Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1860-12-08
POLL U TOCAL.
THE GOVERNORS MESSAGE.

A'oth'hS tibbSIliSu, olnCC SOuT GcCcnU
Extra Session, that requires any special no.
tice The past year has been remarkable for
the unprecedented health with which our cit
liens have been blessed; and, although the
crop, both of cotton and grain, is again
short one. vet with wise economy, very lit
Tie if any, brcadstuffs will have to be impor-
ted frQm other States. and the cotton crop
will, in all probability enable the planter to
meet his ordinary liabilities by bringing fair
and rcnumeratng price. For these favors,
. and particularly for our good health we
sHIald always bear in mind the source from
whcnce they come, and with grateful hearts
and earnest voices, send up to the throne of
grace our sincere thanks for such rich blcs-
sings, so literally bestowed upon us. And
while we appoint days of humiliation and
prayer, and invoke each other to observe them,
let us not forget that we, too, should call up
on God to sustain us in this crisis of our
country's history, and give us the wisdom to
plan and the energy to perfect our own and
contribute to the dclvcrance of the South.
In providing for the Improvement of the
Port of Charleston, and the dredging in the
Beach or MatGt Channel" the Legislature
made an appropriation of $4,000, but for
somc reason, the report naming Commission
ers to superintcnd the work, and agreed to by
both Houses, was mislaid, and as it was cvi-
IDENTIFY the intention of the Legislature TO
have the work carried on, having uppropria-
ted funds for the purpose, took the rcspon-
sibiity of appointing Commissioners to SUI
perintcnd the work, and selected those that
were named i'll the report of the Committee
of the House of Representatives
CATAwDA lNDIANS.-In my last annual
message, | recommended that small appro
priation be made to pay the travelling cxpen-
ses of two or three of the head men of the
Catawbas, who desired to so on visit to cx-
anime the Choctaw country, and report to the
tribe ON their return, hoping that favorable
report might induce them all to remove West
In this expectation, have not been disap-
pointed. The appropriation of five hundred
dollars, III consequence of the excitement
aud pressure of business ut the last session,
not being placed i'll II condition to be drawn
from the treasury by the Indian Agent, it be-
come necessary for Inc TO advance the mon
cy out of the contingent fund of the Exccu-
tive Department, and Mr.. ID. j. Rice, Indian
Agent, accompanied by Allan aud John lIar-
ris, two of the chiefs, started on the 10th
July last, to visit and examine the Choc.nw
country, and returned on the 10Th August
Unfortunately, Allan Harris died soon after
his arrival ut his destination but notwith.
standing this great calamity, John Harris was
10 pleased with the country aud the rcccp.
ton he met with, that he determined to re-
main, and has written such flattcring letter
to his tribe, depicting the great advantages to
be derived from n removal to that country
and this account has been so fully indorscd
and confirmed BY the Indian Agent, that for
tty-seven out OF the tifty-fivc of the Indians
living la the nation in this State, have
agreed to rSnove, and have signed PC
tition to Gov. B. Leilorc and the Choctaw
Council, praying for admission into the Choc
taw nation. The Council met on the 1st
Monday in October last, and although no in-
formation has been received by me of their
decision, yet from the opinion of the Indian
Agent, derived from frequent conversations
with the leading men there is no reasonable
doubt but their application has been ftvorably
received by the Council and citizenship
granted to them on favorable terms, consider
ing the advantages that will be oninycd by the
almost extinct Catawba tribe. The Congress-
OF the Unted States made an appropriation
OF five thousand dollars in the year 1853, to
remove the Catawba Indians but, as it was
not called for, it lapscd into the general
treasury in July, 1857, and cannot be used
without re-appropriation by Congress. My
recommendation at the last session, that an
application be made to Congress for reap
preparation, must be now withdrawn, and we
must look to South Carolina alone to furnish
the means for their removal. With this state
lncnt of facts, the matter is left to your dis.
crctlon, and you can best Judge whether
FUNDS can be now spared to effect SO desirable
IAN object.
STATE GEoLoGIsT. Oscar NJ. Lieher has.
'on the second OF April last, rendered to me
slils resignation as State Gcoogist Although
mt the last session of the Legislature the office
was continued for the current year, and Mr..
1Lieber appointed to fil it, yet the appropri-
;ation for his salary and expenses was stricken
from the appropriation bill, and he had no al
formative but to resign, or serve the State ernt.
ultously. Upon consultation with me, ad.
vlsed Mr.. l.ieber not to resign until he had
completed the last report, that it might, to.
gether with those previously published, en-
braced the statements concerning everything
OF Importance which had been observed or
effected during the four years of his service.
lie has also prepared glossary and index for
the four reports, without which their value
would be greatly csscncd. Three months
has been necessary to perfect the report, in.
deX, &c., and recommend that he be paid
Tor said services in proportion to his salary.
DIRECT TRADE-There can be no differ
ence of opinion on the great importance of
establishing direct trade between Charleston
and Liverpool, or any other country with
n ~ r u