The Charleston daily news. (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, November 29, 1871, Image 4

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Thc Governor's Message. revenue in advance, or deprive lt at will of the means of meeting ils legal liabilities. The Pay of Members of the General As? sembly. The first important measure of retrench? ment demanded by our financial condition, is a great reduction in the amount received by members of the General Assembly for their services The constitution provides (article ir, section 23) that "each member of the first General Assembly under this constitution shall re? ceive six dollars per diem, while in session, and thefurther sum of-twenty cents for every mlle of the ordinary route of travel In g?log to and returning from the place where such ses? sion ls held, after which they shall receive such compensation as shall be fixed by law; but no General Assembly shall have the power to increase the compensation ot its own mem? bers." I would recommend that, in lieu of a per diem, each member shall receive an an? nual salary, to be fixed at such a rate as will greatly diminish the cost to the State of the sessions of the General Assembly, as com? pared with the amount uow paid under the system ot per diem compensation. It will also enable the General Assembly to provide an assessment lor ihe amount required for the pay of its members, and will enable them to obtain their pay with certainty. I am satis? fied that a moderate, yet adequate salary could be provided oy law. and a great saving be thereby affected to the State treasury. You would thereby also greatly diminish the incidental expenses of the General A?sembly, by destroying what might offer a great induce? ment to many members to prolong the ses? sions. I cannot refrain from expressing the hope tn?t the present session of the Legislature will be a short and economical one, as the financial condition of the Slate will not admit of any unnecessarv expendD -re of money. All the influence of the Executive of the State will be exerted in accomplishing this end, and he truaw that he will have the active sympathy and co-operation of each and every member of the legislative department. The large amount of money* paid to the at? tach?s, such as clerks, messengers, porters, ?c., ls without a parallel in he history of leg? islative bodies, lt was claimed at the time by the members that most of these were men who had been driven from their homes on account j of their political opinions, and it became the j duty of the General Assembly to provide means for their support While this may be true, and that lt may hav. devolved upon the State Gov? ernment to provide some means for their pro? tection and support, yet a very unusual and expensive mode of extending that support was ' adopted. It might have been but Justice to have made a regular appropriation and levied it upon the counties from which these men were driven; thus the'lctlmsof political prejudice would bave beeu provided' for and the actual perpetrators of these outrages made to feel that lt was an-expenslve way ol' controlling polltl- J cal opinions. The Codifying Commission. The commission to codify the laws has been in existence for nearly three years, and has cost the State about Atty thousand dollars ($50-| OOO,) and its work ls not yet completed. It ls the opinion of some of the best legal minds of the State that this work could have been done thoroughly at a cost ot not more than five thousand dollars. I would, therefore, re? commend that this Btandiog reproach to the Stale Government, aid unnecessary drain upon the treasury, be removed without delay, by abolishing the-code commission and em ?Toying a competent jurist to complete the cod- j Icatlon of our laws. Tb? Office of Land Commissioner. I recommend that the office ol land commis sinner be abolished, and that the duties of the office be devolved upon the secretary of State. The School Commissioners. The thirty-one school commissioners, at their present salaries, which are exceedingly large for the amount or service that they ren? der, cost the State thirty-one thousand five hundred dollars per annum. I. therefore, re commend a material 'eduction in the salaries of school commissioners, so as to reduce the expenditures on this account to a sum not ex? ceeding ten thousand dollars prr annum. General Reduction of salaries. There is great and instant need for the re? duction of the salaries ot State officers, and for a decided diminution of the clerical force, employed in many offices of the Executive de? partment. In some cases the State is paying clerks to perform duties that should be, ana eau be, discharged by the officers themselves. In my opinion the salaries of all officers, ex? cept the judges, should be reduced one-third. Adjutant-General'* Ofllce. The office of assistant-adjutant general should be abolished, and the adjutant-general should be required to perform the duties of his office. State and Conney Auditor?. The office of State auditor should be abolish- j ed. and. Its duties periormed by the comp? troller-genera). Voe office of county auditor can be dispensed with without injury to the public service, and the duties of tnat office devolved upon tn county treasurer, thus effecting a saving to the Sute of not less than fifty taouBind (50, 000) dollars per annum, and securing even in? creased efficiency in the collection ot taxes. Trial Justice*. I Invite your early attention to the " recom? mendations of my last message In regard to trial justice?. The aggregate coetof this class Ot officers ls very near one hundred and twenty thousand (120,000) dollars annually. The trial justices tn the City of Charleston alone entail upon the county an exoendlture of about thirty-five thousand (35,000) dollars a year. I would, therefoie, urge,- In addition to my for? mer reconnu en da i loos on this subject, that the office of trial Justic? be abolished In the City Of Charleston, and that, in lieu thereof, three police judges be created for that city, who shall receive adeqna'e >a aries, and shall exer-1 else the jurisdiction vested In trial Justices. I would further recommend the appointment ol one police Jud-e in each of our principal towns, dispensing- with trial Justices therein, and vesting in such judges the Judicial powers now exercised by the mayors' courte, as, under existing acts, the mayors and intendants of | our cl tie? and towns may crowd our jails with ?riso:.erssentenced for trifling offences, thus , icreaslng the expenses of the several.coun? ties. 7 Recorder of the City of Charleston. I recommend that the offloe of iee o rd er of the City of Charleston be abolished forthwith. This is a State effice created by act of the Gen? eral Assembly many years ago. but it has for a long period fallen Into utter disuse. Although th? recorder receives a salary of twenty-five hundred (2500) dollars per annum, and has a i clerk at six hundred"(600; dollars per annum. *. payable by the city, I am credibly informed that he has not held more than two sessions of the City Court, tor the trial of criminal and civil canses, during the past ten or twelve, I .years. It ls a mere excrescence on our Judi? cial system, and the people el Charleston should no longer be taxed to sustain lt. Clerks of Ibe Senate and House. I would especially direct your attention, in Ibis connection, to the propriety of reduct og the salaries ot the clerks of the Senate and .House. Taking the number of days on which these officers are presumed to be employed, their compensation per diem, respectively, is more than five ti mes greater than that recel v- j ed ^y a member of the body in which they are | subordinates, while the annual salary of'eacb equals the highest received by any officer In the State, except the chief justice. Tnis ls an anomaly without precedent in any other State, and unwarranted by the present condition of j the State treasury. Add lonni Legislation Required to Regulate Public Printing. I recommend that the present system for the public printing be changed without delay, and the great drain upon the ireasury,caiised there? by, checked at once. The authority vested in the clerks ol the Senate and House, in regard to the printing, should be rescinded, and a proper safeguard and a rigid system oi ac coun'abi.ity ludtirnted, to insure the strictest economy- in thia very considerable branch ot the public expeudit tires. It should not.be left j to the discretion ol Furbordinute officers cf the General Assembly however honest and Judi? cious they may be in the discharge of such a trust. The existing system has involved an expenditure tor priming so great as to have proved a real calamity to the S'ate. It has certainly eventuated in a contract for the pub KO printing which is a fl lerant fraud upon the .treasury, and should be? instantly annulled. I have ascertained that the company with ?Which the printing contract has been made, to-wii: the Republicau Printing Company, neither owns nor centr?la any journal or {dinting establishment, and is even without egal existence, btu. has th* work ex-culed in this city at the regular market rates, and thus iderive-B au immense pront irotn the treasury of I the State, without any outlay on their part. Stale Revenues. Under existing laws for the assessment and collection of taxe8. real estate ls made to bear an undue proportion of the burdens ot taxa? tion. For the purpose, therefore, or raising a sufficient revenue to defray the current ex- j penses o?an economical administration State, and meet its obligatious to Us ere while at the same - time lessening Its realty, I make the following recome tions. These recommendations, if Judie carried out, will secure the payment of on classes of property hitherto practica empt lrom taxation, and tend to utilize gitl mate sources of State revenue. Tb* of the cotton and rice is shipped fro State or sent to market, in the Intern between the annual assessment ol taxe is thus practically exempted from tai contributing but a small share to the a of revenue derived from the tax on pe property. A tax on these important anc ble products, such as they may reasi bear withqut checking production, an cordi ng to value, should be especially pn for, and the necessary measures enacted sure its collection with certainty. The Phosphate Deposita. This vast natural source of revenue hi yet been utilized, but a comparatively revenue having thus far been derived fi by the State. I recommend that some p officer be designated by law whose d shall be, by actual Inspection and mea meut, to. ascertain the number ol ti phosphate belonging to the State, that a cavated by the several chartered comp; and to certify and to collect the royall upon the same. Licenses. I recommend that all persons enga* the sale of liquors, and all merchants, fa lawyers and physicians be required to tali a Scute license. Insurance Companies. A tax should be levied on all premium celved by insurance companies. Tax on Railroad Tonnage. AU the most. Important railroad comp in this State pay no taxes upon their prop I earnestly recommend that a tax be levi every railroad company In the Slate for < passenger and every ton of freight t ported. Delinquent Tax Sale?. To enforce the more prompt payment o taxes, and to check the growth of the pn enormous arrear Hst, I recommend that law be so amended that real and pen properly, subject to taxation, shall be sol public sale, by the county treasurers, w thirty days after the same shall have bec delinquent under the tar levy-the pen property to be first exhausted, if necessar satisfy the tax, before sale ls made of th alt;-and thct bonds of the State be takt Payment at par for all real estate purchast eilnquent laud sales. I further recomn that tne several county treasurers shall bi thorlzed and required to give absolute titi ail real estate and personal property soi within sixty days afW the date of such i that the State shall warrant and' defend i titles, and they shall be held and taken b courts in the States as titles in fee simple; that, lu all legal proceedings, the said co shall be concluded by sold titles as to all i tera touching any Irregularity that may 1 been had in connection with such sales, which may be alleged against the valldit the said titles. This provision, as to tim sale and redemption, not to apply to the. p erty of minors and persons who are non con mentis, or confined In public prisons. I would also urge that the provision of requiring county auditors to purchase la for the Slate, at delinquent land sales, be pealed, and that all such lands, hereto! purchased by the State, be sold without del subject to the claims of those who may 1 any ol such lands under the State lease provided by law, should there by any such expired leases at the time ol sale. Amount of Taxes In Arrear. As an evidence of the need of additional le lation to enable the State to realize the de quent taxes, I mention the facts that amounts due on the arrear lists, for the ye 1868,1869 and 1870, aggregate one million i hundred and thirty-seven thousand fourb dred and thirty-three ($1,137,433) dollars. Safe of State Lands. I further recommend that the lands p chased by the land commission, and all ot lands owned by the State, be subdivided 1 suitable areas, and sold at an early period, i rate per acre to be fixed by law, according classification, and that bonds ol the State taken In payment, at par, for all such land' The State lands are now est; mue j to. worth one million (1,000,000) dollars, at am I lmum valuation. I The Ku-Klui. The existing intervention of the mi.lt; power of the united States, for the suppr sion of "domestic violence" in the State, < manda that I should review the causes tl i have made that intervention necessary. ! perform this d, ty with a deep sense of hu mil tlon as an American citizen, and with pi j found regret as the Chief Magistrate of Sou Carolina. It bad long been the boast of o political system, founded as lt is upon the e pressed will ol the people, that the peace! agencies of the aw were alone safflcient ? the protection of life and property. Wbe therefore, lt becomes necessary for the ch authorities to Invoke the aid ot ihe militar for the protection of the citizen in the exercl of his vested rights, it is a declaration to tl world that, within the limits of the Stat crime triumphs over law. That such is tl fact ls Justly due to no act of the present Sta Government. It hat assailed no private rlgh and committed no public wron?, and al wa' remembering that it was established to a vance the Interests ol tba whole people, cannot, with justice, be charged with ev< having wantonly Injured a citizen either 1 bis person or estate. Toe members of th* Constitutional Convet tlon of 1868, with remarkable unanimity, e: eluded from the new constitution every pr< sc/i pi ive feature, and by its provisions no cit zen was disfranchised, and every class ot pei sons and property was guaranteed t he equi protection of the laws. The administrate elected under that constitution endeavor? faithfully to reflect the generous spifii of lt framers. Impelled by my own personal sent mente, no less than br what I deemed a wie public policy, I saw in the men who had r? belled against the National Government onl the citizens ot my country, who, it they ha done much wrong, had also, as a consequence endured much suffering, and I sought to wi; them back to a better leellng, that alt classe of our citizens might dwell together as breth i en, under the shelter ol a common mansion and that the united efforts ot the whole mlgh be directed to lifting the State up f rom th universal prostration caused by the wanto; acts of a part. Actuated by these motives, and as a testlmc ny that the new administration was nelthe partisan nor vindictive, in my first message ti . tne Generally Assembly I used the t olio wini language on the Bubject of political dbablli iles: "I would earnestly reccom mend that your hon orable body will, at an early period, m-inorializi Congress to relieve every citizen of Mouth Carol; na from ail political disabilities. _l make thi; recommendation the more readily Trom the fae tint there are believed to be none of that class li this State who have committed Infamous oflencei against the laws or war." "Tnestatute or dlsfrauchUement was; doubt less, wise ind proper at the earlier stige or recon strucUon. and Justly marked the nation's abhor renee or those who, having been the trust? leaders* ! the people, had led them into rebedior against th> benign government of their count'y let the continuance, or such dlsrranchl-emen' wo?:d be an anomaly under our Kepubiica sys-em based unon the doctrine or universal suf frage. Let us hope that such an act of magoan imlty will not be mistaken by the class o h tran chlstd, while to deny lt will tend to make them objects or sympathy, and will be, as it were, tc ke-p a k> ire sticking la an open wound." I would add, that I have neither, abandoned the hope or the sentiment that impelled that recommendation, so far as the industrial class Of the whites are concerned. Although they conrribmed largely to the"wealth and strength of the State, yet, in former times, they were not permitt-d io take any part In the adminis? tration ot its affalts. The: e ls no natural an? tagonism between then and our present. s\s tem of free government, which, in its pater? nal care for the welfare of its clilzeus, lias, for the Ant time in the history ol South Carolina, enacted a homestead law, which guards the threshold ot the poor man's dwelling, so that remorseless creditors may not enter and sell the ?oof that shelters bis wile and children, or seize the products of the few acres that supply bis table with food. Whatever feeling ot hos? tility any of these may entertain against the government ol their country, is the result, in a great measure, of the wilful misrepresenta? tions of their former privileged rulers, to ad? vance their own political ends. The General Assembly promptly seconded this effort to restore nniver.-al good will among our people, by devising an equitable system of taxation, and by the enactment of laws for the development of all the industrial interests of the State. j> As au evidence of the beneficent policy of the new S>ate G ven ment, I cite the tacts that most of the circuit Judges elected by the General Assembly were known not to be in political accord with the majority of its mem? bers, and none of them were political part? isane. More than half of all the officers ap? pointed by the Executive were of the oppos' 'ion, and the old magistrates, w.ho had held their placee for years,were generally reappoint? ed. That this liberal course on the part of the new administration was not due to a ut of material in its own party, ts shown b] fad that this policy was pursued eve Charlestoo,whero there were numerous R Heans capable and willing to fill all the offli that vicinity. All the old magistrates In city were reappointed, and the best poi in the County of Charleston, the cc treasurer g hip, was bestow?d hy me up citizen known to be politically hostile t( State admlnlstraH/m. I recur to these fact9 to show that the a violence which has prevailed in this ? and has successfully bid defiance to the authorities, cannot find a vindication lt plea, which so -justly commends Itself tc American mind, that it was the result of action against oppression-an appeal to to remedy wrongs for which there wa other remedy. I Indeed, t his system of organized murd? fan in 1S65, immediately alter the cessai! ostiliiles in the open field, inaugurati condition of affairs that has continued varying intensity up to the period ot Ita r< culmination, and which differed in Its des liveness from actual war only In this, tnt killed and wounded were all on one side. In evidence ot this. I refer to the well ki fact, that my Immediate predecessor, OE the most worthy and eminent citizens o State, Governor James L. Orr, was both llcly and privately maligned for his effori suppress it and enforce the laws against crim?nala. The class of men who ass him for the faithful and tearless dise?are his duty are the same who openly defend Ku-Klux and secretly moved the springs put and kept-them in motion. A better temper seemed to prevail an this class in the early part of 1868. This, 1 ever, waa rapidly changed under the WT) teachings and public speeches of the op] tlon press and leaders. By the notor Broadhead letter of General Frank P. B [ and kindred utterances, announcing speedy advent of a national administra that would "trample under fool" the w system of reconstruction, the dormant loyalty of the opposition leaders in this S was galvanized Into action, as is a pal limb of the human body by the thrill of electric spark. These leaders at once evinced a recalclti spirit. They assumed the air and speech defiant conqueror, and where they did vindictively assail the principles of national government ol whose rafe magm mlty they were living proofs, they would clare, as the tannest limit of their loyalty, I they "accept the situation;" an express which has now become stereotyped, which, on the lips of such men, conveys b a falsehood and an insult, In the sense in wi they use lt. as it implies a reserved rlgh refuse obedience ' to the laws of their conn whose authority they ceased to assail c when they were deprived .of the power to SiSt lt. . r They mistook thc magnanimity of the g eminent for weakness, and presuming ut its forbearance, bore themselves aa If they 1 been the victors in the late struggle. Th old party leaders soon fanned into flames expiring passions of their followers In the hellion, doubtless fearing that the new pol cal system might, if unchecked, induce whltte masses to break the thraldom that had long-bouc-.' them under the ancient rulen the State. Thev denounced the State Governme elected by a majority of forty-three Lhouse of the voters of the people, as "a tyran ni usurpation," and ua negro oligarchy," < signed to crush out white meu; and tt stigmatized its loyal supporters as "thlei and robbers," and passed a general sentet of outlawry upon every Republican, withe regard to character. The seed thus scatter broadcast from the rostrum, the pulpit and t press, soon produced a terrible harvest. Tl Republicans were the victims of frequent mi ders, both open and secret, could not be i counted for on any known theory of mere < incidences. It soon became evident that the waa "method" lu this "madness,!? and tha large mass of the whites, obeying the "bloc instructions" of their political leaders, we engaged In a concerted effort to suppress B publlcanlsm In the State, by murdering Rept Keans, white tfnd colored, solely because their political opinions. I endeavored to che this system of violence and terrorism by i energetic use of tbe State constabulary, ai other civil agencies at my disposal. In thli measurably succeeded fora lime, althoiif the alleged criminals were Invariably balle or escaped punishment through Jurors In a cord with them in political sentiment. Just previous to the general State election i October last, there was a comparative lull 1 these outrages. The opposition party, In thi election, was again defeated by an immeni majority. That defeat aroused the fiercest hal in the breasts ot their leading men again every loyal man lu the itate, and; through the efforts, the most perfect cohesion waa give to the disloyal elements in the upper countlei where there was an approach to a numeric) equality between the two parties. in November following the election, a prom nent citizen of the State, an active and recoj nlzed leader of the opposition party, used th following language, in an address delivered I this city to the Confederate Survivor's' Assoc: atlon: "Defeated on the battle field, defrauded at tb ballot-box, we have but one remedy l The das ger, that waa made illustrious in the banda c ru tus, must, In the daylight and in the dari cut Its way to the hearts of the miscreants wh now misrule our native State " That thia language was used on that occa sion by the person referred to I have the tes tlmony ot gentlemen of the highest respecta billi y who heard it. Scarcely less Incendiar: waa the tone of the opposition newspaper throughout the State, as the following ex tracts from their editorials ot that period clear ly demonstrate, and fasten upon them mucl of the reponBlbliity for the baleful consequen ces that ensued: ' "Remember that we are tbe white people, and that they are the negro; that they hav< chosen their ground and arrayed themselves against, ua with a determination and hate wtiid are unmistakable, and that our policy la to lei them alone and take care of ourselves. But wt must have organization, not politically, be ti re? membered, an t the views below are worth con? sideration. Let us have a thorough understand? ing and a union or the whole white people of the state, not forgetting, either, the worthy excep? tions among the negroes who have . identified themselves with us, or any others who may see flt to cast their lines in with us."-.veurberry Herald, November 3, 1870. "The time for temporizing, argument and con? ciliation, ls passed; we shall have no moro of ic. A straight' and aevere line must be draVn be? tween the races. The colored people : ave chosen their ground with the advt e of the ringleaders, and i hey must follow lt out without aid or aym pathy from their former wh te friends. The white people have the power and the br .ins aud the de -erminatlon to hold meir own and protect them? selves, and they wdl do so. The negroes have fol? lowed their devices one t me too many, and now let them look to o:her- for hel#\ asststai.ee and ?ympathy."-Darlington Democrat, Nov, 3, 1870. " ?ve understand, theiefore, and accept the soild ble<* vote cast against the nominees of the Re? form party aa a declaration of war by the negro race against the white race, by Ignorance against intelligence, by poverty against actual or poten t al wealth. This Issue we have striven to avo d, but the negroes will have nothing else. They will not allow us to wo:k with them; we must, If nec? essary, work against them, conciliation, argu? ment, persuasion-all have been worse thau use lew. The white people stand alone. Ana they must organize themselves and arm themselves, not as 'a white man's party,' but because the past and present prove that decency, purity and polit? est fieedom, as wei as the [reservation of so? ciety, are identical with the Interesta of the white people or the -tate." [Charleston Daily News, Nov. 7,1870. I shall not multiply these evidences from the opposition press, but cannot refrain from utterig a reflection that their candid adnjis Bions forcibly suggest. Ih view of this condition of affairs, the State capital was thronged by refugee Republicans, and in the monti.s ol January and February last 1 was earnestly urged by many loyal men; including numerous members of ihe General Assembly, to call out the militia and declare martial law over (hose counties where these acts of lawless violence were being performed. This I refused to do, for reasons which I then thought, and still think, were Judicious and proper. I had at my disposal but a compara lively small mi.llia loree, composed nearly al? together of colored men, as this class alone, with but few exceptions, had offered them? selves "for enrolment and organization, and they alone could be Mied on as loyal citizens. As an evidence of this r/nct, I would slate that a captain of a militia company, com? posed of white men in this city, having ap? plied to me for ammunition, I a>ked him if he would obey my orders as commander in-chief, In the event of aa armed collision ari.-ing irom an attempt to enfore the laws, to which he frankly replied : "In case of difficulty, I will go with my race." He was told that it was not a question of race, but a question ol enforcement of ihe laws against those who proposed to set them at defiance. The militia were, for the mo-t part, undisciplined and un? skilled In the use ol anns, for tuey were rear? ed uuder a system of law which even forbade their having a tire-arm in their possession. I was convinced that If put into the field they would have been Instantly confronted and at? tacked by a large body of veteran soldiery, well organized, and equipped with the most improved arms, and forming a part ot a vast organization extending through adjacent Slates, with which they had easy lines of com- i nunlcatlon. Ia suca a conflict lc was e bat tee militia would have been be ..liher driven baek or slaughtered. I ?vent, I teared a general retaliation, would have speedily made the entire Sti iheatre of au internecine war. Bur, supposing the militia successful i i conflict, the opposition papers and thc elated Pres? agents In this State wooli proclaimed to the country that the Sn ministration had, for a political purpose pirated a ''war ol races," and even loyt sf both parties In the North, who have n pathy with the perpetrators of these une crimes, would have been led to believ the contest here was one between the 1 md the white man," instead of being, a an issue between the loyal friends ol th eminent and its disloyal enemies. Such an Impression in the country? have had a peculiarly disastrous eflcc the future of the colored population tin out the entire South. In addition to these considerate thought, aud still think;, that it was the mount duty of the Government of the I Sutes to protect its loyal citizens In the ment of "life, liberty and the pursuit ol piness." The negro was a slave by virtue of the BtilutloD of the United States. By the ernment of the United States be was et pated and made a free. American citizen Government of the United States is, fore, morally bound to protect him In tl exercise of his vested rights, and. If ne< to educate him to exercise those rights u standingly, for he was kept In ignorance suant to Its laws. If the Government o United States, falls, when necessary, t charge this duty, then emancipation v political crime, and the negro is left to be Che obedient tool or wretched victime dislova! enemies of the government, a Buffer ontrages because he is its friend. ! over, I viewed the nae of the military ft execution of the laws with extreme r nance, and required that the civil authc should first exhaust their powers throug posse comitatus. In the following lettei dressed to the sheriff of Fairfield County published for the Information and guldan peace officers in other counties. I enji upon the local magistrates and peace o? of that county to act with vigor, and, hazards, to bring these criminals to justit least such of them as were known, and w there was proper evidence on which a wa could Issue: "STATS OP SOUTH CAROLINA, "fcXBCOTIVE Dr.PAKTMEST, "COLUMBIA, May 2d, 187 "To the Sheriff of 'Fairfield County : "SIR-I have been credibly Informed by a : ber of rlttzeus of Fairfield County, aa well i your own official communication, that o u'ght of the 29th ultimo, a bedy or armed me disguise, rode into the Town of Winusboro' Left at the honses or several county office written paper, In which they were comm J to resign, and threatened with violence ir failed to obey. As you are the etiler exectlve cer or the county, lt ls roar duty to ta' e n ure? to ascertain and bring to Justice these n ei violators or the public peace, and. tor this pose, you shall promptly invoke all the resot which the law places at your disposal, li last resort, should the ordinary service of pr< prove inad?quate to make the necessary arr by reason or any armed combination, you call out the posse comitatus; which call, I no doubt, win be responded to by au good zens. In all cases ot this character, w citizens are put la terror by armed band lawless men, it 1B expected tsat tue cal authorities should exhaust all 1 resources to give adequate protection to ure ptoperty, before the State Executive can proi intervene by extraordinary exhibitions of fi hitherto unknown to the administration of laws In civilized communities. The failure of proper county officers to exert their utmost lance to detect, and their most vigorous effor bring to puni-hment, all dlstu bersof the pe will be deemed evidence ot their flagrant nef of duty or gt oss Inefficiency, lt ls a grave reprt to the people of Winnsboro'. that a band or disguised horsemen should have been perml to feater their town, and occupy lt fer sev hours, with the declared parp?se or pattin terror, or lt.-Uleling violence apon, the sworn j Ile officers of the county. "In this connection, lt ls preper that I shi call your attention to the recant act or Congr which makes all citizens who are privy to sets or organlZ"d violence, and fall to give Info rmation In their possession that may lea the arrest of the perpetrators, particeps crim In their guilt "Very respectfully, (Signed) "ROBSBT K SCOTT, Governor, The officers did not act, being either p : lyzed by fear or in sympathy with the erl sale. In common, with many others, loyal men among them seemed to regard t is a purely personal government, and to peet that the Executive should discharge lutles of all the departments of the State. At this juncture I determined to mak anal effort i o restore public order with military force, and I therefore Invited pro; sent citizens of the disaffected section t conference with me at the capital. TI were all recognized leaders of the oppoBltA tod of acknowledged influence in their ipectlve counties. I had hoped much fr heir co-operation in the interest ol law a order Which they professed to advocate, kne hg, as I did, that the masses of the whites his State would, from the mere- force ot f mer discipline, heed their admonitions. T conference was held. All of these gentlem leprecated acts of violence, but denied the < .s te nee of the Ku-Klux organization IR. SOI karolina, while some of them indirectly eoug lo extenuate acts of violence, that they coi not well deny, by referrlog them to what th were falsely pleased to term "negro rule." They alleged numerous acts of incendiarle ay negroes, which allegations, derived frc the opposition press, and often repeated, ba reen proved base labrlcatlocs, in the mai lesioned to offset or palliate the burning school-houses erected for the Instruction colored children. These gentlemen, however, promised n their coop?rai lon to the end in view, and relieved them. I am .not advised that at effort was made to fulfil those promises. Ce talnly they effected nothing. Having exhaus id all the civil power under my control to su .orees this Insurrection against the constitute iuthorlt lea, I made application. In accordant with the Constitution of the United States, i the National Government lo protect the Stai 'against domestic violence.'7 The magnitude of this organized system < crime was made apparent to Congress, tb evidence In the possession of the governmer thowiiig that the Ku-Klux bands, in Sout karolina, were "but parts of a stiipendou ?vhole," having a broader scope than the rt iress ot a mere local grievance. Congres: .by appropriate legislation," having groote he necessary powers, his Excellency the Pre? dent of the United States, on the 17th day c Dctober, 1871, suspended the writ ol habea corpus in the Couutles of Spartanburg, York Marlon, Chester, Laurens, Newberry, Fairfield Lancaster and Chesterfield. The County of Marlon was subs?quent Iv ex cepted from this Hst, and the County of Unloi rery propel ly substituted therefor-Marioi laving been originally embraced, Instead o LTniou, In the first proclamation ot the Presl lent, through a clerical error. An adequate force ol United States troops ii low in the State, and, under thc direction o tn energetic and discreet commanding officer hey are actively engaged IU arresting the Ku Klux criminals wherever legal testimony o ruilt ls furnished. Many persons of the suspected class have .lea from the upper counties, while at the same time protesilngtheir innocence of crime. Flight from arrest by officers of the law ls noi generally regarded os furnishing a very strong legal presumption of Innocence, lt would bt Tar belter, however, for the State, that all ol this class should abandon lt forever, than thal sven one Industrious laborer should be mur? dered or driven away from the pursuits ot useful industry. The former are usually irones In the human hive, while upon the products of the tolling mass repose the whole wealth and prosperity of the State. I am officially ioformed that thus far about six hundred arrests have been made in this State, under the act of Congress. The per? sons arrested, and now. for the most part, held for trial, represent almost every class in society, from the humble laborer and small fariner to the wealthy planter and practicing physician and lawyer. I have endeavored to be historically exact In recording what must, pass.imo history as a reproach to American civilization, and ls now known of all men as the shame ot the Stale. Il presents the most extraordinary spectacle of i complete collapse from civilization into barbarism known lu the annals ot minkind; surpassing in Its actroclty the "Thugism" ol' india, for the Thug spares woman and tho aged, but the Ku Klux exempts none from his vengeance, in his effort to strangle Republi? canism. Itany impartial man, jealous of the honor of his kind, hesitates to believe 6uch things possible lu a civilized community, let him visit the Jail in this city. He will there Und scores of the veritable actors in the.se leeds of blood, many of whom have volun? tarily coufess^d their crimes as Ku-Klux, these la it beiHgpnor, deluded men, to whom I trust the ui most clemency of theNutional Executive will be exteuded, for they are but the blluded rictims of their cultivated leaders. Some of them, but recently, showed or ol? fered to show, their scarred backs to a distin? guished United states senator from Bhode Island, (Mr. Sprague,) they having been lash? ed by order of officers of their own klan, be Cause, when ordered to shoot men marked ; murder, they had, out of natural pity, "01 whipped" the Intended victims. Those who, with an air of Indlgnition, a with a well-affected concern for constltutloi liberty and "Stale sovereignty," demand w has caused the military Intervention of t United States In the affairs of the Stale, m be Justly referred to the Ku Klux, and their < ganlzera and alders and abettors, lor th< answer. In the foregoing remark', I have relucfani used political designations, comrury to wha' deem a proper custom In a message of t Chief Magistrate of the Slate, who, in his i Acial capacity, should know no party. But found this unavoidable, in treating ol the great crimes, that sprami solely from politic causes. Nor can I regard men loyal to ll . government who set its laws at defiance, ai use every means in their power to destroy I existence. The Taxpayers' Convention. In the month of May last a highly respect ble body of citizens, styling themselves "Tl Taxpayers' Convention," assembled at li State capital for the ostensible purpose of m king inquisition.into the financial adminlstr Hon of ihe State. They were furnished evei facility to prosecute their proposed investlg tion, and me books, records and papers of tl several bureaus in the Executive de part mei were unreservedly laid open to their Inspe tion. The result of this investigation, pros cuted with great diligence, was ihat they gai a reluctant confirmation, In the malu, to tl officiai debt statement, which they bad pri clpally assembled to discredit. Having been requested by ihe conventlo through its committee, to extend the time fi the payment of the taxe? in the cases of tho to whom lt was not expedient to pay, or wt could not make payment within the prescrl cd period. I Informed them that the tax bool would be opened In November fdr the recei| of taxes, but in cases where parties are unab to pay, or could not pay without a sacrifice, would extend the time to March (ho ls without the delinquent penally attachln, Pursuant to my promise, I have directed tl proper officers to grant an extension In evei sucn case that may be certified to them by tl person, asking lt. MinorMy Representation.. The subject of minority representation engag) the earnest attention of the " Taxpayers' co vention," and they preeented many cogent re sons for its immediate adoption Into the electl* system of this Mate. In accordance with, u promise ta them, I present this Important matti for your gravest consideration. 1 recognize the principle of minority represei tatton os both wise and just. It seen res to tl several paitv divisions in the State a direct at froportional representation in its admlnlstratio: t thus Institutes a check and balance against tai Injudicious or oppressive exercise of power that too ant to ensue where Its undivided possession held by a large party maj >rlty. The advanragi of the system have been recently exemplified j practice at elections In Kngland and In tte Stat' Of Pennsylvania and Illinois. In those State however, citizens divide inf* parties upon que tlons merely affecting the State or National pol clea, and ihey seek only by.legltlmate means i elevate to power the exponents of their view There no man'a party affiliation furnishes any Jui presumption*against his loyalty to his countr, and no citizen who ts loyal ls, for that cause, sui jec ed to the hazarda of murder.exile and tr lash, or the certainty of public abd social pn seri pt ion. Here, on the contrary, the minority are orgai (zed upon a basis which practically calla In que tion t e very principles and the lundamenti law upon which the state and National Gov. n menes repose. The end Bought by the proposed aystem coul long since have been practically accomplish* but for the bitter spirit of In tolerance engender? and'rostered by party leaden or the oppositlo among their followers. I have been at all times ready, as ie well know? le co-operate with all moderate men, without n gard to party am la l ms, iq securing the electln to public office of those only who were worth and well qualified. Hy own course la this regar ha** not only been Illustrate'! by the Executive a] polntments, but by the personal aid that J hav invariably extended to elevate to public posttlo those native whites who, al hough c assed at th time with the opposition, were gentlemen < character and intelligence, and fair and ternpei ate in their political views. In proof of this I li stance, with great gratification, Chief Jostle Moses, and Circuit Judges J. L. Orr, Oreen, He ton, Gr.iham and Farmer-the laat an ad interlt Executive appointment-to whoae elevation t the bench 1 gave my cordial support. These gee tie.i.en were all trusted and honored under th ancient regime, and will compare favorably, ti point of personal character and capacity, wit anv citizen of tho State. f submit, however, for yonr deliberate coo si de ra tion, whether the men who are now dc mandlng the establishment by law of the systen or minority representation are entitled to tbl act of magnanimity at your bands. It ls for yo to determine whether the ilse of policy pursue, by them, before and since the adjournment or th Taxpayers' Convention, tends to commend th speedy adoption by -eu or an elective system which roust largely increase the number of thos In the General Assembly who are hostile to ou system of free government. Free Common Schools. The State superintendent of education state that he had hopea to be able to submit, in a ral and complete form, his third annual repot?, bu found several of the annual reports of the count; school commissioners so Inexcusably defective that be was compelled to return them for corree tion, and, on '.his account*" the completion of hi report has been unavoidably delayed. The following general statements are pre sented : The scholastic population of the State, as show: by tue census of?1669, ls as follow*: White males.40,95i Colored malea. fi8,77l Total malea.,. 99,731 White females. .41,2? Colored females. 66,20' Total females. 97,441 Total white.t..8349? Total colo; eds..'.114 PS; Total scholastic population, 1869.197,1W The returns of this year will show a scholastic population amounting, lc the aggregate, to more than 200.000. The whole number of pnplls attending thc free common schools of the state, for the scholastic year 1871,18 about 67,093. The whole number of fiee common schools in the sute ts 1S39. The whole number of school districts in the State is 462. The free common schools throughout the State are kept open about six months in the year. Tne whole number of teachers employed in the public schools Is as fellows : Malea.-.1,160 Females./. 70S Total.1,8M The average salary paid to teachers ls $33 per month. The following ls an exhibit or the school runda or the state for the fiscal year-ending October 31, 1871 : Regu'ar legislative appropriation.$}60,ooo Amount or poll tax collected, estimat? ed at. 60,000 Deficiency appropriation.r... 4u, ooo Total.;.iv* 1,000 A majority or the school districts ju the u. tte have voted a school tax, but the superintendent has no means of ascertaining the aggregate amount. There ls evidently a great lack of Interest In the cause of free common s hool education, and lt ls hoped that some -Tactical and simple plan for raising a school revenue, by means of b cai taxa? tion, will be speedily devised, and that the people li terested in the general results -or education, will, through their personal Influence, aid in ex? tending means. A reasonable degree of progress, taking Into du- c .usld- ration the adversities and d i nv'u. ties encountered, has been acme ved in the educational w rk during the scholastic year. The school attendance for the year 1871 m re than doublea that of 1870. The "school law," though not faultless, will net rail to produce very favora? ble results if it be properly enfo ced, and the superintendent testifies that the people are grad? ually acquiring an Interest in the cause or public schools. it will be noticed that $35 per month bas been paid to teachers,male and t?male, throughout the state. 1 am surprised at the high average of compensation paid for this servie,as'lt la well known that the qualifications of a large portion or these teachers would n .t enable them to earn over one-thtrd of the pay now received in any other vocation they might adopt. It is the duty of the General Assembly to Interpose in the ex? penditure of the appropriation for this purpose, and while advancing the means of education, limit the amount paid teachers to such a com? pensation a- their set vices would legitimately command. In thc nigher grades sf sch;ol9 in our towns and cities thc teachers who can HU the situations are entitled to compensation in pro? portion to their quanti, a'ions; but in the c .umry scion's lt i* a well known fact that the teachers generally employed can do but 'if ie more th.tn impart the rudiments of a commun sch ol educa? tion, and yet they receive the pay or first-class teachers; trils extravagance in disbursing the ap? propriations for schools ls one or the principal causes that embarrasses the superinten tent of education. In no portion ol the United States are school teachers regarded as a beneficiaries of the sra e, but they adopt the vocat on as a means of gain? ing a 1 veilhood, and In country pisces the cost or livia.- is a mere trifle, and the compensation ls propor'lonabiy reduced. The same rule stouid oe adopted here that prevails lu other sections of the country, and school commissioners should give tils their attention, for, to my personal knowledge, very large and extravagant claima for the aervlces or teachers have been favorably acted 'upon by the Legislature, whereas the parties making the claims could not have earned twenty five per cent, of the compens?t.on de? manded, thus robbing the chddren who needed the benefit of the appropriation for educational purposes. I trust this matter will engage your earnest attention, es lt most be patent to every member of the Legislature that the foregoing ls no exaggerated statement of the waste of public school f?nde. I would iurther recommend that yon memorial? ize Congress, through our representatives, on the adoption of a national ay-tem of education, anti more especially on the subject of contrlbulng means towards the education of that elisa ofchll dren of the southern states who have been hlth erto deprived of the means of education la pur? suance of the constitution and laws of the State aud nation. At the close of the recent rebellion th se he'd In slavery were turned loose upon the world with neither ?ducation or even houses to sh -Uer them, but were left to the mercy of those who had but recently held them In bondage. It could scarcely be expected that assistance would voluntarily be rendered them by those who felt that a great wrong had been Inflicted on them? selves by the loss of thia class of legal property. They have, therefore, before them years or strug? gling and hardship before they can, unaided, succee I In educating their children and prepare them for the duties of citlz - nshtp. A national system of education, supported by the General Government, would secure equal advantagea to all classes of children. The Lunatic Asylum, The report of the board of regents of the Luna? tic Asylum, including the annual report or the .superintendent and physician, communicates much valuable and Interesting information In re? lation to this important ioetltutlon. And the val? uable suggestions of the superintendent are earnestly recommended to the attention cr the Legislature. The regents apeak or the superintend entjur. Ensor.) as having, during the past year, er? ected many long needed reforms in the affairs or the Asylum, and, by bis Intelligent and untiring exertions, made very decMed Improvements In its various departments, and tbua contributed large? ly to the comfort of his unfortunate charge. The various statistical tables referring to the operations and condition or the Asylum are fall and satisfactory The number of pailents admit? ted during the year was 126, of which 71 were males and 64 females. The number of patients In the Asylam October 3L 18T1, was 870: whites 295, col? orea 75, 185 malea and 187 females, of whom 30 were discharged cored, io Improved, 3 unimprov? ed, and 82 died. The supposed eames of Insanity of the patients admitted during the year was: Hereditary 12, eptleoay io, consumption 6, intem? perance 5, domesuJ trouble 5, ch ld-blrth 5, con genital 6, masturbation 4, typhoid fever 3, menen gills 2, eating opium 2, Injuries to head 2, uterine diseases 2, softening or the brain 2, hepatic de rangement 2, heart disease 2, and there were one each of syphilis, influence of puberty, exposare lu the army, malarious poisoning, cancer, preg? nancy, suspension ot men's-s, bad health..un? known. The form or Insanity in patients admit te I daring the year wa .: Acute mania is, chronic mania ll, puerp> ral manta 5, dementia 20. Imbe? cility ll. epilepsy ll, melancholia 14. Idiocy 7. de-, lusloaal insanity 20, monomania 2, hysterical ma? nia 3, dy pon?anla I. . A larger nuinbtr of patients have been admitted than lu any previous year, and the whole number nuder treatment dating the year was greater than ever before. The receipts of the Asylum have been from patients.$ 9,824 78 From tte state treasurer. 84,ooo oo $43.824 78 Indebtedness or the institution,- on ac? count ot this year's transactions....$21,271 48 With this brier r?snm? I most refer you to the repor s of the b ard or regents and superinten? dent for a more detailed statement or the affairs or the Asylum. Some Important sngge>tlons have been made, which space does not permit me to notice at length. I must say, however, In pro? viding the necessary approprUfons to extend the usefulness o' this humane Institution, as recom? menced by its officer.', I reel tc mw duty to caution you against making more liberal appropriations than the income of the State at present j usuries. The South Carolina Penitentiary. The board or directors or the Sooth Caro? lina Penitentiary furnishes the annual .re? port of the superintendent of the institution, with its accompanying exnlbits, showing folly and satisfactorily lu practical workings. I re ret that the late boar at which lt was fur? nished precludes a more exhaust.ve analysis of its co-J teats, which throw mach light on the workings of this lastttu'ion, so Important, not only to the material in te'esta of the State, but to the moral and Industrial interests of its Inmates. I eau do but niue more than refer you to this re? port, and ca 1 your attention to Its recommenda? tions. The expenditures of the Penitentiary for the year ending October 15, 1870, for ali purposes, amounted to $104.134 02, and the value of work done and manufactured articles produced to $98.626 02, which leaves $5558 as the actual cost to the State of Ita Penitentiary- in exhibit which reflects mach credit, upon the superintendent and board of d rectors for the emcieflc management ol the Institution, as well as to their subordi? nates for the skill and zeal with which they have directed their labors. . On the 16th day of October, 1870, the Peni? tentiary contained.inmates. .817 Received under sentence since.:.231 Recaptu.ed.. 9 Total during the year.667 From which were discharged by expira? tion or sentence.99 Pardoned..-..163 Died. 13 Escaped. 18-218 Number cow in confinement.309 Whereof 301 are males, and 8 females. Two of the latter bave each a child, one of which waa born a ' short time after the mvther'a arrival. The evils adverted to in-the superintendent's last report, of imprisoning women in a penal institution unpro? vided with facilities and conveniences necessary for aa absolute, separation or the %exes, are still unabated, and lt ls earnestly hoped that they may be provided for in some appropriate asylum. The estimates accompanying the superintend? ent's report, which he claims will admit of no abatement, for salaries materials, clothing, to., aggregates la the neighborhood of'$130,000. in addition to which there ls an actual deficiency of $17,457, the items and the necessity for the ex? penditure of which are explained. The erection of permanent workshops ls of imperative neats slty for the welfare and trae prosperity or the in? stitution. The time ls rapld'y approaching when the unskilled labor, now utilized, most be dis? pensed with, and the loree now so employed will nave to be otherwise occupied, by gradually in? structing them In tbe mechante arts appropriate to an institution of this kind; and, li provision is not made In time for teaching . tte Inmates these Industries, mach loss will be lncarred by the State, and disease and demoralization result to the convicts. lt will be seen from the above table that one hundred and flrty-three (153) convicts have been pardoned during the past year. Of these eighty five were pardoned on the recommends' '."ns of presiding judges and the petitions or nur-???? us , good citizens or the counties In which they e convicted, and sixty-eight, when within a r days or the* expiration of their sentences, .jr good conduct. Very harsh criticism has been Indulged regard lng an alleged t-xcesslve use of the pardoning power.. This criticism is unwarranted. and leaves out or view the causes that have invited and jus? tified the exercise or the Executive clemency. In many cases unimpeachable testimony, now of record in the Executive department, has clearly shown that their conviction was contrary to the evidence and due to polltleal prejudice; and, in ethers, that the witnesses were In conspiracy to effect the conviction or the accused; while a still larger number were convicted or such minor offences as did hot appear to me to warrant their imprisonment in the Penitemtl iry for any'great length of time. Aa an instance of the last-named cla.-s, I cite the casa of a convict who was sen? tenced to a term or eighteen (18) mont's1 Impris? onment la the Penitentiary for stealing a few ears or corn, amounting to less than a peck, front the reed-box of his employer's horses. The cur? rent statement, that pardons have been granted by me In a spirit or partisanship, discriminating la favor or colored convicts, ls not true. I have granted as many pardons to white as I have to colored con vic's, la proportion to the r respective numbers. During the past year 1 have granted bnt two pardons to homicides, and both or these convicts were white men, one from camden and the other from Charlearon, and, In both cases, the victims of the homicides were colored. The whole number of pardons granted by me .does not exceed the number granted by my pre? decessors, for the same period, when compared with the nnmber or convictions. Moreover, under previous administrations, the penalty for petty 'offences were not as severe as they are now, there being then no penitentiary system or Imprison? ment at hard labor. Quarantine, The report or Dr. Robert Lebby, health officer for the port of Charleston, refers officially to the presence of yellow rever in the city during the past season. He claims that the rigid and suc? cessful execution or the quarantine act or 1868, in tue harbor or Charleston and on the sea? coast line or South Carolina, has prevented the introduction or yellow fever into the cities and towns of this State by Impor? tation; and, while Charleston has severely suf? fered from epidemic yellow fever, and a type of the same fever, to a limited extent, appeared la Beaufort, there ls no evldi nee whatever to ludace the belier that the disease was Introduced by im? portation, but that it was dependent entirely upon local causes. The disease has been very ratal on unaccllrr.at si person-, especially the German population. The colored population bas suffered more than in any other epidemic form of fever that has appeared in Charleston for thirty years, ir this form ot fever has been Imported, lt certainly was not by vessels or across the bar or Charleston. Among the quarantine acts -requiring legisla? tive amendment, Dr. Lebby forcibly recommends the exclusion of dead bodies 01 persons brought from Northern cities for in erment, between the lat day or Hay and sut day or October. The same restrictions that are pla 'ed upon vessels should apply to expr?s * and railroad companies. Dr. - Lebby's recommendation on subjects con? nected with bis departments are entitled to much weight, and I respectfully submit them to your consideration. Legislative provision, ls recommended for quar? antine protection for the rivera emptvlng into ?st. Helena Sound, and also for a protection from the Infection of small-pox. now extensively prevail? ing in the port of Philadelphia. An appropriation Is asked for the keeper's salary and the repairs or the Lazaretto. Library and Capitol Building. I call your attention to the recommendations of the State librarian, who has charge of the capitol and grounds, many of which are Important, such aa tue required repaire of the roof of the capitol, and fencing of the grounds. I must say, however, m all matters that relate to appropriations i&at are of no immediate necessity, the expend nure7 of public money should be avoided. Fertilizers. The report of the Inspector of guanos and fer? tilizers shows a largely Increased production ef phosphattc manures, and largely expanded facili? ties for collecting them. The total production of phosphate beds of South Carol na, for the year, both land and river, has been forty-five thousand tona, and during the same period Bf teen thousand tons of commercial fertilizers bave been manu? factured In Charleston. The demand for phos? phattc rock baa increased in foreign markets, but at home, m consequence of tbe di min shed dometw tic consumption, has, at beat, remained station** ary. The inspector states that the advance to? wards a higher standard m quail:/ sun coat mues, and his laboratory has been equipped with a complete outfit of apparatus, chemicals and speci? mens, drawn from the best European and Ameri? can 80urc s, and sufficient for investigation in all departments of analytic chemistry. State Orphan Asylum. The late hoar at which the report of the board j of trustees of the State Orpban Asylum, at Charleston, waa received, renders lt Impossible I for me to do more than call the attention of the General Assembly to Ita recommendations and suggestions. Thia institution la deserving of the fostering care of the State, aa lt shelters and pro videa for large number of orphans, who would otherwise be left on tbe cold charities, of the world, to become victims of vice and immorality. *. The Blue Ridge Railroad. Thia road, in which both the State and the' City of Charleston bas had BO large an interest li stock, has been the snbject of anxiety on the part of both the Legislature and the people. Tte de? preciation in the State finances has render** I the bonds endorsed by the State almost vale, ?AB, so far as the State guarantee was concerned. After consulting many prominent business men, who favored the plan, I recommended to the sinking fund commission the propriety of dispcalng of the State stock :o a private corporation, which pro? ject waa carried Into effect on the 22d day of July last, the new company agreeing to pay all float? ing debts of the road, together with one dollar per share to the state for the stock, and fifty theuaand dollars to the State on the completion of thajoad, the whole to be completed within Ave years. It la a well esuollabed fact that public enterprises can be managed more economically by a private c t'poratlon than by a commonwealth, is, la the " .ter case, such enterprises are at all times sub? ject to the baleful influence of politic-, I believe this company will complete the road la accordance With their agreement. Klee! lon Law. I mast arge on the General Assembly the neces? sity of making some changes ta the election law, in order to close the door against the charge of offering opportunity for the practice of fraud, in giving ao long a period between receiving .the bal Kots and the time for counting them. The ballot lox should be carefully guarded in every respect, aa m Its parity rests the foundation of Republican J institutions and the liberties of the people. ^ Centennial Celebration or the I ndepetx. ' dence ot the T/alted S ta ?es. I respectfully submit for appropriate actlen the following document, from the Governor of Penn? sylvania, in reference to the commemoration, at Philadelphia, la the year 1876, of the centennial anniversary of the Independence of t??e United States: "ExsctrrrvB CH i BER, "HxaaiBBDso. Pam, March 29, ?87L "To His Excellency Booen JC Scoff, Governor of South Carolina.: "DEAR SIR :-Permit meto Invite your attention to toe following Joint resolution of the General Assembly of Pennsylvania, approved March 8, 1871, to Wit : ...That the Governor, and three persona ap? pointed by him, Wm. A. Wallace and James H. Webb, speakers of the Senate and House, with three members of each branch of the Legislature, to be appointed by the speakers or the Senate and House respectively, shall be a committee of the State of Pennsylvania, to co-operate with com? mittees from other states and local committees upon the subject of the centennial celebration, at Philadelphia, In the year one thousand eight hun? dred and seventy-six, said committee to stand until tnat time, and to report at each intervening Legislature, and make such suggestions and recommendations, from time to time, to the alslature, aa they may think proper a-Jd ex? tent in reference to aald centennial celebra? tion.' "One of the moat prominent objects of thia reso? lution la to perfect the necessary prelim mary or? ganization ai die earliest practicable date, and to gather all necessary information and material to facilitate the operations of the United States board of commissioners, to be appointed by the President af the United states, upon the recom? mendation of the Governors of the different States and Territories, la accordante with an act or Con? gress "to provide for celeb ra ting the one hand re th anniversary of American Independence, by hold? ing an International exhibition or arts, manufac? tures and products of the sou and' minea, in the City of Philadelphia, and State of renn sylvania, in the year eighteen hundred and seventy-six. "It ls desired and intended that thia centennial celebration shall be the grandest affair that has ever taken place, and lt u highly important that every possible means shall be employed for the at? tainment of that object. I therefore most respA fUUT iequest and recommend that you direct toe attention of your Legislature to the importance of appointing a special committee, at Its earliest convenience, to cooperate with 'the committee or Pennsylvania, la conformity with the provisions of the joint resolution or the General Assembly or thia Commonwealth. "Tery respectfully, (Signed) J50. W. GEAR?." I also invite your attention to the act of Con. gross (Statutes at Large, vol. is. page 470,) on the above subject. South Carolina being one of the original states, lt la mr opinion that she should be represented by a special committee. Oonda aloa. In conclusion, gentlemen of the General Assem? bly, I desire to express my earnest hope that in all your deliberations you win remember that the only path or safety ls the path or duty. I trust and believe that you will so legislate la the interest or the whole people or the State as to prove to the country at large that Republicanism and good government la Sooth carolina are not, as ls falsely alleged, lnoonatateat with each other. BOBIBT K. SCOTT, Governor. |Kang0, (Prgaie, &t. * g?EGLINGr'S M TJ 8 I C STOTTET (ESTABLISHED IN ISIS.) Kow on hand, and for sale, a large and varied assortment of PIANO FORTES, of approved good makers, new and second-hand. Also CABINET ORGANS and Musical Merchandise generally; together, with the latest and mon fashionable Music constantly receiving. PIANO FORTES to Hire, Tuned, Repaired and taken in exchange. Apply corner King and Beanfaln streets. In rear or old stani third door. HUNKY SIEGLING. nov26 imo eijipjiing. JP OB NS W Y OKS. DEW YORK . A!fl> CHARLESTON STEAMSHIP LINK. ESTABLISHED 1845. The very fast and splendid Side-Wheel Steam? ship MANHATTAN, M. L. WOODHULL, Comman? der, will rail fros Adder's South Wnarr on SAT? URO AT, December 2d, at 8 o'clock, P. M. jt?T* Insurance by thia line hair per cent. ter Through Ellis or Lading given on easton to Liverpool, Boston, Providence and the Kew Eng? land mannfaoturing towns. For Fre?r?", or Passage, having handsome Stat : room accommodations, apply to nov29-4 JAMES AuueiR A cu., Agents. Rotels. s AXT ON HOUSE BEAUFORT, S. C. Thia House, situated on Bay street, commands a fine view or BEAUFORT RIVER, and many or the Sea islands. The travelling public will find here a desirable and CONVENIENT HOME, and the invalid will find no better or more health? ful climate on the SOUTHERN1 COAST to spend the winter. The House ls within five minutes' walk of Steamboat, and fifteen minutes walk or Railroad communication. A good LIVERY STABLE , J has J nat been added to the House. ftp Western Union Telegraph Office on first floor. M. M. KING VAN, nov22 Proprietor.