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permanent.wofk-upoi^the-building? v ..The^rrangftroaat HiiflgafliajAjfc ? temporary; bur. it will, fer ru any years, subserve ail the purposes for which it inay be needcd.??jpP??^ " INCIDENCE OF THE'??V?JBNOR. The new Constitution fixes Columbia as the Capital of the State, and requires the Governor .to reside here. Under the former; Constitution, an appropriation of $300 was annually made, doubt? less to pay the house rent of the Executive during tho session of the Legislature-it being the custom of the Governors of the State to reside at their respective homes, except on this occasion. Tn most of the States, Executive mansions have been erected and furnished for the use of Governors; and the clause referred to in the new Constitution, renders it necessary that somo provision of the kind should be made in this State. Either the salary or the appropriation for house rent should be materially increased, or a residence should be provided and furnished for the Governor. The latter course may be adopted at a comparatively'small cost. Tho State owns, a largo, commodious and handsomely finished building, situated upon Arsenal Hill-a location which commands a pictur? esque view of the city, and the valleys of the Congoree, Broad, and Saluda Rivers for many miles; a beautiful grove is in front of the house; the out-bu?dings are convenient and ample, and the adjacent grounds, embracing some eight acres'^ will furnish sufficient space for gardens, &c " . I recommend that this edifice bo set apart ns the Executive Mansion of South Carolina, and that an appropriation be made to enclose the premises, to furnish the house, and to make such changes as may be necessary to adapt it to thc use of the Governor. THE SURVEYOR-GENERAL. The public lands owned by the. State, have all long since been granted to individuals, and the practice now prevailing of re-grant? ing the same lands over and over again, can only have the effect of increasing litigation among the citizens. I, therefore, recommend that all laws authorizing the grant of lands in this State be repealed. All of the proper functions of the Surveyor-General in this State have ceased, except the issuing of commissions to deputy surveyors in the different Districts .and the making out and certifying copies of grants and plats recorded in his office. These duties may very well be performed by the Secre? tary of State, and the office abolished. All of tho records and papers on file should be transferred to the office of thc Secretary of State, and the latter officer be authorized by law to discharge the duties incident thereto, and charge thc fees authorized by law for his services. In this connection, I call the attention of the General Assembly to the fact that tho present fee bill was adopted many years ago, and that all the fees require revision, and some of them material reduction. The codification of the criminal law of the State is very neces? sary, not so nluch for the purpose of declaring additional or defining existing offences, as for the purpose of prescribing some uniform scheme of punishment adapted to the various crimes and misdemeanors. Quite a number of offences aro punishable by death, which, since tho establishment of the Penitentiary, might be punished, by imprisonment, at hard labor, in that institution. Murder, arson, and one or two other crimes of the greatest gravity, are exceptions; but there is no doubt that the incarceration within the walls of a State Prison will bc an adequate punishment for climes of lesser magnitude. A general codification of all of the laws of the State, civil and criminal, supervised by lawyers of ability, would prove a great blessing to tho people, and at least place the statutory law within reach of every intelligent man in the State. .? This will bo a work of time, but it cannot be proceeded with at too early a day. SHERIFFS. There is an evil which has grown to such magnitude within the last two years, that some remedy is absolutely necessary. The num? ber of escapes of prisoners from the various jails of the State, during this period, has been nearly 400. The result is due partly to tho insecurity of thc buildings and partly to the neglect of the Sheriffs and jailors having thom in charge. The Commissioners of Public Buildings should be required, by more stringent laws than now exist, to keep these prisons in a secure condition ; and as to the liability of Sheriffs, the experience of the past demonstrates that all the legislation heretofore adopted to enforce the performance of their duty, has been without avail. No Sheriff has been con? victed, to my knowledge, of official misconduct in South Carolina for thirty years; and very many who have held the position have certainly been guilty of misfeasance and malfeasance in office. If it is desired to secure from these officials an efficient performance of duty, authority should be conferred upon the Governor, when com? plaint is made to him, and he is satisfied of its justice, to remove such defaulting officer by proclamation, and order a new election to supply the vacancy. If action is postponed until Courts present and juries convict, tho evil never will be corrected. LANDS SOLO FOR TAXES. The failure of parties to pay the taxes levied upon them by tho Acts of 1865 and I860 has caused quite a large number of execu? tions to be placed in tho hands of the Sheriffs of thc respective Districts. In some localities combinations were formed, so that when land was offered for salo by the Sheriff no bid was made, and the State was thereby defeated-although these parties had suffi? cient property to satisfy tho executions-in realizing the amount of taxes due. To obviate this difficulty, Gen. Canby issued General Orders No. G3, (April 8, 18G8,) directing that tho land should be sold by the Sheriff for the term of seven years; that he should bid for it himself the amount of taxes and costs, including costs of executing, stamping and recording the deed, for the use of the State; that if no higher bid was offered, the property should bo knocked down to the Sheriff and conveyed by the Sheriff to tho State for the term of seven years aforesaid. Thc Sheriff was required to have the deed recorded in thc office of the Clerk of the Court of the District in which the land was situated, forthwith, and within two weeks thereafter transmit the original deed to tho Treasurer, who was required to enter an abstract of tho deed and the amount of the consideration. Whereupon the deed was to be filed and record? ed in the office of the Secretary of State. The Governor was authorized, after the expiration of thirty days from the receipt of the deed by tho Treasurer, and, until otherwise provided by law, to rent the land for the period of one year; provided that if tho tax? payer should, within thirty days, pay to the Treasurer tho whole amount of taxes and costs, including recording and twenty-five per cent, upon such full amount, then the deed should bo cancelled; with a further proviso, that if the same should not be paid within thirty days, then the owner of the property should be allowed to redeem tho same within one year after the date of its sole, by paying the whole of the tax and costs, together with fifty per cent, of tho amount additional; and if not redeemed within one year from the day of sale, then tho Legislature was authorized to "determine, by law, the conditions upon which the snnio may be redeemed by the former owner during the remaining term of the seven years for which it was sold." Under this order of Gen. Canby, sales have been reported and deeds filed with the Treasurer of foin tracts of land in Greenville District, and fifteen tracts in Colleton District. Others will, per? haps, be filed during tho present and succeeding month. Your attention is, therefore, called to the order and to the action which has already taken place, and which may hereafter take place under .it, to the end that the necessary legislation contemplated by the order may be enacted. W?kmmmm?mamkm??mmmmBmmmmkmmmmMk^mm*^ . v???Thei dntjr witt b?.d*yobyed~up<>n" ffo?,^< prowdingiifoy j?Muig 4tt* "j tho selection of suitable persons to net as Grand aiid Petit^ijiuxprs in the v?ridns Courts o* this State. For more than fiftyyears in ' Sonth Carolina the requisite for placing tho hame of a citizen upon? Jhe jury list from which jurors were to bo drawn was the payment, J me preceding year, of a tax of, or above, ono dollar. In 1859, the mry law was amended, so that every person who was entitled by the Constitution of the State to vote for members of the Legislature, "and who shall have paid the year preceding the Bitting of a Court,' at which ? new jury hst shall bo made, a tax of any amount what? ever for property held in- nis own right," was Hable to serve as a . grand and petit juror. Tho military orders which have been issued m this District require every tax-payer's name to be placed in the jury box, from which tho jurors are to be drawn, and when drawn, the Judge is invested with the power of setting aside any number of the panel, for want of mental or moral fitness to perform the duties. When the importance of composing these bodies of persons of intelligence is remembered, too much care cannot be taken in guarding ingress into the jury box by such standards of qualifica? tion and character as will protect it from all suspicion of incompe? tency or comiption. The dearest right of a citizen is oftentimes decided by the jury. Life, liberty and property- is in the keeping of these persons, and if there be a lack of understanding, a natural inability to comprehend and weigh evidence, to unravel the perjuries and misconceptions of witnesses, and a want of education sufficient to comprehend the law of the case as expounded by the Judge, the most fearful consequences may result to the citizen. The standard should be two-fold-predicated upon intelligence and in? tegrity. At all times, a sufficient number of persons may be found in every District of tho State, who will correspond with thc high standard that may bo adopted by you; and the confidence which intelligence in the jury-box will inspire among the population, in the administration of public justice and the settlement of contro? versies between private citizens, will go a great ways towards im? planting respect and reverence for the judicature of tho country. Heretofore, it was not deemed necessary to provide by law for pluging the jury, either through the jury list or by the Judge upon tho bench; but it is a system which has been practiced for many years in thc adjoining States. There, a man too ignorant to com? prehend the causes likely to come before a jury, or too corrupt, depraved or dishonest to render a just verdict, is set aside by the Judge under this general authority, which allows no one to be empanncled who does not fulfill thc requirements of integrity and intelligence. In some of the States, the tax lists are revised by thc County Courts, and the most worthy and intelligent citizens are selected, and their names are placed in the jury-box, from which the panels are drawn. In other of the States, a jury board has been created, and consists of the District officers, to wit: tho Clerk, Sheriff, Judge of Probate and Tax-Collector. Theso officers being elected by the people, arc presumed to have such general knowledge of every tax-payer, as will enable them to select from the hst proper persons, whose names are to be placed in the jury-box; I, therefore, recommend that a similar jury board be organized in this State from the District officers, who, from the list of tax-payers, may proceed to select persons whose mental qualifications and moral character fit them for this delicate and responsible duty; and that only tho names of such persons be placed in the jury-box, with further authority to the Judge, that if by accident or otherwise, persons are drawn who do not meet these requirements, to strike their names from the panel and not allow them to be sworn. The provision of the new Constitution which secures a homestead to each head of a family not exceeding in value $1,000, together with the products thereof, and also $500 worth of other personal property, is a wise and humane measure, and should induce your early attention in the passage of an Act directing the manner in which the details may be carried out. The great advantage of this measure is, that while it identities every citizen with the soil and nourishes his love of State and country, it is likewise an induce? ment to the laborer to save his earnings and invest them in a per? manent residence, where his wife and children may have shelter and protection. Equally sagacious is thc provision which secures to the mumed woman her property held at the time of marriage, "or which she may afterwards acquire by gift, grant, inheritance, devise, or otherwise." In most of the States of the Union this law has long prevailed, and eloubtless it woulel have been incorporated among thc statutes of South Carolina, bael not its necessity been obviated by the more inconvenient and cumbrous method of con? veying such property for the benefit of married women in trust, whereby they were secured in their property free from the debts and control of tho husband. This feature of the new Constitution, however, is moro simple and comprehensive, anel while it may be objected that both it and tho homestead exemption will have the tendency to affect credit, there can be no question that if such be the result, it will operate beneficially upon society. Nothing, perhaps, has so much clogged the prosperity of persons engaged in agricultural pursuits in the South, for many years past, as thc unlimited credit resorted to by those who always anticipate the products of their farms and plan? tations a year in aelvance. If this evil be checked, it will redound greatly to the benefit of all classes. Some doubts have boon expressed as to the constitutionality of the provisions of thc homestead law, when applied to elebts already existing; but a careful examination of the decisions which have been made in other States settles the question beyond peradventure, that tho General Assembly has the authority to apply thc exemption to existing debts, even such as may now be in judgment and execu? tion, as well as to rature elebts. In the case of Morse vs. Gould, 1 Kernan New York Reports, page 281, Sept., 1851, Juelgo Denio, of the Appeal Court, said: "I regard the Act of 1812 (extending the existing exemption laws to a team and to certain householel effects) as a provision clearly within the competency of the Legislature, and one which they might law? fully apply to all future proceedings in courts, whether such pro? ceedings should relate to existing or future causes of action." In this case there was an execution against the defendant when the exemption law was passed, and it was held that the law was constitutional even as against the executions which had been issued previous to that timo in one of the courts of the State of New York. In the abstract made by the reporter of Juelgo Denio's opinion, it is held: First. The Act exempting certain property from levy and sale on execution, (statutes 1812, page 103,) applies to judgments and executions cm elebts contracted before as well as after its pass? age. Second. This Act merely modifies the remedy for enforcing contracts, and neither destroys it nor substantially impairs its efficiency. Therefore, it eloes not conflict with the provision of the Constitution of the United States forbidding any State to passai law "impairing the obligation of contracts" anel is valid. In the case of Bigelow vs. Pritchard, Judge Putnam, delivering the opinion of the Supreme Court of Massachusetts, saiel that the Legislature might lawfully diminish the creeiitor's remedy to enforce payment, by exempting a part of the property of the debtor from attachment, or mesne process, or levy, or execution. Judge Woodbury, in tho case ot the Planters' Bank vs. Sharp, 6 Howard, page 801-330, in delivering tho opinion of the Supreme Court of the United States, enumerated laws exempting tools or household goods from seizure, among the examples of legislation respecting the remedy which might be constitutionally applied to. exiating contracts. la the case of Rockwell vs. Htibbell, 2 Douglass, 197, Supreme Court of Michigan, it ie held "that property may bo exempted from execution for debts contracted: before thelaw of exemption was enacted." Similar' decisions vnll bo found in the Supreme Courts of other States of the Union. In 8 Parsons on Contracts, p. 552, after a review of many of tho cases decided in different States, %e Bays: "At tho samo time, how? ever, it is admitted that a State may moko partial exemptions of property, as of furniture, food, apparel, or,even a homestead." Again, on the same page, he says: '3t as to the observed that as to tho remedy, there can be no clifferenee between a debt existing before;^ and one contracted after the low is made," &c. .' ' The provision, therefore, of the new Constitution, securing* a homestead and certain articles of property for the benefit pf each family, is sanctioned by tho liighest judicial'.authority in >{ew YorE, Michigan, Massachusetts and other States, as well as by legs**writers of eminent ability; and there is no reasonable doubt that any law which may be passed by you, to carry into effect tho humane int?n tions of tlie homestead exemption, will bo sanctioned by th? Courts of this State and of the United States. But even were the question doubtful, under the theory of tho Reconstruction Acts, that tho late Confederate States are out of the Union, and beyond the operation of thc Constitution of the United States, tho adoption of thia provision prior to the admission of South Carolina, would still be strictly valid, on the ground taken by the Supremo Court of the United States-namely, that State laws passed prior to 1789, impairing the obligation of contracts, were valid, inasmuch as the Constitution had not, previous to that time, exercised any restraining influenco upon thc States. The indebtedness of very many of the best citizens of the State, thc destruction of property, and the general disasters that have ensued, render this Homestead Act and its accompanying exemp? tion, indispensable to the peace and happiness of thousands of families within tho limits of South Carolina; and no more generous or acceptable statute can be passed by the General Assembly, than that which will at once apply the benefits of this law to all existing, as well as future liabilities, whether they be in the nature of judg? ments, executions or otherwise. Further measures of relief from the pressure of indebtedness will be required; and inasmuch as the courts are to be re-organized, and new duties to be assigned to the Sheriffs, it would be wise to'allow the present crop to be gathered and marketed before claims are permitted to be enforced. I, therefore, recommend that all Sheriffs be prohibited from enforcing executions in their offices, upon debts contracted prior to the first day of May, 18G5 ; and that Judges bo likewise restrained, until the first day of March, 18G9, from giving judgments in aU such cases. I have thus presented all the information in my possession, with reference to the condition and prospects of thc State. The accom? panying documents will furnish you facts in detail, upon which you may predicate much of your action during tho present session of the Legislature. The many changes that have been made by tho new Constitution, in the organic law of the State, renders a very large amount of new legislation necessary to carry the samo into operation; and if thc work is well done, your deliberations are likely to be protracted to an extraordinary length. Tho responsibilities devolved upon. you are of an unusually grave nature. But few of those who have heretofore been engaged in legislating for thc -State, are embraced in your number; and there will necessarily be a want of faniiharity with the various duties which you may be called upon to perform. The lack ot* such experience may, to a certain extent, be com? pensated by a careful examination of tho questions submitted to your consideration ; but the solemn detennination on youf port to do justice to all the citizens of the State, to tho disfranchised as well as the enfranchised, to the white os well as to the colored race, will perhaps bo tho best compass by which to steer your course as legislators. Most reverently, I invoke the guidance of an Omniscient God in all of your deliberations, to the end that the material and moral, the physical and intellectual, the commercial and industrial interests of the State may bc made prosperous and successful; and that the ravages which war has so mtldessly scattered, may be speedily obliterated, and the State be permitted onco more to enter upon an honorable and progressive career. JAMES L. ORR. NOTICE TO SHIPPERS. GEN'L SCTEKISTF.N'S OFFICE, S. C. R. lt., December ll, 1867. ON and after thia dato tho TARIFF by tho Great Southern Freight Lino, FROM COLUMBIA, will be aa follows, viz: Cotton per bale, to New York.$4.00 " Philadelphia..4.00 " u Baltimore.3.25 This route ia guaranteed aa cheaper, quicker and more reliable than any com? peting, while tho differenco of insurance, not amonnting to 20c, ia over twice com? pensated by difference of rates. H. T. PEAKE, Dec ll General Superintendent. Reduction of Freight Rates by the Seaboard Inland Air Line Route. The life of all llesli is blood. The health of all life is pure flesh. Pur? blood keeps out all diseases. Tho Queen's De ight purifies the blood._ CHARLOTTE AND 8. C. R. R. CO., GEN'L FnEiouT ANO TICKET AOT'S OFFICE, COLUMBIA, 8. C., April 8, 1868. THE following FREIGHT TARIFF, via this route, will tako effect from and after this date: To Now York, first class, $1.00; second class. 90 cents; third class, 80 cents; fourth class, 70 cents. To Baltimore, first class, $1.00; second class, 90 cents; third class, 80 cents; fourth class, 70 ccntB. , mW Marine Insurance effected on Roods over this lino at very low rates, as its steamers avoid Cape Hatteras. E. R. DORSEY, April 9 Gen. Freight and Ticket Ag't. CONDENSED TIME TABLE .~ F CHARLOTTE AND SOUTH CAROLINA RAILROAD COMPANY, (J AND ITS CONNECTIONS, TO PRINCIPAL NORTHERN CITIES: Going North Read Bown. Coming South Read Up. VIA GREENSBORO AND DA.WILLE. ARRIVE. LEAVE. I TERMINALS. I ARRIVE. I LEAVE. j LOOP. M.Columbia.! COOA. M. 11.05 P. M. 11.35 ?' .Charlotte.'11.35 P. M. 11.85 P. M. 4.45 A. M. 5.30 A. M.Greensboro. 7.02 " 7.17 . .? 5.00 P. M. 8.50 P. M. .Richmond.1 4.45 A. M. 8.15 A. M. (5.15 A. M. 7.45 A. M.Washington.? 5.50 P. M. 7.80 P. M. 9.10 9.45 *' .Baltimore. 3.45 " 4.15 " 1.32 P. M.! 1.82 P. M.Philadelphia.'.... 12.00 M. 12.00 M. 5.08 " '.New York.I 8.86 A. M. VIA PORTSMOUTH AND BAY LINE. 9.31 A. M. 9.35 A. M.Raleigh.' 3.15 P. M.I 3.20 P. M. 3.05 P. M. 3.30 P. M.I.Weldon.10.35 A. M. 10.40 A. M. 7.30 " 7.30 " !.Portsmouth.| COO " 6.30 " 8.30 A. M. 9.45 A. M.].Baltimore.] 3.45 P. M. 4.80 P. M. 1.82 P. M. 1.32 P. M..Philadelphia.;12.00M. 12.00 M. 5.08 " I.New York.| 8.36 A. M. VIA PORTSMOUTH AND ANNA.MKSSIC LINE. 7.30 P. M. j 7.30 P. M.Portsmouth.j 6.00 A. M. 6.30 A. M. 2.30 A. M.! 2.45 A. M.Crisfield.10.45 P. M. 10.45 P. M. 8.03 " 8.10 " .Wilmington, Delaware.I 4.45 f? 5.05 " 9.25 M 9.30 ?? I.Philadelphia.I 3.35 14 3.35 " 1.08P.M. I.New York.| 11.56 A.M. OPTIONAL TICKETS to all points North, good over either routo named above, cnn be had on application at the Ticket Office, foot of Bland ing street. BAGGAGE CHECKED THROUGH. For tickets to Columbio and all points Sonth, via this route, apply os follows, viz: New York-Ticket office 193 Broadway. A. Stewart, Agent. Ticket office New Jersey Railroad-Foot of Courtland street, or at the principal hotels. Philadelphia-Ticket office Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Rail? road, and Continental Hotel. Baltimore-Tioket office Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, Camden Station, or on the boats of the "Old Bay Line." To avoid heat and dost, ania make sure and safe connections, ask for tickets over this route. C. BOUKNIGHT, General Superintendent. E. E. DORSET, General Freight and Ticket Agent. June 2