The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1854-12-19
n!istrllanrulla nrms.
Inaugural Address of Governor
JAMES HI. ADAMS.
G,aaenssn Of The Senate and
House of RcDreSeRiaHre :


assume the responsibilities of the office to which
you have elected me 10 he deemed by th'
Representatives of South Carolina worthy tt
occupy the elevated position Of Chief Mags
~ trate of the State, and to have had conferred
on me so marked manifestation OF your con
fdence and esteem, not only enhances the he
nor and responsibility attached to the position
but excites within me ming emotions o
gratitude and pride, which | should in vai'
attempt to express. Holding no service to be
so honorable as that OF my native State, &nt
seeing within her confines amp lc scope for tho
exercise of all my patriotism, obey with cheer
fitness but unfeigned distrust, your summons
TO the post of honor and duty know that do
not possess the ability to illustrate the station
but am sure that bring to the service of the
State heart that has never felt puisatun in
consistent with her best interest and her high
est honor. That interest and that honor you
are now about to commission me for brlct
period to watch over and defend. 1t is high
and sacred trust | feel to the fullest extent all
its responsibility. can only promise you,
that with the aid of Providence, shall labor
most earnestly to discharge my duty without
sfear, favor or affection" None Of US arc en-
empt from the frailties of humanity, and no
one feels more sensibly this truth than myself.
The errors shall commit, am sure your &C.
nerosity will incline to ascrtbe to their true
origin. I shall rely with confidence on your in
telligence and patriotism to sustain me IN all
proper efforts to uphold the honor and ad-
vance the prosperity of the Commonwealth
whose destiny Tor the time being, has been
committed to our joint care and Keeping
With these remarks were to consult my own
inclination, would here close, but the usage
of the occasion would seem to require some
thing more of me.
The powers with which the Constitution IN.
vests the Executive arc few in number, simple
in their character, and apparently not dilhcut
of execution. In ordinary times, the most I'M.
portant of these, that with which the wel-be'
inc of the Commonwealth is more deeply con.
cerned than with any other is the power to re-
prieve and pardon The mpossibility of fra
ming laws to meet the endless variety OF cir
cumstances under which criue may be COM
initted, suggested the necessity of lodging this
power somewhere. Its legitimate application
was only intended to reach those peculiar ca
ses, wherein the law, by reason Of It's unirer-
salty, might operate harshly or crueRy In
der this construction Of the constitution, it
would be unwise to lay down any precise rule
BY which | shnl be governed | can only in
dicate in general terms, the course shall pur-
sue.
Our criminal code was instituted for the
security of society and believe, if faithfully
administered, and firmly executed, that it will
be found to be fully adequate to that end. An
inconsiderate exercise of the pardonInS power
is, in my judgement, not only mockery of
public Justice, but crime against society itself,
and would | fear, increase the number OF those
in our State who are ready for the establishment
ofthe Penitentilry system. | am free to confess
that have more faith in the present sanctions
of our criminal code, and should deeply regret
to see them superseded by such Il system.
/ see nothing in the statistics OF crime IN the
States where this novel mode ofpunshment has
been adopted, to commend the example to our
imitation. No system, however severe in its
penalties, and rigid in enforcement, has yet
been devised, equal to the Legitimate end of
all punishment-thc suppression OF crime. In
one section of the Union men stab and Kill
each other in hot blood, 10 revenge an insult
or an injury. In the other they lie in ambush
on the highway, or steal under cover OF night
into the peaceful domicl and murder for gain.
Neither capital punishment nor incarceration
has been able to suppress crime. So long,
then, as the penitenliaries ofour ncishbors are
crowded, and in some instances, demand en-
largement, and our own jails are comparatively
tenantless, let US adhere to our existing code,
and faithfully execute its provisions. My own
observation authorizes the assertion, that jnrIes
rarely If ever, convict the innocent while the
guilty are too often permitted to escape the
punishment due to their offences. trust, Tor
the peace and good order of society, that du'
ring my administration, the applications for
Executive clemency may be few, for it will be
only under such circumstances as are demanded
by the public good, that shall feel at liberty
to exercise it.
The control and supervision of military or.
ganizatirn Of the state are especially corided
to the Executive. Our present system is the
result of well founded conviction OF its i'm
portance and necessity. shall endeavor to
foster and keep alive that degree of military
pride and enthusiasm so essential to its pre-.
servation and efficiency. its practical opc-
ration shall he found to bear hardly upon that
portion of our fellow citizens least able TO sus
tain the burden, it will be your duty to RENE.
DIV the defect. fear, however, that much Of
the clamor recently raised against the system
emanates from that class who owe most TO the
Commonwealth, and should be the last to mur
mur at the sacrifice Involved. 1t is a baC
omen when the owners of slaves grudge to the
state the trouble and expence incurred in few
I, days devoted to training and use Of the musket
If any people on earth are deeply in,eredtcc
( in preserving complete aud thorough military
organization, it is the people of the Southern