Abbeville press. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, July 17, 1868, Image 1
BY W. A. LEE AND HUGH WILSON ABBEVILLE, S. C., FRIDAY. JULY 17, 18(58. VOLUME XVI?NO. 13.
Mill. MIT'S IBAlili.
TEDS POLICY OF HIS ADMINISTRATION
MARKED OUT.
AN IMPORTANT DOCUMENT.
Gentlemen of the Senate and House of
Jiejirescntativcs:
For the first timo in tho history of
Boutb Carolina, hor General Assembly
bas oonvened nndor a Constitution
thnt recognizes tho rights of man
The monopoly of class, by which the 1
lew governor too many, liaa gono 1
down beforo tbo eovoreignty of tbo 1
people, and her institutions have beon I
founded on the broad basis, that "all <
govornmonts dorivo tbeir just powers 1
from tbe consent of tbo governod." {
Our Constitution, recently ratified bj- (
a vast majority of tbo votora of South 1
Carolina, guarantees to tbe citizon (
every privilego consistent with tbo 1
safety of tbe Stato, and invests tbo '
8iato with every prerogative not in- 1
consistent with tbe rights at tbo cili- '
?on. Sound policy and correct prin- *
ciplo thus unite in our political ays- 1
tern, aDcl it will be your duty, as it c
will doubtless ho j'our chief aim, so to 1
legislate that tbo public laws, and 8
administration of tbo. Slate, shall not ^
discredit the Constitution uudor I
which you have assembled. L
The object of all legislation should 1
bo the greatest good to the greatest 1
number; equal and exact justico to all r
id, therefore required at }-our hands; c
and I have no doubt that each and J"
every class and locality in the State J
will receive their duo share of public 11
favor from your honorable body. a
c
FINANCE AND STATE DEBT.
C
The financial condition of the State |,
will doubtless engnge your early and
mostserious attention, and the neeessary
way* aud means be providod, both for I
tbesupport of its government and to c
Kuoet Uxo lawful demands of its cred- v
itor?# fureigA and do^aeslio.'
Character is credit, an^l .credit in n
the very sinews of the Siajbe in peaco
and war. The obligation of the s
?5tate, therefore, to meet all of it lia?
bditiea u founded aliko upon correct L
moral principle and sound public pol- ^
icy. Thin obligution should be tho t
more senaibly lolt from the fact that a L
fSiato cannot, like an individual, bo- ^
tfiAm A ( Ita onluAAf r*r ArtAMrttwA -?
VX/U4V wuu OUUJUUU UJ WUll/lVO ?
to compol it to meet its just'indobtedjiuas;
but the creditor mugt rely sololy
upon its honor. ' Tho Con von Lion g
appointed a Board of Corarnissionerb t
to investigate tho debt and available t
e?jota of the State,, with instructions ^
to roport the results of their investi- v
gation to tho Goneral Assembly, at j(
itH first sossion, and as 1 am without ^
Any positive data upon this subject, 1 Q
must refer you to thoir report, which
will doubtless soon bo luid before your ^
hor.oruble -body. I will muko this j.
flatter of the debt of tho State tbo H
subject of a spccial message to tbo L
General Assembly, as it is one thai
yitally concerns the reputation of our a
people and tho future credit of tbe _
u
Btu to. t
The information that I now have v
places the valid debt of the State, ex- d
,elusive ot tho war debt, al about five j.
millions, five hundred thousand dollars r
($5,500,000). This debt is very small ^
(compared with thut of other StatoB j
^nd tbe resources of the State, and ii
proper measures are taken to prompt- (
ly liquidate the interest due upon it, t
the credit oi South Carolina will stand T
as high as that of any State in the ,
Union. (
I would recommend the funding of k
(he unpaid interest now due ujlOn the ^
State debt, and al^o thut acoruing np (
to a period when the State will, with- ?
out doubt, be able to moot her liabili- (
ties; and would suggest the 1st of j
Jlllv. 18f)0. as thfl dulft tn mhiftti ?!
bhotjld bp funded.. I would also rec-1 ,
ommend thai all bonds of the Slate <
should be made payable in New York |
as tbe financial centre of the cottntry;
and that all stocks shall be convertiblp
into bonds, at tbe pleasaro of tbe
holders. " *, .>
STATE BANK. A I
recommend an early and thorough
investigation into tbe affairs of ihgt
State Bank, with a.view to ascertain
the liabilities it may - have cnjajlcd
ppon the State, pursuant to the terms
of its c&artW; Its debts and assets*'
should be inqalred into, and it tboqld
be put into liquidation as soon 09 possible,
in order that the just clturns
V A mm k V ?1* XV 4 f ? * ?** I ? J
B&atiijdv !? uinjr OT JHW1UJIWJT MVUOU.
BONDS OF SXAT8 pWICttaA -AWD DZPOB
.. ^ . ITOay TOR BTA.TS rbglXf. .
' III order to gourd tfas St4t? sgaloBt
lose by defalcations or . otUflfwus, 1
earnestly recommend that all offifp#
who ure charged with^e custody 01
public funds shall bo required to g!*e
?mpl? bonds #nd fecunty/or the sate,
keeping or faithful ditfoareogtout of
* *i
. - V
I K?-? ' *
tbo same. I also rccommond tbat a
responsible batik shall be designated
as a depository for tbo funds of the
Slate; and tbat authority should bo
voBled in tho Govornor and two private
citizens, to bo eelocted by tbo
Goneral Assembly, or otborwiso, to
demand from tho Stalo Treasurer at
any timo an exhibit of bis books, and
all public monoys for which ho may bo
accountablo; this inspection to bo
raado at least onco in each quarter.
TAXATION AND ASSESSMENTS.
Thoro is 110 problem tbat can on
gage tho attention of the legislator
more difficult than tho framing of an
equitable systom of taxation. Even
in the most prosperous communities,
Lho laws that exaot from tho citizon a
portion of his means to support tho
government that protects bis lifo and
iroporty, are viewed wilh extromo
?onsitivoness. Espocially is this tho
juso in a society likoours, whero valio3
of overy kind havo boon suddenly
jhanged by tho convulsions of war,
ind where tho exclusive govornmont
jf class haB boon expanded into tho
true Republicanism of universal suf
rngo. nenco, ttioso who opposa tho
Voo Constitution of our Stato allege
hat it enables tho non-proporty hold:r
to logislato for and tax tho propory
holder. This argument, howevor
pecious it may seem, destroys itself
>y proving too much; for as in all rornblics
tho majority must rule, and as
ho "majority aro always non-proporty
loldcrs, or as individuals pay least of
ho taxes, it follows, undor the arguneut
alleged, that tho very basis of
rur n-puuucan Rysiem should be cx
>unged. "Whilo the capitalist may
ustly doclaro that ho should not bo
aado tho subject of uarensonablo exctions,
as a|;?n his capital depend tho
rcation of great public and private
nterprises, and tho employment of
ibor in every pursuit in life; yet tho
roHug^R^^^-tho agriculturist and
with no less justice,
elr labor and t-kill
apitan^lKTiiplicd through all the
aried forms of production and trade,
nd that they aro the bone and sinew
f the State in peace and war, and
hould thoro'oro receivo their duo
bare in its administration.
JRi-cognizing tho justico of both of
hese claims, it is your dolicat.o and
tnportarit duty so to a'ljust our syaem
of taxation that tho enterprise of
I - 1* - -
u<j eupuaiiai, huuii not Do depressed
y imposing upon him undue burdens,
rbilc at tho eame lime evo?y class of
cal and personal property shall bo
cquired to aid in the support of the
late, and in sustaining the instituions
that its condition demands. In
his you will be g-uidod by Section 36,
Lrlicle 1, of our State Constitution,
rbich declares that "all properly subset
to taxation shall be taxed in proortion
to itfe value. Each individual
f society has a right to bo protected
i tho enjoyment of lifo, liberty and
ironrrtv. llff?Orflirifr In olimdinr. !?.?"
-i j > to * 6 |
lo should, thorof.jre, contribute his
haro to the expense of bis protecion."
It is proper for me here to call your
ttention to the fuot that under a reent
decision of the Supremo Court of
bo United States, national bank?,
rithin the limits of the State, are
ubjcct to State taxationj while the
>roperty of railroad companies, mu>
lioipalities and all other corporations
?:il ?./v ~.--l 1 : ?
Tin uu vuiumtivu iu juur gunerui ittX
till.
I invite your attention to Articlo 9
>f tbo Constitution, wbich provides
hat "Tbo General Assembly shall pro.
ride by law ior a uniform and equal
ate of assessment and taxation/' and
lefinos tbo powers of tbo corporate
vuthorities of counties, cities, towns,
kc., aud authorizes tbem to assess and
collect taxes for oorporato purposes.
Fbe assessed value of the real estate
>f South Carolina, in 18G0, was ono
tiuhdrod and twemy-nine millions |
seven hundred and sovpnty-two thousand
Bix hundred and eighty-four
5129,772,084) dollars. This value
bas, of course, been materially lessonad
by tbo violent convulsions to trade
and the industrial interest of thdpoople
during tbe past seven yoaraj yet it
Serves to tliat. ailh At)?"? ol
lowanco for the known reduction in
the market value in our real ostate,
ihat. even upon a minimum assess*
ment of values, it will form an important
basis of taxation and oi tbe finan
oial resouroes of tbo State.
9QVKTBT TRBA8DRER8 AMD AUD1T0B8. '
H this connection I would recommend
that Ike" General Awembly will provide
bylaw for the creation of the office* of
County Treasurer and County Auditor, to
be appointed in such manner as your honorable
body [shall direct. These officer*
should be placed udder ample bonds for
Ute.sV^a keeping, aod" lailhfol return.of all
moneys oi the 81ate-and County that may
art any tim* Code ftato their possession.
me uouniy Aoouow -wiH 1m Ua*.?lerkt ?f
the several Boards of Ooonty CooHnUr*
ioueir, and nil] make up nod audit the
t
*
* ff
accounts between the county and the taxpayers
and the State, and exuuaine and
countersign the necessary drafts upon
tbe County Treasurers.
DIVISION OF TUB COUNTIES.
I respectfully rtcoimnend that you will
provide at your present session for the division
of the larger counties uf the State.
According to the United States ceusus of
18(50, South Carolina ha? an area of twentyfour
thousand five hundrofl Oi nftm
x- - |V ~
square miles, with a population of seven
hundred and three thousand seven hundred
and eight (70'J,70g), or near fifteen
(15) persons to the square mile. A9 the 1
Stato is divided into thirty one (431) counties,
tlieao figures show that fhe average
ar.-a of our counties is about eight hundred
(800)square miles, while several of '
them actually embrace an area of more '
than eighteen hundred (1800) pquare mi- J
le?. Iu the present condition of our public
roada, with many of the streams unbridged,
and with the few facilities for
travelling possessed by llie roost of our
people, the great distance of the county I
seat and records, from those living upon <
llie border of otic of those large counties, 1
entails iho most sciious inconvenience '
upon them. '
In view of the necessity of a new geo- <graphical
subdi vision of the State, article
2. section 3, of the Constitution, provides
"that the General Assembly shall have the I
power nt any time to organize new couu- \
tics br chan2ing the boundaries of any of e
the old ones : but no new couuty shall be t
hereafter formed of les? extent than six
hundred and twenty five square miles; nor
shall any existing counties be reduced J
to a less exlent than six hundred and g
twenty-square miles. Each county shall v
constitute one election district." I sug- t
gosttliat six hundred and twenty-five (025) t
square miles, or twenty (20) townships \
be made the maximum area of any new a
county that may be hereafter formed.
runuc KOADS AND BRIDGES.
In view of the very bad condition of 1
our puuuc roads and biidges, I recommend i
that the Genera! Assembly will provide z
by law fur the subdivision of each county <1
into road districts, and for the appoint- t
uient of competent persons as supervisors a
of such districts, under the direction of I
the county commissioners. These super- u
visors of roads should receive a reasonable
per diem when actually employed, and the d
couuty commissioner* should b>? empow- si
ereti to require that each able-bodied citi- e
v?n ?*<*** * !*? - ~* * ' "l * v
, winuvu, uio ii^vsui iweniy-one U
and fifty five (55) shall give hia Jabor a h
reasonable number of days in the year, to b
bo fixed by law, for working the publie }
roads, or shall pay in lieu thervof a certain 11
sum. I
It aliould also bo provided, that the t
County Commissioners may be held re? t
sponsible in damages for any injury to L
persons or property that may accrue to v
any Citizen because of their failure to ke>-p o
the roads and bridges iu good and safe t
repair.
JUDIOUR?.
Article 4, of our constitution, provide* r
for the reorganization of the Judicial department
of the Stale, and definea the t
jurisdiction of the several courts, to be n
organized in pereuance of the same. This ?
immortal subject, so vital to the proteC- v
lion of the person and property of the t
citizen, demands, and will doubtless, re 0
ccivo your early and most serious atten- (1
lion. I recommend that the jurisdiction ol ;
J unices of the Peace be extendeJ, bo thai t
they may render judgment in petty cnees, ?
involving the liberty of the accused, sub? t
ject of course to an appeal. The State H
will thereby bo saved ihe cost of suppor. j
ting many prisoners in the jails, charged (
with small offence*, but uunb'e to give j
bonds for their appearance at the gener- t
al term of the court, while the commit- j
ting Justice has no authority to pass sen- g
tence upon them. I would also recom
mend that Justices of the Peace should j
be vested with the power to discharge (
iroin uie arrest 111 any case where there is j
not probable cause or reasonable grounds ^
Tor believed the aeeused guilty. This ?
would not debar the Grand Jury from iu- {
vealigatiog the case of person so dis- (
charged, and finding a bill of indictment
againvt him, should the facta warrant it; (
while it would prevent much hardship to .
innoceeut persons, and expense to the (
State, by the law's delay.
In this connection, I would urge that
tbe fees of justice* of the peace cleiks,
of courts, sheriff*, constables, and other
officer* who raav be entitled ia nna'm
fees, should bs strictly regulittd by *tatute.
.,
REVISION or CODE AND CIIAXOB 07
FLKADIKGS. 1
I invite your earnest attention to..Seotioo
3, Article 6. of the Constitution
providing that 'the General Assembly, at
its first session after the adoption o? this
Constitution, shall make provision to re-1
vise, 4digeet\and jan stage lander -proper
heads the body tf our lawn, eivil Afcd
' erignin?] and forts a -penal coder (bonded
DltMl nMMlnU* nf MtiWMliM* TUim
Mtlion aiao provide that tb**.G?B?r?l "AtMmWy
>** tbet- p?rp?M sbftfi *f$6i?C
-MOM ?uixaU? p#rfron of p?r*OD% wfcoMTdu*
ty it afcftlt bete re***, rftapJW ?k2
bridge the rulw, praotk*, p4**iU*g? ifcd*
>
%
forms of the courts now ia use in lliU
State. A well digestic code of Publid
Laws, with n full and clear index, will be
of great value to all classes of our people,
professional or otherwise. Such a
code South Carolinn has never possessed.
The committee appoiuted for this purpose
should bo composed of men of the highest
legal ability, mid should be empowered
to omit from the code such statutes
us aro no longor in accord with our Con siitution,
or that conflict with the changes
in our politic.il and civil systems. E?pacially
should tho plea of "Benefit or Clergy,"
which has so long disgraced the Judicial
system of the State, be no longer
recognized by our courts. I timt tlut'th*
General Assembly will make an appropriation
sufficiently liberal, to givo a fair
compensation to the members of that Com
miasiun for their necessarily arduous la?
(inr?
STATUTE OF FRAUDS.
Section 20, Articlc 1, of the Constltu*
iou, having provided that "no person shall
)e imprisoned for debt except in
rases of fraud,'' shall at an early day, enict
a Statute of Frauds, and also a new
statute of Limitations, defining the rights
emedies und liabilities of oreditorj and
lobtors.
ELECTIONS. |
I 'invite your attention to Section 3,
Article 8, of the Constitution, which pro- (
rides that it shall be the duty of tho Geniral
Assembly to provide from time to
ime for the ?'?"
..b v?? <>ia cicuiora." j
II ia important to the safety of tbe
State that Lhe rights of ila electors aud the
" i
>urity of the ballot box should be rigidly
guarded. I therefore recommend that
'ou will pass stringent laws prescribing
he duties of registrars and judges of eleo- (
ions, with appropriate penalties ; and pro- ,
riding also lor the punishment of bribery
ind corruption at public elections.
IIEJIOVAL OF POLITICAL DISA IJILITIE8 (
I would earnestly recommend that your i
1.1 _ t
uiiurnuit) uony will at any early period,
nemorializo Congress to relieve every citi- j
;ea of S juih Carolina from all political (
Usabilities. I make this recommendation i
be more readily from tho fact that there j
ro believed to be uone of that class in
bis Slate who have committed infamous ,
ffeiices agaiust the laws of war, <
The statute of disfranchisement was <
oubtless wise and proper at the earliest t
tage of reconstruction, aqd justly mark- j
d the natiyn'd abhorrence of those who, ,
aving beon trusted loaders of the people |
ad led them into rebellion against the <
enign govern meat nf their country, <
ret the continuance of such disfranchise- j
lent would be an anomaly under our (
Republican system, baaed upon the doo- t
rine of universal fsufTorage. Let us hope j
hat such an act of magnanimity will not <
<e mUtakeu by f.he class disfranchised, "
- ?? *
rune luey aeuy it will tend to make them Injects
of sympathy, and will be as it were 4
o keep a knife sticking ia ao open wound, f
Ep PC ATI OX.
Civil liberty and tbe education *f the
nasfies are inseparable.
The safety ol a free State rests upon
he virtue and intelligence of the - people,
ud it cannot preset ve the one without
ultivating tbe other. AH republics of
finch history make* mention. Iiowa n?rn/l
Iieir decline and full 'to the corruption '
f 0*e people; who having become un- '
uindfiil of their righta nod duties through 1
gnorance, became the prey of demagogue* 1
lirough choice. In a" country such as *
iurs, where the humblest cithcen, if wor- <
hy and well qualified) may'aspire to the
tation of the highest, and where the hard J
landed child of poverty aud toiLmay be- I
*>mo the chief magistrate of the repub- 1
ic, .the diffusion of intelligence among 1
he masses is not only a measure of puplio
usiicp, but vitally concerns the public 1
lafely.
The . Government Of the United States 1
ias been so miudful of the importanoe of 1
M>DuIar fttlnfimtinn ? -1?J
y ? un? KIIOAUV
jiven 70,000,000. of acre* of pobiio lands,
worth at least ninety millions (9Q,OOOtOOO) 1
>f dollars, for^he establishment of schools 1
ind colleges in the State* atid territories of
.lie Union. I would, therefor?, earnestly ''
ecommend that IM provfcion of our con-"
ilitution upon this subject be. carried out
in its-fullest extent, and that as thorough a
jysteni of free sobooTs shall be established
as is1 consistent with the present taxable
resources of the State.
I-deem U proper to add, that satisfactory
assurances are given that Congress frill,
within a brief period, make a liberal graqt
of public landi to tbie State, for the erafrtion
of a permanent cowoan school fun&
tfiss in a great measure r?lie?lng our peopfe
from the burden of Uxatioh for that
tpecwv bjeot I raipeclfallj qgg^ti tbtC
yon Wltl memorialize the Cod grow of >ii a
United Slats# upon thia ?ubject? and solicit
tba grant refer rad ' to at 0i? *ar)ie*t
t*i M*u*mix7v*
apart and designated as a school for colored
children, and the oilier for white
CbilJren, the*school fund to be be distributed
equally to each class, in proportion to
ibe number of children in eacb between the
ages of uix and sixteen years. I deem
this teparation of the two races in the
public schoola a matter of the greatest
importance to all classes cf our people.
While the moralist and tho philanthropist
cheorfully recognizes the fact that "God
hath made of one blood all nationn of
moo," yet the'statesman, in legislating
for a political society that embraces two
distinct, and, in some measure, antagonistic
races, in thfl crren* I~i ? ? '
, vi no ticuiurr,
must, as far as the law of equal rights
will permit, take cognuanoe of existing
prejudices among both. Ia school districts,
whoro the white ohildrea may preponderates
ia nurabors, the colored children
may bo oppressed, or partially excluded
from the schools, while the same
result may accrue to the whites in those
districts where colored ohildren are in the
majority, unless thov shall bn R?m?rAin.l ho
/ ? , "J
law as herein recommended. Moreover,
it is ibe declared design of tho Constitution
that all classes of our people shall be
educated, but nut to provide for tho separa>
lion of the two races, will be to repel the
masses of the whites from the educational
Lraining that they so much need, and virtuully
to give to our colored population the
exclusive benefit of our public schools.
Let us, therefore, recognize facts as they
nre, and rely upon time and the elevating
:..n ?
muuvuvo ui popular education, to di?pel I
?ny unjust prejudices that any exist
mnong tho two races of our fellow citilens.
AGRICULTURE.
The concentration of labor and capital
upon one product, and that two extremely
liable to the varying h iztrds of the seasons
and the worm, has retarded the agricultural
prosperity of Solth Carolina, and
of the en*ire South. The true safely of
the farmer lies in the cultivation of several
products, so that although the teason may
be unpropitious for one, he may preserve
the other. lie should not imitate the
unwise merchant, who embark* bis all,
though uninsured, in a single ship.
The impolicy of concentrating so large
i portion of labor upon cotton, instead of
Jividing it among mixed crops of corn,
wheat, potatoes dso., and the products of
.he dairy, is beat illustrated by the fbltowng
facts drawn from the census of I860,
ind the report of the United States ComTiissioner
of Agriculture for 1800. The
:otton crop of Georgia, the Eupire State'
>f the South' in 1800 w*n 9oi am
fielding little more than thirty millions
$30,000,000) of dollars ; while the buffi
r of New York in 18C5, one of several
products of the diary, was estimated at
sixty minions ($00,000,000) of dollars.
Vet the census gives to New York, hut
170,814 farmers aud farm laborers, and to
Georgia, including] white farmers and
arm laborers, and only the males of the
ilavet, 310,478 persons engaged iu agriculture,
Should the female slaves be
ticluded, Georgia would have actually had
i lirger number of farm laborers than the
3tate of New York. Besides the other
lairy products, milk and cheese, and the
nuhitude of smaller products of the farm,
:hs principal crops make iu vajue an as
lounding aggregate. Thus, in 1864, the
iorn crop of New York was estimated at
$38,000,000, the wheat ?t $25,000,000,
the oats at 130,000,000, potatoes at $19,-.
300,000, and bay at $90,000,000. Inclu*
Jiog the minor cereals, the products of
orchard* and gardens, the prod action of
beef and mutton from pasturage, and a
great Variety of "miscellaneous products,
he currency valae of the agricultural
produclioM.-of this one State, in that year,
was (ft greater than the money returns of
soy cotton 'crop ever produced in this
couotry; and (he gold vtlue of such prod
acts wouia oa greater iliac tlia gold ralue
of half tlie cotton crop of I860, the largest
?Ver mode in the United Stales.
The grand results are not due to any
loperiorily of soil or climate' above our
own, but a properly directed and diversified
system of Jab or and to superior agricultural
implements and farm, economy.
The aggregate product of the varied
agricultural /labors rpust always exceed in
value the yield of Any' one staple, however
vast'and weir organized majr be the System
of labor emptied to it, furmarked, success
in the pYoduotiori of that one, will lessen
ite' prloe by an undue inorease of the
soppfyovifr the demand.'*^ . y
The iotrbductuxt of'Jmproved iiqple-;
flaeate of husbandry i? .?> matter of vita)
importance to the (arming interests of the
State, , With tha aid of, proper maohiuerj
and Xhe proper ttae of fer(illzer?, oar iari$
't I .
area of U?4 to ouIutaU it n&on
thoroughly & an under th? former tycpm
CUriMteo, ?U1 fMbfe
- .\ ' 1
worn out lands with that most valuable
fertilizer at a comparatively mall cost.
Large shipments of this fertilizer are now
being made from Charleston to Northern
ports, and which might be manufactured
here, and sold cheaply to enrich the poor
, lands of our own State.
AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.
I invite your attention to Section 9,
Article 10, of the Constitution, which
directs the General Assembly to provide
for the establishment of an Agricultural
College, upon the basis sot forth in an Act
of Congress of July 2, 1802, providing for
tiio endowment of Agricultural Colleges
| in tbe several States. The act provides (
tbat each State aod Territory shall receive
thirty thousand (30,000) acres'of public
land scrip for each Senator and Representative
that it may have in Congress
Under its provisions South Carolina will
be entitled to eleven hundred and twentyfive
pieces (1-125) of 100 acres each, representing
one hundred and eighty thousand
(180,000) acres of public land, worth in
the mirkel at prosent about one dollar per
acre, or one hundred and eighty thousand
(180,000)t dollars.
This serin mav h* Incnfofl in oi?i~
g- j tu vjvaio
or Territory having public lands subject to
sale, at one dollar and twenty-Qve cents
(%1.25) per aore. This act also providos
that the raoney arising from the sale of
such scrip "thall be invested by the Slate
in public stocks, at not less than five (5]
per cent, interest, and the interest shall be
apgropriated for tho establishment of at
least one college, where the leading object
shall be, without excluding scientific and
classical atudies, or military tactics, to teach
ucb branches as are related to agriculture
and the medianic arts."
STA.TE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE AND EMIGRATION
A celebrated statesman has observed
that "Agricultu-e feeds us; in a great
measure it clothes us : without it we could
not have manufactures, and we shou'd not
I -
uavo commerce; tuey will Btand together,
but they will stand together like pillars, the
largest in the centre, and that is agriculture/1
Agriculture is, indeed, tbe life of a
nation?its very existence, depending upon
the annual production of its soil. Iu view
6f the vital importance of this subject, and
of the vast amount of arable land in the
State now lying wild and fallow, or at best
poorly cultivated, I respectfully suggest tbe
passage of an act creating a State Board
of Agriculture and Emigration, to consist
of at least three capable persona, one of
whom should be a practical chemist*
This Beard should be charged with the
duty of investigating and making known
to the entire country the agricultural resources
of the State, an'l should be required
to make An annual report to the
Legislature, embody the rosolts of their
labors, and recommend such improvements
as they may deem neoessary in tbe system
of cultivation now practiced among our
people, and such improved agricultural
machinery as to them may seem most
proper, together with the value and mode
of using fertilizer*. They should also set
forth the attractions that our unit And />li.
mate and mineral resource* offer to the
thrifty agriculturists, mechanics and miner*
of our Northern States, and to those of
Europe. They should also present tables
showing the cost of living, the rales of
wages, the number and' class of mechanics
needed in the several counties, and tb?
price of land, and the terms upon which
it can be rented. Their report shofild be
furnished to the trades unions of this country
and Europe.
This information, if properly distributed,
will, I feel assured, start a tide of emigration
that will flow into and greatly enrich
the State. The. German and French
grape-growers will find in our opper tier of
counties a soil and climate aa opninl tn <Ka
grape as Iheir own vine-clad hills, being
precisely on tbe same parallel of latitude
as the great wine making districts of Spain
and Portugal. ihe Swede aud the Dane
will find ample scope and verge for their
talents fur mining in oaf gold a?d lead
regions, while even the Hollander maj
exercise bis canning in draining the marsh
lands of our.low coQutry, which be may
get almost for tbe asking. Our rivers
abounding with nobl? falls, are running to
Waste, when tbey should resound with tbe
bum. of thousands of busy spindles. Tbeae
invite tbe manufacturer of tbe North, wbo
will find labor among ua abundant and
ebeap, and may look from bis opn door
upon fields white srhb tbe ootton that aupples
bis milk . ,l '
f ... . BAIL. ROADS. ......
? - According eighth census of tbe 1
United State*, tb?r* ware bHm hundred nod
?ighly (087) mUt* of railroad ia
South Carolina at tba *cloaa of theyaar
U800, built at a cott of twenty'-two' njillkptthrae
hopdrad and eight j>fi?e thoaMMd
(28,385,000) dolUr*. . . r- 1
L It rniy ba iakrr^itg to j
Jlaufrtirff
mtisimiw&
wart
Iloratio Allen, 'lo
make them exclusively the motive power.
The tame gentleman, in the winter of
1829, made the drawings of the first
American steam locomotive, called the
"Best Friend," which was planned by Mr.
E. L. Miller, of Charleston. Upon tlie
Charleston and Hamburg Road was introduced
in 18 31, for the firetlirae on Any
railroad in the world, the important arrangement
of two four (4) wheeled trucks
for locomotives and long passenger cars.
The facts here stated
bow that tbe State has never been wanting
in men of mechanical genius, with the
capacity to aohieve the greatest enterprises,
if properly encouraged. South G'aror
lina, although tbe first to initiate a railway
system, has prosecutcd it to a very limited
| extent, compared with the domands of ber
commerce and the resources of her soil.
Tbe facility with which railroads can he
built io tbis Stato is evidenced by tbe fact
that the railroads of South Carolina have
cost in their construction loss per mile,
than any of equal length in the United
States. I would recommend the fosteriog
of these great and beneficent public en|
terprises by the State, bo far as may be
consistent with the rironop* m?intonnn/.a /.r
I I ??-?V-?MWW v?
otber important public interests. AI the
tamo time that railroad corporations should.
: be generously, but judiciously, fostered,
yet suitable laws should be enacted to regulate
their tariff of charges for freights
and passengers, or otherwise they may
oppress all classes by their excessive rates,
and check the trade and enterprise of the
people.
Railroads are the main arteries of commerce.
They stimulate production by
bringing the market within easy reach t>f
lue producer. Tbey give an impetus to
everj branch of trade, whils they promote
unity and good will among great populations,
by enabling them to circulate fr?ely
among each other. I would especially
recommend that the State should furnish
all the aid that it can expediently for lite
speedy completion of the Blue llidge Railroad.
The importance of that road to tho
people of the State at large cannot well be
over-estimated. Starting at Anderson
Couithouse as a prolongation of the westerly
branch of the Greenville and Columbia
Railroad, it will traverse portions of
the Counties of Anderson and Pickens,
and of the States of Georgia, North Carolina
and Tennessee, having its western
terminus at Knoxville, whence it will have
connections with Chattanooga, the great
focal point of southwestern railroads. It
will also connect at Knoxville with roads
running direct to Louisville, Kentucky,
and Cincinnati, Ohio. The entire length
of the road will be one hundred .and ninoty-six
miles, of which fifty-two mile* lie
within the limits of South Carolina. Thirty-fonr
(34) miles of thia distance have
been finished, and are now in running order
from Anderson to Walhnlla.
"The Blue Ridge Railroad Company in
South Carolina" was chartered by the Legislature
of this State in 1352; but unteward
events, among them the alleged bad
faith of the first contractors, have prevented
the prosecution of the work upon it.
The total amonnt thus far expended on
the road is three millions two hundred and
fifty thousand ($3,250,000) dollars. The
additional amount required to comnlete it
is stated by the- President of the road at
three millions five hundred thousand ($3,500,0Q0)
dollars. This increased estimate
of coat per mile oibr that portion already
constructed is due to the heavy amount of
tunnelling that will be required id getting
through the Blue Ridgs. The State now
owns stock in this road to the amount of
one miHion three hundred and tan thousand
{Si ,810^000) dollars. ; '
The present bonded debt of the company
is stated at two hundred anJ thirty
thousand dollars ($280,000,) : (wcnred by a
mortgage on tbe rOad and Its running
stock. Mr. J. W. Harrison, President of
tbe Company, states, in a recant rtport
that be baa niado of thai ' condition and
prospect* of tbe Blue Ridge Railroad Company,
that "all tbat is expected of tbe
State la that tbe shall guarantee tbe bonda
of tbe company for, taring three millions
of dollars to be istued in tuch sums and
at such times 68 tbe progress of the work
tany require.- And that the State ahull
provide for the payment of the interest on
the bonds while the road is being built.
For example, the company could perjfepe
expend one million of dollars a year, fur
three jear?, Is which Upie tho road oen ho
completed; The State would proridg for
iutererttm $1,000,000> . ^ ?
Fiirt year .. > . . . '#'*0,000
Second ye*r .. . 140,000
Third |eeiy ^ * : 310,000
. >**-'?,<} .. ' l*: ;'v, '
ML*
So lb fit ftj ?n fxpee^itar^ of jonr hundred
-axid tvtftft fhou*u?4 dollar*, to h? rawed
wa^-.wwiM
wtuwjMW *^^rn?frr
4U* ^ ^
bodie* Wiil uk* loto j<m ?arn?t iomtd..
"
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