Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1843-12-06
NO. AS.

III tNe nrSt or June lollnWlnS.
r Among the undrawn appropriations. Is th.
Il sum of twenty-five hundred dollars 500
: which was at your last Session, with the pro
Q visions of the Act of 1883, placed in the
hands of the Executive for the purchase ol
g arms and military equipments. had no occa.
] sion TO use this fund. The Arsenals and
Magazines already contain more munitions Of
war than the Stale will probably ever require
forservice. And the Federal Government an.
: nually furnishes quota Of arms valued al from
} six to eigh, thousand dollars This quota is
! rated in lnnskels.. but bya provision in the
Act of Congress, these may be commuted, on
application of the Executive OF the State for
other arms and equipments. A judicious use
of this resource will enable the State always to
keep up proper assortment Of munitions of
war without the expenditure Of dollar. 1
have this year taken advantage Of il, to equip
the Marion Artillery Company in Charleston,
by committing about thousand dollars which
would otherwise have been expended out of its
appropriation. recommend that the appro-
priation be Withdrawn, and the portion of the
Act Of 1898 authorizing it. repealed.
In his last Annual Message, my immediate
predecessor urged on you the necessity Of re >,
organization of the Executive Department Of
the State Invite you to re perusal of his.
remarks In all that he has said, give my
entire and cordial concurrence, and earnestly
recommend a serious consideration OF the SUBJ
ject. think, too, that reorganization Of all
the offices connected with the Executive De-,
partment is as simperaiively required. The cir-
cumstances which led to division of them
between the seat of Government and the City
Of Charleston having ceased to exist, the divi-
sion should cease also. The Rail Road has;
brought them so near together that they might
be reunited with little inconvenience to any
one, and much to the advantage of the State as
large There canbe no necessity fol two Trea.
surcrs within six or eight hours ride of each
other There is very is little, if any ungranted
land in the Safe, and the Surveyor Gens
erals Office might with propriety be finally
closed. 1t is now chiefly an instrument for
perperating frauds, and increasing litigation.
Such dul,es rf the Surveyor General, as it
would be beneficial to the State to have per.
formed, nigh, be con6jcd to 4 clerk in the Sc
cretary of States Department. The pre-
Sent incumbent has voluntarily made TO me
Report, which gives n very candid statement
of the condition of his office, and transmit 10
10 you as worthy of your consideration.
There might be constitutional difficulties in
| the way ofclosing the Office during stern,
put provision could be made for. doing so
herealte The Comptroller General should
be near the Treasurer, and the Executive.
There are still stronger reasons for re-organ.
zing to office of Secretary Of State, and loca
fis wfde sfeey saaty At e 81 Ssns s S Ses
from fees and no traing portion of it is paid
by the State for small and occasional services
| He should n, least be put upon the footing OF
a State officer, by having fixed salary, in
lien ufall charged against the State, and for.
taking care ofthe records. A large portion Of I
these records are in wretched condition
Many have entirely gone TO decay, and others
are fast moldering away, while some impor-
tant papers are altogether lost. These are tho
necessary conseqnf nee Of divided Office, and
an officer without salary. The most impor-
tanl duties of the Secretary of State are con-
nee ed with the Executive Department, and
he should be fixed near it. The private re-
cords in this office might be transferred to tho
Registers offices in the Districts TO which
which they properly belong.
1t was Colonial regulation which placed
them in the Secretary Of tho States Office,
and the reason for j; has long ceased. recon-.
mend the appointment Of Commission to re.
organize a the offices to which have alluded,
aud 10 re-unite them at the Seat of Government.
II will however require n constitutional amend
m ut. 10 effect the latter purpose. and if you
approve The recommendation il will be neces-
sary TO pass an Act to that effect at your pre-.
sent Session.
In making this recommendation, / trust
shall not be regarded rs aiming blow at the
compromises Of the Constitution. On the con-
trarv. would regard il MS one Of the greatest
calamities which could happen to the Stnte:
that the present ascendancy of one section of,
i, in the Senate. and the other in the House Of
REPRESENTATIVES, should be in the slightest de-
gree disturbed. And, imperatively as think
the interest of the State demands that all the
chief officers shonld be assembled atthis place,
would not propose. e.it if i could believe that
ii would havea tendency TO produce such On
effect
In accordance with a Resolution passed at
your last Session. appointed Commissioners
10 meet at Limestone Springs, to enquire into
the expediency of establishing High school
there have mt yet received their Reports;
The first duty Of government after provi.s
ding for the security of its constituents, is to.
take prnper measures for their education.
The benefits they derive from facilitating
commerce, by digging chanals, clearing out
rivers. constructing roads, and opening new
| channels OF intercourse, are great, but they
sink into nsignifcanco in comparison with
the vast Importance of pouring out upon
them in every direction, copious streams OF
knowledge their intellects, eleva.
ting and purifying their morals. and training
them UP to a high and noble cast ofthought.
Under government like ours where no arts.
,ocracy Of birth or wealthis tolerated, OF can
ever take root. the only hope we can have Of
the harmonious action of lasting duration of
onr institutions, is by resting them on the so.
lid foundation of people imbued with lofty
sentiments. and deeply versed in all the lore
Of learning; who will be capable OF compxe-
hending all the blessings they confer, watchfnl
of distant danger, and prepared to meet and
overcome it, not less by power of INTEL
ec. than by force of arms. Every dollar
which can be spared from the absolute wants
of the State. should be first offered 10 this