Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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MILLIKBRY - ! & BONNETS. HATS.'' ?AP?*. \ ruh?.r underwear, p? ' Sete. Oloako, Worsted Goods. Hair .Corsets, Zephyr "Worsted and other ar Holes too nwae rona to mention; also. Bazar _. Patterna. Lauiel Trill please call and aee for themaelves at Not 26 MRS O. K. BERD'R. (J IS ARS! OiliAKS! ?ISARS! The friends, patrons and public at large are respectfully notified that in oonBe quenoo of the largo demaud for my favorite brands of Cigai s, I have been compelled to opon another branch In the Columbia Hotel Rotunda. My Retail and Wholesale Departments are kept in foil forco, to nnot the demand. All friends from the coontry are invited to tnepeotour Factory, at No. US Main street, three doors below the Wheeler House, sign of.Indian Ohief. Nov 10_M. 8ULZBAOPER. GOVERNOR MOSES In changing the Commissioners of Elec? tion, deserves the united thanks or every lover of peace. THE PROPRIETOR OF THE INDIAN QUEEN 8EGAR STORE, iu introducing the FIVE CENT MANILLA, deserves the commendation of every lover of the weed, aa ON THE Day of election, the people flock to the polls, each to deposit their ballot for their favorite candidate, so do the many consu? mers flnok to this popular resort, to jbtaiu this FAVORITE BEGAB. Lot it be tinder utood that we are not on the WAR PATH Againat other dealers, we merely claim that the aegar offered by others is iar IN? FERIOR to that sold by the INDIAN QUEEN CIGAR STORE, Nov 1 105fr AssemblyJBtreet. CAROLINA Lumber Manufacturing* Go. JOHN 0. MALLONEE, President. Thor. Honnet, l, Hoc. and Trcas. WHOLESALE and retail dealera in all . kinds of Southern and Northern LUMBER, FLOORING, CEILING and other kinds of WORKED LUMBER made a specialty; Shingles, Plastering Laths, Vegetable Boxes, Ac, Ac. Ofilco and Works, Horlbeok'e Wbarf.near North-east? ern Railroad, Charleston. S. C, and '.>'> West Gervais street, Columbia. S. O. E. MORRI8, Agent at Columbia, S. C. N. B.?Special arrangements have been made with tho railroads for delivering lum? ber Novl91mo New Books, at Bryan's Bookstore. WOhKING to Win, a story for girls, $1.75. Mietreaa of the Manse, by Dr. Holland, author of Arthur Bonny castle, $1 50. A History of Germany, from the Earliest Times, by Oharlton Lewis, *2 50. Manual of Mythology, Greek, Roman, Norse, Hindoo, Kgyptian and Olu German, by Murray, (2.25. Prairie and Forest, the Game of North America, with adventures in their pursuit, by Gillmore. $1 50. Health and Education, by Kingsley,} 1.75. Hogarth's complete woika*, in three vo? lumes. The Wild North Land, by Major Butler, with plates, $2 50. History of Clubs and Club Life, London. Book oi Wonder? ful Characters, with portraits. The Slang Dictionary, historical and anecdotal. Homes and Haunts of the British Poets, London, and other new books. Nov 1 CARRIAGES AND WAGONS. I HAVE uow on hand a very haurlsome as? sortment of buggies. ROCKaWAYS, barouches. carriages. HARNESS. WHIPS, A <:., Ac, ?1 i-y own as well as of Xorth*i n manu f'acture, and of handsome style and finish. also, a full atock of the ???M>raW MILLBURN VVAGON8, which have given such universal satisfaction. My pricoa have been greatly ifdticed, and all vehicles sold are trarrattted for Urclce montht, and any defect in work? manship or material will he made good to the purchaser on sending th* cehiclt* to wy Varriaqe Manufactory. Nov 10 _.TOHN AGNEW. ^07 Main St., Next to Wheeler House. ESTABLISHED XN Lf45, AND STILL IN THE FIELD. A LARGE and well se? lected stock of lirnt clasa FDRNITURF, Parlor, Bed? room and Diuing Room Bete, which will be sold aa tow aa any house in the country lor cash. Nov lO _ _W._H. BERRY. WH?. GLAZE, JEWELERS . Has omhgud a large stock ot Gold and Silver Watches and Clocks, DIAMOND BING S AND PINS, .Wisse Jswslry In Whole an-* J!-!f Kilver and Plated Ware, f lousc-Fnnilshlng Goods, Fasrj Uoodl In Variety, Military Goods? Starte Complete. N. B. I have on hand a large stock of ENGLIBH GUNS, breech and muzzle load .og, and will aell at reduced priceg. Wishing to reduce my whole stock, I will sell, until January next, all goods at re? duced prices. WATCHES AND JEWELRY repaired in t he beat manner and warranted. Nov 8 2m o Watches, Clocks, Jewelry, SILVER AND PLATED WARE, SPECTACLES, E YE-GLAS8E 3, ETO. HAVE & large stock of the above on jl band, and will aell them at the loweat oaah prices. All gooda warranted aa rapre? sented. MtT Watebes, Clocks and Jewelry re? paired and work warranted, '?? GBO.BB?MS, OetaTi; _ Oommbla Hotel Block. Subscribe for the Pnonnx. BY J. A. SELBY. COLI A CAR D. The Iiaurel Street GROCERY ESTABLISHMENT TS now open to tho pnb'ic, offering tlie L Git BATEST INDUCEMl'N f S known to the trade. The proprietor ia so confi? dent of thesuperior merit sol hisRnodstlnit he asks no discrimination, in his favor as compared with anything in (his market ; so that you can at onco encourage Southern industry, and at the b. mo time directly servo your interest, by purchasing from this reliable house. Offering every reason? able facility to customers, I beg an humble abaro of public patronage Dec t JOHN E. OYLES, Agont. Governor Chamberlain's Innngaral. Fellow-Citizens of the Senate and House op Hepbesentatives: I havo ap? peared before you to-day, to as>umo tho office of Governor, and to Btato my views of tho action and policy on the part, of onr Stato Governmont which will best promote the pnbiio welfare. Our recent political, canvass presuntsone or two aspects which are significant of tho will of tho people. Tho two parties which sought supremacy wero equally emphatic in their demand for tho correction of existing abuses in the ad? ministration of onr government, and both presented to the public tho same platform of principles and policy for the future cin? duct of public affairs. Tho remarkable spectacle was thus presented, among a people hitherto considered most widely divided in their political sympathies and aims, of an absolute identity of sentiment upon all the questions which wero present? ed to tho public by either party. It ia trnn that a large minority of our citizens did not take part in either of tho political con? ventions winch presented the respective candidates lor Stato officers, yet in the election wherein tho total number of votes cast was moro than 12.000 greater than in any previous eleclion eince 1SC4, only two parties appeared, both of which professed to seek similar ouds by similsr means. The result is that wo who havo been elected to office, are united in tho general objects winch we senk and tho gener il mcthous by which those objects are to ho reached*. I Without intending to over-state tho extent. to which our recent party combinntious havn bound us in respect to our future ! action. I co igratulate all our people upon the substantial harmony of purpose which now prevails. I take strength and hope from that faot. It we are honest in our professions, I cannot find myself in au tagouiam to any member of the executive or legislative departments ot our govern? ment, except upon matters of detail in oar common pursuit cf the same ends. 1 feel bound to Bay that, until experience shall correct me, i shall roiy fur support, in the courso which I intend to pursue, upon those members of tho General Assembly who wero opposed to me in tho recent po lineal contest as confidently as upon those who who favored my election. Tho para? mount duty bofore us may be stated to be tho practice and enforcement of economy ; and honesty in tho administration of the government". Fortunately our evils are I chiefly evils of administration. Our State I Constitution commands the undivided ap i oroval of our people. The body of our i statute law is believed to be, in general, 1 just and wise. The present demand is lor a faithful application ami enforcement of tho existing .Constitution and laws; in a word, good administration. Wise states? manship aims at practical results, and concentrates its strength upon thoso mea? sures which aro of prime importance. I must ho pardonod if I omit to catalogue all the matters of public interest to which consideration must bo given by the Gene? ral Assembly,tnd confine my attention] to those topics which appear to he most press? ing. Onr earliest and most earnest attention should he directed to the subject of the col? lection, appropriation and dinbni dement of he pnblic funds. These matters are fund? amental. Our recent experience leaches us that a government, cannot be strong In popular esteem which adopts unjust modes of taxation, imposes unnecessary taxes, ex? pends the proceeds of taxation upon impro? per objects or in undue amounts, or permits loose and reckless methods in the disburse? ment of public funds. Our present tax system grows out of the provisions of the Constitution which are contained in Article I, Suction fit;, and Article IX. Section 1. Tho leading features of the system are an ad valorem valuation and a uniform and equal rate of assessment and taxation of all pro? perty, roal, personal and possessory, with certain specified exceptions. Under exist? ing laws the tax-payer is required to make a statement, under oath, annually, to the Connty Auditor, of all bin } roperty subject to taxation, and to value tho same "at its true value in money," or "usual soiling price." It is tho duty of tho County Audit? or to state opposite each tax-paver's name, in tho return mado by him, anv amount which ho holiovoa ought to be an." :d to the valuation to be made by the tux-payer, and to yive notice of such recommendations to tho tax-payer. The returns are then sub? mitted to a Connty Hoard ot Equalization, composed of the County Auditor, County Treasurer and "three intelligent tax-pay? ing citizens," to be appointed by the Cir? cuit Judge. This board are required to equalize the valuation made by the tax? payer by raising the valuation of such pro? perty as, in their judgment, has been re? turned below its true value, and by reduc? ing the valuation of euoh as, in their judg? ment, baa boon returned above its true value; but they are forbidden to reduce the aggregate valuo of the real and personal property of the County below the aggregate value aa returned by the County Auditor. Under the construction placed upon the law by the present Comptroller-General, in which I conour, the aggregate valuation of persoual property in any County it abao lutely fixed by the tax-payers themselves. The County Board of Equalization morely equalize tho valuations of any specific per? sonal property as compared with the ave? rage valuation of otber\peraonal property of tho County. A special Board of Equali? zation for the city of Charleston is pro? vided for with similar power? and duties. The returns thus equalized st and, aa to tho valuation of personal proparty, aa the basis for taxation; but the valaation of real property in the several Counties are submitted to a Stato Board of Equalization, composed of one member from eaoh Con? gressional District of the State, the Govern? or, Secretary of State and Comptroller General, whose duty it is to add to or de dnot from the aggregate valuation of the real property of eaoh County, or or each .et oar Jost Censures JMBIA, S. 0., WEDNESDAY town, city or village '.in any Connty, auch an amount as in thuir judgment wilt make the valnatiena represent the true value in monoy ot tho property. Tho returns thus equalised stand, us to valuations ot real pioporty. as tho basis for taxation. A special Board of Equalisation is pro? vided for, composed of ttio.Stato Treasurer. Secretary of Stato, Comptroller-General | and Attorney Qooorsl, to cqualiZi- th? valuoof the property of railroad companies, in a manner similar to that prescribed for tho other Hoards of Equalization. A right of apocal is also given from the County Hoard of Equalization to the Comptrollor Gcncral, who ia authorised to make abate menta in taxes in cases oT erroneous or illegal assessments. The leading purposes ot a tax system, which rests upon an rid valorem tiasis, idiould he, in the language of our Constitu? tion, to "secure a ju-t valuation for taxa? tion of all nroporty," aud to provide safe, convenient and inexpensive methods for the collection of faxes. The ad valorem system hcing lixed by tho Constitution, our atten? tion must be directed to the practical means ot carrying ont this system. Grave dia satislaction with our tax. laws has existed during the past six years. Tho most gene? ral and urgent complaint has beon that the valuations placed upon the property of tho State have been,to a large degree,capri? cious and excessive It has also been be? lieved that execrtaivn valuations have been made in order to conceal the real extent of tho burden of taxation. Without attempt? ing to discuss tho motives which prompted those who enforced the law, I express the upiuion ?Jat the valuations made previous to the presentyoar, have been,to a great eztont, unj ust and oppressive Whatever the causes, the result has been that pro? perty has borne a valuation almost wholly arbitrary when different localities or sepa rato pieces of similar property aro com? pared, and excessive in amount, when tested by any reasonable standard of value 1 seo no reason totogard this injustice as a legitimato result ot our present tax system On tho contrary, my moat careful examination convinces mo that the system will work out a just result if it can bo placed in tho hands of hlTuest aud compe? tent officers. Undoubtedly, the machinery for making valuations is somewhat compli? cated, if not intricate; hut the system will be sei u, I think, upon a fair examination, to he adapted, in all its features, to guard? ing the rights or the tax-payer,in respect to a-scssmeuts, whenever it is administer? ed by i hose who regard tho iutcrests of the tax payers. During the past year a ntw assessment of real property, the fourth since ISM, has bcou made It is not yet possible lor mo to judge of its correctness, bat I am assured by those who have been familiar with the work during its progress, Hist it aoproachou very nearly to the true value of tho property. I am further in? formed that tho aggregate valuation of all tho propertv of the Stale under this assess? ment will fall from $30,000,000 to *40 OOO.OtiO below the aggregate of the previous assess? ment. I bavo confidence that much has been douo in this assessment to relieve the Injustice of former assessments, hut I call yonr attention to tho subject as .nieof fundamental importance toiho whole peo? ple. The people demand, and they bavo a right to demand, that property shall bo valued for taxation at it* truerootioy value, us nearly :is the imperfection of the human judgment will permit. If tho present as? sessment docs not i oach thi-i standard, then it is our duty to adopt such measures us will remove tho remaining defects. I skull co-operate with the General Assembly in any measures calculated lo attain tho end contemplated by our Constitution and laws ?ajusl valuation lor taxation of all pro? perty according to its true monow value In this connection I mav remark, that so far as tho wo*, king of our tax system de ponds upon fuitbful officers appointed by the Governor, 1 intend to soo to it that no County shall have just cause of complaint. Tho appointment of County Auditors and Connty Treasurers now rests with the Go vernor, subject to tho confirmation of the Senate I commend to your careful unusi deration the question of making these of? ficers elective by tho people of the several Counties. There are aomo arguments which might ho urged in favor of either mode of selection. Tho only tost which shonld be applied in determining the ques? tion is, which modo will with most ccrtui ?In? secure good ofiieers and a faithful enforce? ment of the laws'-' My examination of the Act of the Gene? ral Assembly of March 17, 187?, commonly called tbo"Taxatiou and Assessment Act," leads mc to recommend that a full i Bvision of that Act bo made by some appropriate means by the General Assembly at this ses? sion, in conjunction with the Comptroller General, in order to remove inconsistencies aud snpply defects now apparent in the law I further recommend that the work of equalizing railroad property ho given to the State Hoard of Equalization, provided for by sectien G4 of the "Taxation and Assess? ment Act." I see no reason for placing this powor in tho hands of a board composed wholly of State ofiieers as at present; on the contrary, I see many reasons for giving to the property of onr railroad companios all the protection afforded to other property. Having secured a just valuation for tax?-1 tion ot the property of the State, our next ! duty will be to determine tho rate per cent j of fixation necessary to support the ko- ! vorament. Upon this point tho inflexible ; rule should he applied of limiting the amount of taxes to the actual requirements of good government. It should ospecially bo remembered that the people of this State I are not now ablo to contribute ouo dollar ot taxes beyond what the most rigid economy will warrant. Probably there will be very little dispute upon this general proposition. Tho work and difficulty will conviat i& ap? plying it. I deem it my duty, thereforo, to proceod to point ont the specific measures which will, in my judgment, tend to bring us nearer to a correct Tule of public ex? penditure. Tho General Assembly at the last regular seaaion of 1873 74 adopted the plan of making a speoiQc levy of taxes for oaoh object of public expenditure. I moat earnestly urge that thia plan be observed in the future. Its advantages aro manifest and obvious. If tho legislative branch is to have control of the public funds, no measure is so important to that end as the making of specific levies. Assuming that the plan of specific levies will be coutinued, I proceed to indicate certain radical changes in the expenditure of public funds, which are demanded by a duo regard for honesty and economy. Un? der ihis bead I do not hesitate to charac? terize tho whole system of contingent funds which has recently sprang up, as wrong in firiaeiple and mischievous and demoraliz? es in effsot.- Daring the past six year* there has been p-ppropriatod aud paid for contingent fanda the astounding sum of t37C.832.74. I venture * he opinion that the State would have received equal benefit from one-fifth of that auta, If sapendou with economy upon proper objects. In MORNING, DECEMBER 2, practice, a contingent fand is a eum of innnoy which a public officer in allowed to draw and expend withont tlio iianal ac? countability. Homo governments doom it ncccaaary to ent rust certain o dicers with a I lund commonly called the 'secret service" fund, which may bo expended for objects which might bo dofeated by publicity. 1 confess I am wholly unable to imagine any mich objects in south Oaroiiiib.. 1 think t lie pooplc of this State should be abb; to inure every dollar of tho public funds to the pre- j else object on which it is expended. This conuoi be done under onv present system I of contingent funds. 1 recommend, there-! j fore, t hat the practice of appropriating con. I ; lingenl funds to be drawn und expended by differentofficer* of the state without the 1 itsnal accountability for snob expenditures, bo wholly discontinued. Irocomiuend, in place of that system, that distinct appro ptiations be made for all public objects which can bo anticipated or enumerated, and then, that a sin:.si sum, not to exceed ten or twelve thousand dollars, it so much bo necessary, be appropriated fat- contin? gent expenses, to bo paid in specified amounts to the several ouicors who may require if, upon the warrant of tbo Comp troiler-Qenoral, drawn upon vouchers lo bo tiled with the Comptroller General by the officers obtaining tbo wan ant. The records of the cxpcnditnro of this fund will thus be plased with tbo Comptroller-Geiic ral, where thoy will remaiu accossiblu lo the people, and liable at any time to exam? ination and publication. Tbo reduction of public expenses by this system will not be inconsidcrablo, while tlionain to i flicial morality by thu removal ot opportunity for questionable uses of public funds will be great. Another subject demanding our most prompt and energetic action is the reduc? tion of the expenses of tbo General Assem? bly. I cannot buheve that any difference of opinion will exist upon this subject. The public wiihin and without the State have united iu pronouncing the oxpeuditun s I heretofore made for legislative expenses an I intolerable abuse. Since 1VGS bIx regular { and two special sessions of the General As-. nembly have bocn held. Tbo total cost of j tb iso sessions has been (2,147,430 07 The : average coBt of each regular seati'jti has | becu f320,40.j 10. Tbo lowest cost of any j regular session was that of the regular bcs- , eion of 1804 CO, amounting to fl?tl 001 7.*; j and the highest cost ivij that of the regu? lar session ot 1S71 72, aniouutin" to about I 1(117 2111.10. llesides those auio.mts now! specified, thcro are outstanding of bills j payable issued on account of legislative ex? penses during the same period, il'.l2,'275 15. , these figures render comment supetllnous. j Tho problem is to reduce these expenses to . an economical limit. The first and most obvious measure of ref orm is tho shorten? ing of thu length of the sessions. I lind j the average length of tbo regular sessions > since lSfls lias been 105 days. It is clear that no public requirements >vi!I warrant nesaioua oi Mich length iu the future. I am ! aware that this may he regarded as a mat- , ter so peculiarly within the discretion off the General Assembly us to make any re- , commendations of mine impertinent, but { my convictions of pnblij duty upon tb:s: point are too clear (o allow me for any! cause to withhold tho free expression of m> ' views. I cannot see at pies i.t any reason i:f a public uatuio which can require vi' session ol innre than thirty days. 1: tbiH General Assembly could set the example l.1 j a return to the former rule in tins State of I a final adjonrnmout before tlje Christina*' holidays, i am conlidoiit that they would receive the heartiest approval of all our' people. I know of no Services which coiild : be rendered by remaining in session a ' longer period, which would be held as valuable by our constituents a** the exatu-j pie. of a return to rigid economy in this' respect. i Uli? cause of long sessions, whie.h I feet] bound to specify, has been th'. oassoge ot ? an iuoi dinatc number of special Acts oi in-1 corporation. Whoever will exi.mim I he Acts of the General Assembly during the! last six years, will be convinced of tho waste of time arising from this cause. I'lio ' remedy is obvious, Let a general incorpo? ration /Vet bn passed, or let the present Aets be duly revised and perfected, and then lei all ordinalv applications tor cor? porate powere be mint- lindol the ptovi sions of such Actt. The second measure ot . rutrenchuieiit in legislative ? xpeiises which . 1 urge, is a rednct ion of the number of sub. ordinate officers and at lac bees of the lie tieral Assembly. Upon this point I am hap. ! py to speak iu commendation of an Act passed by the las' General Assembly. [Ur? thal Act the total number of subotibnat orticers and attachees in hotii i iiintshi h ?.( . the General Assembly is limited to ?fty seven. 1 trust your attention will be given to this subject; and that il, upon examina? tion, the unrulier therein providnd \<jt is found to be the lowest iiutnbt'i ooiisistont , with the proper translation <>} business, I tho law will remaiu undisturbed. The third j and most important means of reducing : legislative expenses will be found iu cutting - off the gross abuses which have heretofore : existed under the name of contingent oi in? cidental legislative t xpeuac? I am Unable j 'o obt mi a statemeut ot the pi eciaii ameiiui expeuded during the last six years under j Ibis head I find, linwcv'"!, tl.a! the ave? rage expenditure at each regular se??ion since iko6, for atinchees and contingent oi incidental expenses, baa been about i-.>.H. - 424 Cj of this amount I estimate that not less than ti'J.1,000 have been el pen.ted foi contingent legislative expenses at each ri~ gulai session. If these tiguren do no; tea h their own lesson, ttien aigament wtutd be idle Let il bu borne in uiiioi, altm, tliul the amounts now stated represent onl) the actual payineHts made. There remains, i still a vast amount of uupaid claims in the form of legislative pay certificates, esti mated at not less than .500,000. In seeking < a remedy for these startling grievances, 1 I am convinced that nothing is so essential' j as the establishment of a proper system of accountability in the pavment of legislative , expenses. Our present system is wholly anomalous, so far as I c?n learn from ex- , amining th? systems prevailing lu other I Btates, and is wholly at variance with the ] general theory of our own State in tin pay. , ment of other public expenses. The Comptroller-General is the proper? auditing oflicer of the State II t offieu !,s ! intended to be the permanent depository of the writlon evidences of the expenditure I of public funds. The separation of the I duty of auditing from Unit of paying de maude against the State is essential. The' luquireuient of proper evidences of the] character and validity of every demand made against the State and the proaerva tion of those evidenoee for public iuspec- . lion, la alto eaaential. Iu order to meet j these requirements. I recommend that all Jiaymeuta to be made on acoonnt of legis alive expenaea be made by the State Trea? surer, upon warrants drawn by the Comp? troller-General, for which the vouchers ?hall be filed with the Comptroller-General. In the payment of members, autr-ordinate Event." 1874 VOL. X?NO. 21G officers, attaches)*, Ac, tbc only voucher requisite would he a duly certified lint o all persons who held these positions Tin Comptroller-General havirg salisiic d him? self of th' corrcctncsscf the lists fiirni.-ht.d by theoflis- rs of the Ueneral Assembly and the authority of law tor their payment, von Id then draw his warrant* upon the Treasurer for t ho proper sums ol money In the paymerit of contingent expenses each branch ot '.he General Assembly would, by committee or otherwise, mult" such audit as might be deemed necessary of such, account**, aud order their payment 1'he vouchers thus accepted by the General \ssemhly would he sent to the ufilce of the Comptroller-General, and there remsi forever exposed to the scrutiny of the pub? lic, und payment would he made by tin ; reasi.rer only on tho warrant of the Comptroller-General. Let no out; imagiuo that I feel any ills trr.ui of this General Assembly or ot it? providing officers, but I know that nothing is so viial in auch matters as a correct system. Wise laws aro expressions of cor ject rules of civil conduct. The bes< guaranty against individual dishonesty in t.uancial transactions, is a system which bus no open doors to deception or fraud I'igid accr nlability and constant expos uro to puLiicity, I veuluro to pronounce tho foromost requisites of a good system l?r tho disbrusement of public funds. 1 respectfully and most earnestly urgo im mediate attention to this subject. No? thing can exceed it in importance. Con? sideration for tho pubt'u good demands such action as will finally close tho doors to a recurrence of the reckless expendi? tures which hare attended our recent legis? lative sessions. I recommend that your earliest atteu t ion be directed tu Ihn matter of the puolic pi tiding. The system which has prevailed lot' the past throo years is utterly incapa? ble of defenco or excuse. Tho looseness ol the system in theory is only equalled by its extravagance in practice. Under this sys? tem tho Clerk of tho Senate and the Clerk of tho House ol Representatives were ein powered to coutract for the public printing aud the drafts or orders for the payment ol printing expenses were made payable upon the certificates of thoso officers alone, "out of any moneys in the treasury hoi otherwtso appropriated " No limit was lixed to tho amount for which tho contracts should hu made. Under tho system of making a general levy of taxes, no specific funds in the treasury at any specified time wero considered as specifically appropri? ated. J'bo result was that under this rye lena it was in the power of the clerks of the two houses to draw on account of ptih'ie printing to an uulimited extent upon the public funds, without reference to the miT Ucieucy of those funds to meet the demand? of other appropriations. More recently, however, the General Assembly ha* made iletiii.tc appro pi iutiooK foi payment ol ptinting accounts.. A few statistics will show how such a f-vstem has resulted in practice. Tin-iv-hI of the permanent andciirreut pri'til itic ii em l^'tf to the present time wan *-.;..??,". The coat of advertising the statutes, ihai is, of printing them in the newspapers lor the same period, was f2lil l!IO '.',2; making a tot;i! cost of il',10-1 JiOlMJl. During the past three years the cost to the State of perma? nent and current printing was -7 Is!"j". And the eoat of printing the laws in news? papers for the same period was 5 174.i..n;.ti?i, making a* total cos: to the Statu ol i\<l* - C'2t??J Deducting from this last ainoun: stich items Of printing as may be called ex t raordiuary, including the re-publication ol certain volumes o! the ?tat tit es at Large, the printing of tlieKh Kluxtrud*, immigration icports,tax duplicates und Supreme Court decisions, uuiouuting to 1375,000, there re-1 nii ins as tho cost of print big for three years the sum of i'-YI ; O'J'.i Sri, lit* an average an? nual cost ot lisl 20'.i ll.'i 1 of. .t no com? ment on these statistics. The only appro? priate inquiry is. bow ?hall such results hi previ titea hereafter' I answer, by extermi nst iiig the pi es bin system, rot i and branch,. and substituting a .-a'e und economical sys? tem. iSuch a system <-an easily be point id nut. Let advertisement be made bynrdir of the General Assembly lor proposals loi doing the necessary public printing all kinds for the Stutt '? .? a lixed period speci fying the various kinds and amounts o| printing required, iviih Hie nptiou ol ordor mg more Worked any specified kind at lixcit rules and ri jirritg a suitable bond to ac compsuy each proposal, lor the faithful execution oi tin work according to the pto posals. Let these proposals be presented' to the Geuvral A-si mblj . auo the most ml vantageous one be accepted. In this way the State,may remove the present ahiin? and secure an hones', and economical n? snlt. In this connection, 1 call iutir aiti n t.oii to au Ai t passed by the last Oeuwral Assembly, entitled "An Act to regulate the | public printing." to be found at page 707 o! theAcltot iw7'I 7-t This Act, doubtless, would have tue onplirhed a good result but forth' mis.i| t iou id the last four lllns of the first section. It is evident that no' proposal can ever be made under this Act I since the amount ol work required io be. done can never be estimated. If the lints referred to were expungud from this Act. ii would serve ai an illustration of the s>. iem which 1 have recommended. i consider the cost of advertising oi reprinting the Acts of the General Assem? bly in the newspapers of the State a Ahoily unnecessary expenee, and I r. com? mend the total discontinuance Of t he prac? tice If any laws are enacted which it is important should to- published al once ho tiie information of the people, it will be the iutei est ot the newspapers to publish them] as a matter of public intormatiou. If this is not done, a number of extra copies can be ordered by the General Assembly from. the public printer at a trilling cost and bei sent to the Clerks ot Courts or other of-' fleers for distribution. Another reform which I uige upon the General Assembly, is the keeping ot the expenditure* of the Stale witlnu its re-, ceipls Very little regard seems to have been hitherto paid to this obvious require-! merit ot good administration. The existing deficiencies, ronuiug back to 1858, arc sim? ply tuormous. The deficiencies for the f:?cal vear ending October 31, 1874, were 1472 fill) 54. Ths deficiencies for the fiscal year ending October 31, 1873, were I?40 328 of which about 1410 000 have been paid dur? ing the last fiscal year, leaving about f 100, OOP still unpaid. The levy of taxes made the present year for payment of deficiencies for the lass fiscal year, will not be sufficient to pay more than one-half the amount ol such deficiencies. The evils of euch a prao tice are serious. Tho amount of money needed should first be ascertained, and then; a levy should be made adequate to raise that amount. During the past year a cUs< of State ohUgatio&a called "certificates ol indebtedness" were isaaed, to tbe amount of $281,990, and ths State Trsaaorer wa>l directed to make other isauea of the same Obligation? to tbe amount of about 1340, 000. [ Fiwtunetrty^t^t-ightof therntnl eseetnMy to*'. ilhnrize such issues ha* been contested In ftrftr stipreni ? 'court, and thenco carried, by writ of error,- to.the' (,?: - prenie court ortbe United States wfecrb the rn*c? arc now pending. Wlthisiit dlsofisaln* the con*M?tiiIr?n?' 'question Involved. I feel Callrd iijKMi to c*piisv>' the hopn'thst the i-sncral ssismhlv will nrTtJ under ??"?> circiiuibtancei", resort ngaln lo inch an expedient. A n time when the national government Is cirtbarraMrfd with Ihe great problem of restoring the national tut ? rency to a sound basis, let not this State further com jpllrate the evils of nn inconvertible parier medium I;/ the Intrnduollon of another piit?er medium, which wit I 'necessarily circulate as money at rate? (.'really bolow {its par value, but which has none of the qualities \ which belong to money, In Its proper sense. To say that the people have gladly accepted tho certificates 'of Indebtedness does not prove that It is either honor - aldu or honest In tho State to issue them. Another wide departure from correct Administra? tion has obtained for several years past?the Issulnc -of orders, certificates und warrants for-tho payment of :money from the Sn<to tiTftstiry when no funds are on hand for their payment, I niri not prepared to hi, that this practice car. be Immediately forbidden by law without too serious embarrassments to public In terests, but I recommend the matter to the attention of the general ussembly. The evils of such a prnctP." are great It hna already lieen forbidden in ? the ae . in'nintratlon of county nflalra und an i Hort should U made tu return to n correct practice In this respect The t-ffoct of such a practice upon the credit or tb ?bitc is not essentially rilScrrnt from ii.e- caw cf ... individual who should issue cheeks upon n bank whet* the bank held no funds applicable to their pa; - incut. An opinion prevails widely with tho public that ll number of pn'dlc. otllci rs and the amount of snlat ? now allowed by law arc srrently in excess of the pill lie requirements. I ani not now prepared toexprc an opinion upon n subject which requires so mm .. rare and Investigation In order to reach a correct re. still. If any reductions of expenses can be made I:; abolishing ?tllces or reducing salaries, 1 shall give in? most hearty support to nny plan which will accom? plish that end, and 1 recommend that immediate at ? tention be directed to tho matter. In this connec? tion I call attention to the necessity of requiring county treasurers, and pcthnps county nuditors, t?> give bond directly to the county. At present tie bond* of these officers run to the State alone. It i i|Ue-tinned by somo whether a suit can bo maintained by the county upon such a bond; but howoTcr that may be, in enso of default whoro the bond is adequate to cover the whole loss, there is nt present no law f?.~ determining In what way the unsecured remainder tf loss ahull be npportioi d between county and State. It is plain that the county aho'd ? l-u amply protects.! by adequate bonds fur the ct.. .--. . and disbursemcnt of county funds. No subject will dc?orvo grnver attention or wise. .1' lion than the publte debt of the State. At tho las session of tho general assembly an act was passed en? titled "An act to reduce the volume of the public debt, and lo provide fur the payment of the same.' Ity that act tho statu treasurer was authorized to issue in exchange for certain so?rifled bonds am' storks of tin-State then outstanding, together will: tho coupons and interest orders which should becorr.'. due on or before thu 1st of January, 18T4, new bond - or stocks equal In am innt to fifty per centum of th face value ot tho bonds and stocks and coupons or In - tcrest orders presented for exchange. Tbo bond? and stocks nnd coupons and interest orders tbi: specified as exchangeable amounted to (11.430,033 *1. 'I ho remainder of tin- apparent funded debt of th Slate, consisting of what are known as "ccnverslo: bnnrts." und amounting to $."?,905,000, was declared t< have been "put on the inorket wttbont any authority nf law," and to bo "a' solutoly nnil and void." Th ? new bonds nnd ?locke authorized by this net were required to ''hear upon their face tho declaration to*' the payment of thu interest and tbo redemption o' the principle Is secured by tho levy of an annual la? uf two mlbs on the dollar upon "the entire taxable property or tho State, which declaration ahull be con .-liier? d a contract entered Into between the Mate an-i ? ?very holder of said bonds and slocks." It was t fur the,' provlilrd that these new bonds and stocks ahoiil bear six per cent. Interest, payable semi-aunuaHy.r.* the State treasury and In Now York, the first cot., pon to fall duo duly 1. l-i"4. nnd all con pens or into: est orders upon said bonds or stocks Wer? made re? ceivable "in payment of nil taxes due the State duriuu the year In which they mature, except for tax levie ' for the public schools. Tho faith, credit and funds or the State were :?<?.. emnly pledged for "the punctual payment of-the in ? lete-i ami final redemption of thu principal of ash! bonds nnd stock, and fur providing a surplus lu'ul lei that purpose." Provision was nUo'made for a fund, to be kept separate nnd apart from Ml rithel turds, and to l ? applied, itrst, to thu annually accruing in toreM rp-.ti ihe new bonds nc.il stock.-: si-Co: d. In t.; i-vlinguishiiiciit of the print !p:d of the public debt t.> the annual pun base ot bonds and sti v\tt ?'. the lidey? marlint prhv. The net further i-witiditul provisii-ns foi npubl ? registry ofallthv lew b :,m! sti-cbs. :.: ?! provided heavy penalties for any dcrellotii a ? ! duty on ihe part ol any olllcer In the exevution id *ii ? law. The leading features of this scheine au- lue r?. duct Ion of that part of the public debt Vilich v. s ? considered valid to on?-hhlf it- par value, and the re? jection nf that part which was considered Invalid The ?et was passi d after lone dullheratlon, and w::s a1 tho time of its passage, and tins since been, the object of public attention nnd discus-Ion throughout t! ? Mate. In tho recent political canvass of this Stab both parlies especially pledged thcinsi Ivea to main tain tills "settlement of the public debt."1 So lar a- I have learned tin sentiment of the j eople of ll ? Slate, they are wholly united in supjieit of if. - nie?.ore, ' It must, therefore, 1"" regatdod, so t.?i legislative and popular influence and action can 50, as a final -< ttleiuelil. A')! ? ciouin] u] on which this measure rests 1? !?> red not i 1 ri of the volume ot Ike debt i- Un- inability of the State lo pay the debt i:i full. A- Id the part o the debt which i- wliiillrreterted.il Is held that it was issued without nii'hoilty of law. and hence thi; il is not a legal oh!l"-ilinn of the State. I Miring 'the live mouth-since this net was pin hi operation l> the State oil"cers over 4*if,t*i O.lKHl of tin l- iols and stocks have been exchanged. W hen lit.-entiiv wiT standing valid debt shall Imvc t.11 1 vchaugcl. thi? prim ip.il o| our public debt amount tu $ \t\>i, tlf.'.C Die ?.i.nual interest no 1 this amount * ill bt ' 11" i"! 1 ?;. The lax anniiullt levied to pn> the i - lerc?l 01, ttii- dob! "ill stall limes ls> held 11 it-adb in?s to pay alt intelesl whleli accrin 1 ?>.' I lit* tu ?-? Ullil'.s 011 and Slier .llll} I. Ill I. wl.i t e\e the e.-. ehatc.-e -:. ili I e etb .-led. ' Art'i e ! I of the state (ons'ltutiuti. tiiliile.l .tanna: .1 1-T". bsbid- mn incicase ol lac piihlle debt ot la Mate I v the loan of the credlt oi the Miiti by gU:l. . in ty, ei dorm tin nt or htberwlsi*, until the question of such il-f.fi ??.? shall have been snl nolted lo the i^n.it ? li.d voli r> ot the Male at a general Stall 1 '.? el Ion; a: d unless tuo thirds of the voters voting mi ihlsque-s lion shall be In Iii vor of siieli Inerease. Ii 1- bcl.cw.! thai this provIslun will be all clfeetlinl guard ;<ai:-,< nil) but her llicreaseol the public debt. The siipietiie cwnrl nf the Stale has decided t is; . pioiislon, nn h as is laintalncd in Ihe present an. I ?. ti.e h ?y of at nnnunl lax, is a e ?nlrnet bei?ecu the Stale and Us creditor, and Is riipahtc ef i-ntoreeun-u: by proce-s nf law directed ngntlist I'm pr?-| t r oHita?! ot th-Stan; and. I'tirlheriuoie. Ihul such a provision operates ef ItSI-lf not old) as 11 IcVl ol ihe lav, but *? an appropiiation of the proceeds of the levy to Itt purpusea designated in the act. I'luli r this decision, lite provision fur an annual t.i\ remains a |?.rtnaiMU?t levy and appropriation, and tin I'nriher legislation i> ncccMary, in nt year lo year, to ais'ompli-h Ihe pi. post's ot the act in this respect. These Iiiiivisions id law. logelher with lite provi ion uhien inaki-s all coupons nf interest orders ii|^\t; Ihe new bonds mreivable for ts\es during Ihe lear i.-^ wliieli lliey iiiiiiure. id veto the new lionds id flhc legal safeguard* winch it is possible lo place around Ihem. 1 cannot believe thai tun parly, nor even any loan. will helvaller dare to intei pioe an |.b;eetioll to the prompt discharge of these new obligations ol (htf State. Confab lire in '.at ?e matters 1- a plant of slow crowt. . Once Iratiiplcd oil and crushed, il revives with no-it - iiw sh'Wnerts. and ihuiri-hif. only iimh r long snu lef> dercare. ir tbe e.vpvrienee ot any Stale should hav*. Impressed tills lesson, surely Ills the e\|H-rlenee of So. Iii Carolina. It now la-comes our paramount dutj 10 latus-10 restore our ruined State lu-e.-lll by thu on.; mean.- apparcM;y left 11.-?? prompt, unhesitating anil eoliselentious dl'sclinrgc of every obligation incurre.1 under the law which authorizes the consolidation <*( the public debt. In this way we may hope, little b> little, to win back some pait or that public credit, th.' loss of wbirb is among the anddett calamities which has befallen our State. I consider It my duty to call attention to the rcia lions ef the Stata to the bills of Ihe Ilank of the State. Ity the charter of the bank these blls were naado re? ceivable for taxes and other dues to the State. Thi* insolvency of the hank has rendered the liability of the Mate the chief element of value in these bltbv The State, by her proper ollleors, having reposed to re? ceive Ihe hills in payment of taxes, proceedings wer-. had in our courts to compel the reception of the blU< Issued prior to I>ecoiuber 20, i860, which were ter? minated in isCs by funding such bills in bonds of t.i State. There then remained outstanding the bills issued by the bank after December SO, 1W0. The State refusing lo receive these bills, legal proceedings wore again begun and continued In ihe courts of the Stale, and finally in the supremo court of tho Unit?! States. In these cases it was decided in October, IGrTK. that the Mils in question were valid obligations whic h the State was bound to receive for taxee under the contract embraced In the charter of the bank. Owing to the embarrassed condition of the State at the time when these decisions were finally renden-d, the State has continued to refuse all bills not specifically in? volved lo the suits referred to. A largo number of tax-payers have, however, tendered the Milt In pay? ment of tsxes, and upon the refusal r.f the Us oujcers to receive them, have again resorted to the com*.*'for the enforcement of their claims. A large number of ?ulu are now pending. The collection of taxes In other funds from thoM who have tendered these btK has been enjoined both by the Bute courts and th?