The Anderson intelligencer. (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, December 02, 1869, Image 1
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_