The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1859-12-08
GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
Gentlemen Of tie Senate anM House

the hand of Il bencriccnt Creator, you, Tho
chosen representatives of the people, hav,
assembled to deliberate on the affairs of tho
Commonwealth, and to cuacl such laws Il,
you may think conducive to her welfare
In discharging this important duty intrus
ted to you ty your constituents, you should
invoke the all and counsel Of One who's,
j. :dgmcnt is unerring, and who rules tho
iesinics Of States as well as individuals
No people who disregard the Divine com.
nands can be prosperous and happy. An
implicit confidence in God alone can give
you the wisdom to plan, and the ability to
execute, and upon this must ever depend
the successful administration Of our public
atftirs
There are CERTAIN cardinal principles which
should, in my opinion, govern your legis,
lalivc action, to wit: To collect no more
taxes from the people than are absolutely
necessary for an economical adnlinislri,-
ton Of the government; to avoid as much
! AS possible creating II new, and to provide
Tor The cxtinguislment Of the present pub
lie debt, so that our people may not he
forced to emigratc to avoid the burdens
of taxation, and thus depopulate the State
y public debt in this country is not regarded
as public blessing, and to entail Il heavy
one upon posterity, would be shrinking
from the responsibility Of taxing ourselves,
and doing the greatest injuIce so them.-
The individual who would leave his estate
to his children covered with bonds and
mortgages, would not be regarded as a
prudent or thrifty parent, and what would
be unwise i'll an individual, applies equally
to an aggregation Of individuals, called the
State. Although our taxation is not as
heavy as in many Of the new States, it must
be remembered that they have virgin soil,
and from the ability to make Letter crops are
better able TO bear taxation. And many
persons are kept in our State who would
cmigrate, if with less ability to pay, the
burdens were as heavy as elsewhere. Al
though the crop of this Slste is not large
one, and particularly the provision crop,
yet by prudent management and a wise
economy, our people may he able to get
along without the importation Of much
grain, until the harvesting of the next crop
The great scarcity of corn in some Of the
upper districts was in part brough. about
hy the numerous distlleries in operation,
thus converting the staff of life into a
slow but sure poison. And while our Leg.
i,lature has been tenacious of the rights of
the people, in pecuniary point Of view,
10y refusing to repeal the usury laws. for
fear of leaving them prey to spectators
and usurers, their health and lives have
been unattended to, 10y allowing their food
to be converted into ardent spirits, to en-.
courage dcbraved and vitiated appetite.
The tax on stills should amount to pro.
hibition Of their use, or at least high
enough to raise an income sufficient to
support the paupers they manufacture.
Finance.-The report Of the Comptrol-
Ter will exhibit the financial condition Of
the State in all its details, and to it re-
fer you for information on that point
The banks, so far as can learn, are in
sound and healthy condition, prepared to
discharge all their obligations, and furnish
a sound and stable currency for the State.
Without being disposed to question the
wisdom of the Act of the Legislature in
relation to keeping a certain amount IF
specie i'll their vaults would respectfully
suggest, that while it would fail to remedy
the evil Of n suspension, (lhe banks fire.
quenlly suspendinding with much less spe-
cie in their vaults than is now rcquireG,) it
is an unnecessary tax uron them, without
any great public good growing out of it,
The banks, however, should not he exemp
ted from strict accountability but it
seems to me the best blan would be to put
them Immediately in liquidation upon the
Suspension of specie payments, and compel
them TO close business until new charters
are obtained, open to all who may choose
to subscribe, as when the banks were first
chartered. If this is deemed too severe a
penalty for suspending, something mIder
might he substituted that would tend to
prevent suspension, except under the
most pressing necessity.
Census Of the Free White Inha5itants.-
The Act of the last session requiring cen.
seq of the free white Inhabitants Of the
State to be taken, and returns made or
oath at the Secretary Of States Office il
Columbia, by the first Of August last, haa
been BARRED out, with the exception Of til,
Parishes Of St. Thomas aud ST. Dennis.-
Samuel F. Martin, tile census taker for tles,
Parishes, having failed TO make return, !,
appointed George G. Harmin, who has ne