to its cost or the ben? efit to be derived by the people of the State by opening a new avenue to trade and commerce. A railroad that will not pay the interest on its cost, should never be constructed in a country where every well managed road does pay largely. An arrangement was made in the Executive Committee, that the Company should meet the interest on the bonds put upon the market, until the road was completed and put in running order, after which it was believed that a lease for a term of years might be given, by which the payment of its first mort? gage debt and interest could certainly be guaranteed, thereby leaving the State without a possible risk of ever haying to pay one dollar of her endorsed boncls of this l'oad. Having hitherto taken strong grounds against any assistance to rail? roads, and against any increase of our State debt, that would be liable to burden the people of the State with heavy taxcsj I do not feel at liberty to make any direct recommendations in regard to the. Blue Ridge Railroad, much as I appreciate its importance to the State, and feeling con? fident that it is the only railroad enter? prise that will develop our resources and make other roads leading to our seaboard valuable. I leave the question with you to consider whether the credit of the State at the present time admits of the prosecution of work on this enterprise. 1 have grave doubts whether the further endorsement of bonds at this time would not injuriously affect the value of our se? curities in the market, as many will not fully understand that the assistance to the Blue Ridge Railroad would be a contin? gent liability, that the State would only be compelled to meet on failure of the Company to pay their bonds at maturity! THE STATE DEPARTMENT, The report of the Secretary of State> herewith appended, exhibits the trans? action of that office for the year end? ing October 31st, 1869. Their multiplici? ty will give some idea of the entire amount of work performed by the various Execu? tive Departments during the past year. education. i The Report of tho Superintendent of Education 1b necessarily incomplete, as the returns from several Counties have not reached him, but he hopes t'O be able in a very short time to present for your consideration a full and complete report. It is very desirable that an efficient and comprehensive law Oil this important sub? ject should be passed at as early a period as practicable. T^tE LAND COMMISSION. Up to Iho present time thcro have been purchased in tho sovoral counties, for the purpose of the Land Commission-,?f6rty fivo* thousand acres of land, Which is now in process ot survey arid division into tracts of eligible size for purchasers and occupants. 1 recommend an additional appropriation to this beneficent object, of securing homes for the worthy and indus? trious mechanic and laborer, which will establish many small farmers in the plate: of tho comparatively few heretoforenohj ing that relation, and consequently wHl insure the better cultivation of tho soil and the expenditure of a greater por portion of thoir earnings at home, instead of being dissipated in luxury and extrava? gance in distant\nties. The bonds issued for tho purposes of tho Land Commission must become a first class security, as they will not only have the credit of tho State, but the money arising from the sales of the land*, with their improve? ments, as an additional guarantee. The annual instalments of payments for these lands will be ample to meet the interest on thorn, as well as to provide a sinking fund for their redemption at maturity, without tho possibility of having to resort to taxation for that purpose. Their issue, therefore, can havo no possible injurious influenc? on the credit of tho State, bat should rather enhance it, as the subdivis? ions of large bodies of land, much of it uncultivated, into small and productive farms, would at once treble its value, and afford an increased basis of taxation to the same extent. HOMESTEAD RELIEF. The law securing a homestead Worth one thousand dollars, with the products thereof, and five hundred dollars worth of other personal property to each head of a family whose property may be levied upon for debt, continues to fulfil its be? neficent design, but thero is no sufficient roason why its benefits should be restrict? ed to tho land-holdor. Tho professional man, tho mechanic, the farmer, and the laborer, aro equally entitled to its advan? tages. At present tho proprietor 01 tho hornestoad may rent out portions of it to tho farmer, tho mechanic and the la? borer- and if by sickness or misfortuno they should get behind hand, their little property is liable to seizure. Even tho food provided for his family may bo taken from them, and they expelled from their humble shelter and exposed to tho sever? ities of winter, and all this while their landlord is enjoying in comfort tho mu? nificent bounty of the State. This is neither right nor just, nor in accordance with sound public policy. The poor, tho unfortunate and the helpless, should ever be tho special objects of public regard. I therefore recommend to your favorable consideration the propriety of so amend? ing the Homostcad Law, that its prinri pies should bo applied to the laboring classes, and that tho porsonal proporty of the professional man, tho farmer, tho mechanic and laboring man, including their books, tools, implements, cattle, clothing, furniture and provisions, shall bo exempt from seizure and sale for debt to tho amount of fivo hundred dollars. This will only bo carrying out in good faith tho principles established by tho Homestead, and extending to all tho benefits and exemptions now confined to comparatively a fow. PARDONSv The number of pardons granted since my last message has been unusually large, which is in part attributed to the fact that many of them were granted a few clays before the expiration of theii sentences. These were pardoned to preserve their civil rights, and were recommended by the Superintendents on ?cco?nt of their good behavior. Others were pardoned on the petitions of friends and eitisensj with the concurrence of the j udge before Whom they were tried; and others again from the fact that their punishment was promp? ted by political motives and prejudices. In all cases of pflt'donSj they were granted for reasons which commended themselves to my sense ot justice and humanity. THE NEW STATE HOUSE. In accordance with the joint resolution to provide for the fitting up of certain portions of the new State House. I ad? vertised for proposals for the execution of the work, in the newspapers of this city and Charleston. Mr^ames M. Allen being the lowest bidder, was awarded the contract. Of the manner in which it has been executed, it is unncessary for me to speak. You are surrounded by his work, Which is its own euloghif?. The necessity for providing for the accommo? dation of the remaining effices of the State Government, will require an addi? tional appropriation, and I respectfully recommend that provision bo hiade for completing such other portions of the building as muy bo deemed advantageous and proper. THE UNIVERSITY. The report of the Faculty of the Uni? versity of South Carolina has been trans? mitted to the Trustees for their examina? tion and action, and their report will be submitted at an early day for your con? sideration. LUNATIC ASYLUM. I transmit for your consideration the annual report of the Regents of the Lu? natic Asylum, accompanied by the reports of Dr. J. W: Parker, the Superintendent and Physician, and of John VVaties. Esq., the Treasurer of the institution. The re? port ot Dr. Parker shows that at the com? mencement of the year the numberof pa? tients was 204, to which have been added during the year 94, making in ail 298. From this number 64 have been discharg? ed; leaving 234. Of those discharged, there were cured 47; died 14; eloped 1; removed 2. Of those received, 67 were cases of more than ono year's standing and regarded as chronic; 13 were idiots or imbecile; 14 were epileptic. Sixty-1 five were white, and 29 colored. Males 49; females 56. '?'t those who died, 2 were from old age and inanition , 3 from diarrhoea; 2 from, exhaustion; 1 from ascites. Total 14. During the year the health of the In? stitution has been good and exempt from malarial disease. The product Of the j farm was 168 bushels of wmjafy 18 bushels of rye, a good crop of oats ana peas, about 400 bushels of corn, a harvest of fodder and hay, and from eleven acres of ground there have been ginned and packed 12 bales of cotton, and there are about four more to pick. Up to the close of thb war the number of colored patients never ex? ceeded five; during th? past year the number admitted Was twenty-nine. This large accession of colored patients has rendered additional accommodations nec? essary. A separate house is recommended for the acc?rtitnodati?rt and treatment of idiotic patients. The Treasurer's state mcnt shows that the receipts daring the year have been forty eight thousand two hundred and forty-tour dollars and Bixty five cents, and the expenditures forty oight thousand three hundred and ninety nine dollars and fifty-six cents, being an excess of expenditure of hundred and fifty four dollars and eighty-one cents. The out standing indebtedness of the asylum, is about five thousand dollars, which is not of a pressing nature and should be met by collections. The County Commissioners are still largely in arrears, although acircularwas addressed to each Board last February, indicating the amount required by the several counties to meet their past Indebt cdne88 and future advances; About half the counties have paid, and a list of those still owing will be furnished the Comp? troller-General. Of the amount appro? priated by the Legislature?nineteen thousand dollars -fourteen thousand nine hundred oighty-four dollars fifty-five cents has been drawn and expended, and an order on the State Treasurer is held for two thousand dollars, paj-ablo November 1st and December 1st, making sixteen thousand nine hundred eighty-five dollars, fifty-five cents) and leaving undrawn a balance of two thousand and eighteen dollars, forty-five cents. It is estimated that the provision required to bo made by the State for the maintainancc ot bene? ficiaries, from January, 1870, to January, 1871, will bo 815,000. The report of the condition of the Asy? lum is very favorable, and Will compare favorably with that of any similar insti? tution in the country, and the recommen? dations contained in it are deserving of your consideration. Tho Asylum is not a suitable place for idiots and imbeciles, (whose condition requires an entirely dif? ferent treatment from that of lunatics) and they can only bo properly attended to in a building specially appropriated to themselves. I trust that the appropria? tion for that and tho incrcasod accommo? dation necessary for the patients in the Asylum will be made. Dr. Parker, tho Superintendent, has efficiently soperln tended tho duties of his office fortipwards of thirty-three years, and as there is some misapprehension on the subject, it is but jnstfco to say that, while ho has adminis? tered the duties of man)'offices connected with the Asylum, he has only received the compensation pertaining to his own, that of Superintendent ond physician. THE DEAF, DUMB AND BLIND. The asylum ? for tho education of the deaf, dumb and blind at Cedur Spring*?, _,_ ??? Spartanburg County, has been recently reorganised by the appointment of Pro-? fessor J. M. H?ghston as Superintendent, Mrs. W. B. North as Principal of tho School for Mutes, and Mies Jane J. Rog? ers as Assistant; Mr. W. B. North, As? sistant Teacher of the Blind and Profea sor of Music, and Mrs. Ann H. Neaglcas Matron. The buildings, which a re some? what dilapidated, are in course of repair, and 1 have-readon to hope tho institution will soon be in successful operation. I earnestly recrtntnend It to your fostering care and attention. TBE PENITENTIA?T. The report of the Commissioners of the Penitentiary and the accompanying report of the Superintendent of the* in? stitution will be kund f?ll and highly satisfactory. The Superintendent states that on taking charge of the institution on the 23d of January last he receipted for 201 prisoners. There have been re? celved since 301; recaptured 4; making an aggregate of 506. There have been discharged on expiration of sentence 51 j died from disease 7; died from injuries received in attempting to escape 1 ; par? doned 136; escaped 16. Total 211, leav^ ing in confinement 285? A great number of those pardoned were nearly at the ex? piration of their several sentenced, and the Superintendent is of the opinion that this policy has greatly aided in enforcing discipline and diminishing the number of punishable offences. During the year the total amount ex? pended was fifty-one thousand five hun tired ai.d '-twenty-two dollars and fifty \jont8j and the amount of work executed) as estimated at contract price, and of ma? terials and stores on hand, amounted to ninety-three thousand six hundred and seventy-five dollars and sixty niho cents, leaving a balance to the credit of the iru stitutien of thirty-two thousand one hum dred and fifty-three dollars and nineteen cents. The Superintendent recon mends; and the Commissioners warrnly concur ill the recommendation-, that iher^should be a guard of enlisted men for the Peniten? tiary) that a small farm of one hundred acres or more should be attached to the institution for the employment in agri* culture of convicts sentenced to short terms of imprisonment, that permanent workshops should be constructed, and in consideration of tho increased duties de? volved upon the Superintendent by abol* iahing the office of draughtsman, his sal? ary be incteased from Uvo to three thou? sand dollars, and that he have power given him of shortening the term of im? prisonment of convicts who have uni? formly conducted themselves properly*} say one-twelfth, which recommendations are respectfully submitted for your con? sideration and decision-. LIBRARY AST) P?BL?C BUILDINGS. The report of the State Librarian and Keeper of the State House is appended) and will show that he has been sedulous in the discharge of his duties: 1 recom? mend his suggestions to your favorable consideration. There is a considerable amount of public property ih this city, Charleston and other portions of the State which has been for a long time exempt from taxation and productive of no reve? nue; 1 recommend that an investigation be made of the location, extent and prob? able value of this property, with a view to the sale of such portions of it as may be deemed advisable-, so that it may be placed on the tax list and contribute its share to the public revenue. TUB CRNSUS. I transmit the report of the Commis? sioner of the Agriculture! Bureau, contain? ing a tabular statement of the results of the enumeration of the inhabitants of this State, so far as they have been ascertairtd from the returns made to Ins office. The statement embraces the returns ot twenty counties^ and there are still eleven to be accounted for, as it is expected that miss? ing returns will be received in a few days* further remarks are deferred until the completion ot the report. QUARANTINE: The Report of Dr. Robert Lobby* Health Officer for the Port Of Charleston * is a highly interesting document, and sat? isfactorily demonstrates that with proper vigilance and activity* exotic diseases and epidemics may be excluded from that port by an efficient Quarantine. This is of great importance to the City of Char? leston as a commercial sea-port, and also to its citizens, whose lives have been fre? quently placed in jeopardy by negligence and incapacity. The necessary Quaran j tine buildings, including n new Hospital j and Steward's house on Morris' Island, \ With eight hundred feet of causeway from the creek, and a residence for the Health Officer on the State lands at Fort John? son, have been completed at an expendi? ture of seven thousand dollars; leaving a balance of the appropriation made lor that purpose of one thousand dollars, which will be expended for bedding, fur? niture and stores for the hospital, Df; Lobby's suggestions and recommendu lions are entitled to much weight, and are respectfully recommended to your earnest consideration. ARSENAL. The number and value of arm? and ?C' coutrements now in possession of the State involves the necessity of providing: a building for their preservation and safe? ty, and I recommend for your considera^ tion the propriety of making an appro? priation for thitt purpose. SHERIFFS. Some legislation is desirahlc in referere* to sheriff's. The ('?feie*? management of jailr* and the ffcqifent. escapes of prisonvrs ! in their custody and other irregufitvitiea, I require a more rigid responsibility. Com ! plaints have been made of. the- food fur? nished to prisoners, mid the grand juris* 1 (CONCLUDED. QN gOPJUB! EASE j_