Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1858-12-04

The tar Just closed exhibited stock OF all
kinds, implements ofhusbandrv, fruits and
grain Of superior order; besides very nu-
mcrous specimens of ingenious handiwork,
many.of which are but recently developed.
The asscmblagc of substantial population
was very great, among whom premiums
were distributed to large amount The
Executive Committee will publish, in the
course of the winter, a volume of proceed
ings, in which will be found programme
of the agricultural schools in France.
FINANCE AND BANKS.-The report of
the Comptroller General will explain the
condition ofthc finances. The permanent
debt OF the State including ono million
iitty-onc thousand four hundred and twon-
ty-two O9lO0 dollars (SI ,05l ,l22 00-lO0)
United States surplus revenue on deposit.
amounts to four million four hundred and
| forty-four thousand one hundred and sixty
five 05.l0O dollars (S4, 4,444, 1865 05-10O,O
thrcc-fourths of which sum is invested in
railways and in the erection of the New
State Capitol. The sinking fund now
amounts to 81 ,S{3, ,SG3 81 100, which, in
my opinion, should be invested in State
stocks or bonds. Ofthe stock signed under
! the Act OF 1856 by the Governor and the
| Comptroller General, for building the new
State Capitol, nincty-two certificates have
been issued equal to two hundred and ltty
thousand dollars $3.50, ,000,) the remain
der have been cancelled aud left in the
hands of the Treasurer of the Lower Divis-
ion. OF the stock authorized by the Act
of 1857, forty-six certificates have been is
sued, equal to three hundred thousand dol.
lars, (S300, ,000,) the remainder have been
canc2lled and left in the hands of the Treas
urer of the Lower Division The material
structure itself is advancing with sure and
reasonable progress, so as to exhibit the fine
proportions of the basement story The
puDlic archives have not been removed
however, the order for the removal not hav-
ing been made by the two Houses beg
leave to refer to the Governors Message No
3, of last year, touching this subject On
the books of the Branch Bank of the State
at Columbia, there is balance of$T $50 90
at crcdit of the fund for the relief of the
widows and orphans of the Palmetto Asso-
citation. AS to the banks, trusting to the
experience and superior wisdom of mem
bers, L will not occupy you with any sug-
gestions of my own, farther than to ask for
the repeal of the usury laws, and to recon-
mend stability and MS little legislation os
possible. | would willingly diminish the
number of banks when existing charters
expire But, having once chartered bank
upon basis cnsuring due responsibility, [
would trust its Board of Directors to man
age the monopoly upon the recognized prin-
oiples of banking, and the governing course
of business, interfering not by temporary
laws, harsh restrictions and penalties, be-
lieVing as do, that the great security to
tie community for the faithful management
of bank is to be found in the character
of the persons by whom it is administered.
The LAw.-Rolcrring to the terms of
my message of last year, take leave again
to recommend the revision and codiication
OF the criminal law, and its amendment, so
as to provide for the punishment of breach
es of trust and the embezzlement of funds
The district offices are generally in good or
der. and kept for the most part in airy apart
ments of well located court houses. There
are one or two exceptions as to the location
or manner of building the court house,
which doubt not tho Solicitors will re-
quire the Commissioners of Public Build
ings to rectify as far as may be practicable
AS little time as may be should be allowed
to elapse before the defects are rcmedcd.
Some of the public records are now expos
ed to damage from damp and mould. The
incumbcnts of those Offices have uniform
| ly found to be intelligent and obiiging cit
izens. In many of the Clerk Offices there
arc lying in the way numerous copies of the
Acts and Resolutions of the General As
sembly accunuating from year to year
1t would be well to have these and hereuf
ter all surplus copies of the Acts and Res
olutions distributed in the month of Janu-
airy, annually, to the several Boards of Dis
trct Commissioners, the Captains Of Beat
Companies, and other citizens, in the dis
cretion of the Clerk and the Sheriff. each
recipient being required only to register his
name in book kept for that purpose by
the Clerk. The jail in many districts has
been removed to distance from the court
house. deem it wise to require, where
this is the case. that the Sheriff provide a
covered conveyance for the prisoners whom
duty obliges him to pass to and from the
hall ofjusticc. Escapes have been more
frequent the past year than | am willing to
onumerate. The officers in charge are res
ponsible for escapes, but / think each Jail
should be furnished with wall around it,
for the donblc purpese ofsocurity and OK
ercsc of the prisoners.
Laws are enacted for the general welfare
and benefit of society. Founded in reason
and common sense, they are shaped by ex-
perienoo. The penal law is framed espcci-
] ally for tho nrotoction of tie eoinnntnifv hn