Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-12-01
SOUTH CAROLINA.

On Monday last the Legislature Of this Slate
convened and was organized by The reelection OF
Angus Patterson as President Of The Senate, and
Wm F. Colcock as Speaker OF the House OF
Gov. Aiken's Annual Message The South Carroll
MAN speaks as follows
"His Excellency congralulales The country
upon The prosperity Of The industrial enterprise OF
The Stale, and joins with heariness in praises OF
the great Free Trade measures which now cha
racterze the commercial intercourse oil The two
mos, powerful nations OF The earth. The country
al large will coincide with The wholesome sug-
seslons contained in the Message, relative TO The
encouragement oil educaIion-he Importance OF
legislative interference in the present misnanged
Free School System, and The necessity Of SUI
perintendency over This departnenl-;h the foser-
ing OF the military academies, the high appIecia-
lion in which he holds The eminent services Of
the President OF the South Carolina College,
(Wm. c. Preston, Esq } in restoring that time
honored institution 10 Stale oil prosperity and
general usefulness, and the f1alierng notice OF the
establishment oil a Scholarship ior iDdiaenlyuung
men, by public spirited Trustee of the College,
O.. L. Manning, Esp The suggestion OF the
establishment OF a Pmiessorship OF Geology and
Agriculture, is one Of great importance TO the
State, which, we fear will not be adopted by our
legislators, until necessity draws them 10 listen
10 reason. In the same spirit, he calls 10 The no
tice OF The Legislature The great necessity Tor a
modification OF The criminal laws OF The Stale on
principles which would secure the certainty 81
punishment. This he hopes would be accom-
plished by The adoption OF The Penen'iary sys-
tenn, which has acted with such an admirable
effect in other States
"The clear and liberal suggestions respecting
the development oil the resources Of The back
country BY means Ct railroads. are such AS will
meet ready response from The citizens oil The in
terror, and will, We hope, b. carried out in such
n manner as to be eventually OF great and sub
stanlial benefit 10 The whole STATE"
Our readers will regret to learn that the coun-
Try is about 10 lose the benefit OF the splendid
talents and high character OF George McDufie,
Esq. In his excellent letter, which we append, he
resigns his seat in The u. S. Senate. No man
has done more to give success 10 The great pIinci-
pies of Free Trade, and now tina, he has wit
messed their triumph, he re,ires into private life,
with The proud consciousness OF having "foughl
The good fight" and gained a moral victory, which
will ennre TO the permanent benefit OF his coun-
Try. As The South Caroinian says, with as much
truth as force and beauty:
"Bod and vehement in debate, his argumenta-
ton. has never been The result Of mere impulse !;
but conceived in the calmness OF philisophic Sc
cusioD and enforced with The Iesst!ess energy oian
attack in The field To no one in his concderacy
has more universally been awarded The credit OF
high and unquestionabe devotion TO The inie-
rests of his country, while to bi, own State he
has borne love so pure and true, that no one
will ever live in her bosom whose life will have
teer more use!uly spent-whose success shall be
dee or Uao in retirement snail more richly
curtain life Of labor and usefulness, with the
lo.> C confidence, and The esteem OF every son
Of hs-s-v:lhuut distinction of party. We have
all h,en accustomed 10 pause in admiration be-
fore Ina, picture in England's History, where one
Of her sons, whose name is forever identified with
the proudes, days OF her national glory, bfea,bed
out his life in the debate with which he had
fashioned her forlunes-his spirit fed with The
lightning fash that came from his own soul :
AS beautiful and touching will be the picture in
which his contemporaries and posterily will see
illustrated the character of GEORGE McDUF-
FIE Not suddenly ex,ineuished, but gently
will the curtain of life, be drawn around him,
gradually obscuring, but never impairing The
brilliancy of an intellect, that knows no superior;
the devotion of soul, spanning the seductions Of
power or place"
Who will be his successor, is Of course yet in
doubt. Many distinguished persons are spoken
of-bul the correspondent of the Charleston News
refers confidently 10 The election of Col. F. Fl. FL.