Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1850-12-07
the Magnetic Needle, / herewith submit.


may be employed in taking the necessary
observations; also that it be made oblioato-
tory on every surveyor, to record on his
plot the variations of the needle, as official.
lys registered in the Book prepared by
capt; Parker, copies of which have put
into the possession of the Legislature.
herewith communicate copy of di-
gest Of the road laws, prepared at my So
licitation, as President of the State Agrricul-
tural State Agricultural Society. BY the
Hon josiah j. Evans, one of our Associate
Judges in the Courts of Law The great
Importance of the subject, and the very
able and judicious manner in which it has
been treated, will doubtless induce the
Legislature to print it for the use of the
people.
Although the mind of our community has
not been prepared By public discussion.
or perhaps private interchange of views,
ON the subject, yet, it is my deliberate
opinion, that the peliod has arrived for the
removal from the State, of every free col
oredperson, who is not The owner of real
estate, or slave property. This population
isnot only non-productye class, but it is,
and always has been, essentially corrupt
and corrupting. Their longer residence
among us, if the warfare between the North
and South is to continue, will eventually
generate evils very difficult of eradication
Possessing, in an unlimited degree the rirh!
OF locomotion, they can, in person bear in
telligence in a day, from one section of the
State TO another, or, through the Post
Office, mature their own plans of villainy,
as well as execute orders emanating from
foreign sources. There is, indeed, too
much reason to believe that, at this mo
ment. they are made to occupy the situa-
ton OF spies in our camp, and to dissent
nate through the entire body of our slave
population, the poison of finsubordnation.
prepared in the great laboratory of North
crn fanaticism.
In every community where the institu-
tlon of slavery is interviewer with its social
system, the public tranquility and safety
demand the toleration of only two classes,
white men and colorcd slaves. The exis
tencc of a third ella s, with many of the
most valuable rights of the former on a
level with the latter in repugnancc to labor,
and possessing all their mena traits of
character, unchecked by the restraints of
plantation discipline, the colored freeman
lives degraded and unpiticd being, foe
TO public progress, and unconcerned in all
that relates to the welfare of his fellow
creatures. History attests that, in every
seryile war; or attempt at insurrection, in
our country, this unfortunate race have
been the chief actors or instigators. The
dark and bloody scenes in st. DOMINGO
would have occurred, even if the famous
Decree of the National Assembly of France
nf
come a law.
In South Carolina, free negroes, mulat-
toes, and meztizoes, possess all the rights of
property and protection to which the white
inhabitants are entitled. They may rur
chase, hold, and transmit, by descent, real
estate In despite of these and other ines
timable rights, which they undisturbedly
enjoy, there are few of the 5000 in our linn
its,who own property beyond very limi-
ted amount.
In view OF their early removal from the
state, recommend that the Tax Collcc
torsbc instructed to ascertain the number
OF Tree negroes. mulattoes and mestizoes
in the several districts and parishes, and
how many of each who own real estate or
slave property, and that they report to
the Legislature, at its next session.
Atmy recommendation, and in pursuance
OF your own conceptions of duty, it was re-
solved, at your last session, that the Gov
ernor be requested to convene the Leoisla.
ture, if not in session, should the Wilmot
Proviso. or any kindred measure, be pass
ed by Congress. AS the contingency to
which the resolution had reference occurred
in September, profound respect for the
Executive Department of the Government,
and the Honorable body by whose man
date l was called to fill it, induce me to
say in general terms, that public considera-
tions Of grave and weighty character for
bade me from acceding to the wish of the
Legislature. Independent of the semi
official reasons for this refusal which have
been communicated to our fellow-citizens.
there were others that could they have
been made generally known, would in my
Judgment, have entirely appeased the pub
lie feeling. / am gratifed in being enabled
to assure you, that the correctness OF nv.
decision has been almost unanimously sus
tanned by the people,
The last meeting of the Congress- of the
United States was the most eycntful and
disturbing thathas been held since the es-
tablishment of the Federal Governments
After many years Of unwanantable leeis
lation by that body, crisis has at length
arisen in our federal relations, affecting
Iooplu opJ occont;olI,, Q