Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1855-12-06
GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
EXEcUTlyE DEPARTMENT. Nov o. Is

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, Nov. y, 1900
G".hl~a.cn If III: iSeHote
ard Llon@ ct Representatives:
You have resumed the discharge Of your
constitutional duties under the most cncoura-
gng circumstances. The pccuniary pressure
which, at the beginning of the year, bore so
heavily upon all classes of society, has happily
passed off without its anticipated disasters
Commerce continues to prosper aad widen her
domain; Agriculture reioiccS over full harvcSts;
and Labor of every description feels the slim
ulas Of rcmunerat;ng prices. The year has
been one of unexampled health, and our pcO-
pie, in quiet and security, have successfully
devoted themselves to their various vocation$
Representing Commonwealth thus blessed
You Will unite with me in offering to the Civ
CT of all Good the homage Of grateful hearts,
and dcvoutly supplicating continuance of
His favors
In the discharge of the duty imposed on me
by the Constitution, shall recommend to your
consideration various measures which | think
important to The public veal. Your iltclli-
gancc will enable you to select, and your pa
triotism will prompt you to adopt, such of
them as will advance the interests and pro-
mote the general prosperity of our common
constituents The public good, especially
committed to your keeping, connot, in my
Judgment, be more certainly attained than 10y
:; steady adherence to the long-Scttled policy
nf the State New cnactmcntS and mOdlica-
tons of existing laws are sometimes required
10 suit the vary;n" circumstances of our condi-
ton; but legislation which seeks to break
down the forms and uSagcs to which people
have long been accustomed should not be re-
sorted to except under the eXacting pressure o.
necessity The people of South Carolina have
great reason to rest content with their tonStl-
tuition as it stands 1t is far better that its m-
material defects should be borne, tlian that We
should begin the hazardous work Of constitu-
tional reform. All Of the old States Of the
Confedcracy, except our own, have ct differ
ent times made fundamental changes in their
Constitutions. These changes may have ser
we'd for the moment to captivatc the populacc
but have not been able to discover that those
for whose especial benefit they were introdu-
cod have been distinguished by higher cle
yation of sentiment, or been rewarded with
greater prosperity than our own people, who
It'll cling with confidence to their cd iorns,
and gather hope for the future from the ell
couragiug recollections Of the past. Continue,
then, BY your example and policy, to teach
YOUR constituents not to lean on government.
but to rely On their own energies to work
a. \ .lu.. .r.,i,,.l will
be more Jealous Of their rights. and when
a<sailcd will stand up more mantully IN their
defence, than if their minds are bcwildercd
and their time wasted in fruitlcSS efforts to
better their condition by periodical chan
ges in their organic law. The proclivltles
of the age are, to my mind ominous Of any
thing but good to the cause OF true progress.
In certain sections of the country doctrines
have been avowed and scenes enacted which,
in the better days Of the Republic, would have
consigned their authors to lasting infamy and
cxecration The advocates of a ''higher law
sit in high places; fanaticism rules triumphant
in the land of Hancock and Otis; and mobs
and riots are so common that the MASSES are
fast acquiring taste for blood In view of
the hideous phases which Radicaism has else
where assumed and the bitter fruits of It's tr'-
umphs, Conservatism may confidently appeal
to the patriotism of the refOrmers of milder
latitude to postpone their labors to more aus
picious period. There is wisdom and safety
in the injunction of Holy Writ: prove all
things; hold fast to that which is good" Icom-
mend to You the preservation Of our COnstltu-
ton in all its integrity 1t has served US, and
We owe it t. ourselves to transmit it intact to
cur posterity
First in order, and highest in Importance,
invite Your especial attention to the financial
condition of the State. The right to tax your
conStituents-the most responsible and delicate
of all your trusts-cannot be wisely exercised
without constantly keeping in view the amount
of our obligations, and properly estimating the
resources with which they arc to be met. How
far it may be prudcut to increase our indebted
pess, and in 50 doing create, at no distant day,
necessity for increased taxation, it will be
for you to determine. Our people are patriot
ic, and | am satisfied would make as heavy sac
rifces as any people to preserve invlolate the
public faith; but it must be borne in mind
that they cultivate exhausted lands, and they
will form an exception to the rest Of their
countrymen, if, with the prospect of onerous
taxation before them, they do not emigrate to
more favored regions, where, if they have high
taxes to pay, they will have rich harvests on
which the contribution would be levied.
The following statement exhibits the public
debt of the State, as it appears Oh the books of
the Loan Office, on the 30th day Of Septem-
Der, 1875: