Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1861-12-04
Governors Message.
Gentlemen Of II. Seaafc
anl House Of Esptessnta:tte:

GcnuSncn y IN" oc:iHiH
aul House Of rsptes"ta:i,e.
It has been 80 short u time since Commrl-
MICA, ed to you I:.y views on the general IN
t.res;s nj the Stu.e, that now most respect.
fully nrpe Your immcdiatc consideration oi
the measures which then recommended.
The first lnrRsure Of great importance Is
the thorough reorganization OF all the reserve
military rres OF The State. Uuder the gen
er,.l rrsu,utt,,l, passed AZ your recent extra
srssiun, huve cudcavurcI iu ral:e battail MS
.:ni regiments, by oifyring 10 commission tfe
Iieil officers il they mu tered companies lnto
Immediate service, Is lh' emergency was
pressing. The Legislature adjourned SION
after meeting, without doing anything m IRE
definite, aud acled, as supposed, tor the
best. But now desire your conhmatloii Oh
the >ar:e, and urge that q general system be
adopted ty which to regulate my condnct
hereafter. The old militia system has ben
entirely lerangcd Ivy the uIlicers, in most IN
st;lsccc, having accepted service IN othef 1r'
ga.:izatuns, aud rec .Enlen'l that held CHI
re;s IN all the regiments AMI bsttallons OF me
S,a,e be forthwith appointed in order to Ell CT
is speedy ;.n organization aS po>slD1e'
would except from this the fourth brigade oi
the second division, ut least rs Tar a. the CITY
III Charles ton is cnnccrned, because that Pr
lion Of our militia has been preserved, anu Is
now in high state Of drill and thorough or
gGliEstlui-
Since vu,lr extra session. our State LAS
cen invaded by Il powerful and Thoroughly
atm,'d fleet, carrying the heaviest guns. he
c!;aunei through which they entered Is two
ni.s and II half wide, and is the deepest IN
tue Southern Coast In the e.srth.works that
bad en- prer.vd. they were resisted by bravc
nn.l .:erur .neil; but such bal terles We're not
ra.ri, arr,i ~ resist IL hpmbnrdmeht oI tu'ir
III dr,! gu..s. They wrre constructed tn
ll,l narRading parties embracing u limited
number ut vessels.
To nuke the drIsncA OF such a harbor p r
feet, Iurye hpa,ins batteries or gun-boh $,
bearing gums of the heaviest rallote, are c'-
Initial Tue rri,n that the military p'ss''s-
s,uu %; Port Rpysl gives the enemy control
over xiii embrace about six til allsand negro s.,
and prrh4p, four thousand ''ales "f colt'n.
Mos. uf this will te burnt. y true and ln-
ttiutic people will burn their productions and
property rather than it shall fall into the
han,is ui their infamous invaders. These ls-
=l.nIs ate surrounded by arms If the sea, and
were occupied by highly refined and intelii
gen; proprietor They are 50 various AMI
dcracher. that they ure easily invaded BY au
enrinv who have power on the ocean. but, a'
far III military position * involved, their pos
session brings the euemy but very little nearer
IL anv permanent invasion U[ the State. Our
sca.cn:l>t has been pnssrssad, heretofore, b.
threatening foes in our iifSt revolution, ln'i
tarn :.gai.l in eighteen hundred and thirteen.
II
aai vet. notwithstanding we wee much
weaker than ut present, the naughty and de-
ii mt spirit of orr people repeled them from
the interior, and there was no! IN hour or
moment. in our darkest iaJs, when there wa'
the slightest fear as to any permanent cor.
quest of our State.
During the days Of our first war for inde
pcndcncv. South Caroliua had to contend witt.
q ruseriul foreign foe in front, and with fierce
and terrible savage tribes IRON the rear, while.
q, the same time, she lad the bloody and
revenyelul tory around the very hearth.stones
o: our homes, Yet sh, never Iaitered in her
unwarl and daring course. From her sea
coast t. hcr mountains there is scarcely the
distance u: :; Sab5ath-day's journey from one
battlefield 20 another, but wncrc the bones
of our ancestors now lie to mark ont the pia
x,icyI along which their descendants may
march again to independence. We are now
Il united people. From the highest to the
lowest there is one universal, stern, fixed re-
,olre. to make the State vast mausoIeum
for thu. bnnes OF frecmen, rather than hold il as
an inheritance for living bondsmen.
The high-toned and intelligent people oi
our islands, who have been so deeply harrass.
ed, deserve our warrneSt sympathy, and
earnestly urge that everything shall be imme-
diately done, within your proPer jurisdiction,
that can be, to give them all The aid possible.
] recommend that in certain Districts or
Parishes OF the State, that nay be designated,
Provost Marshsls shall be appointed, who will
take command of the ovcr>eers on all planta-
tons in the District or Parish, aud organize
a ssstcm of local police, with strict accounts
bili,y. The Marshals should have power to
administer oatb;, and hold summary juris-
diction over nl slaves aud suspected persons
who may be passing, without ostenslble. occu- !
iatinn or responsible papers; and, upon proper
alfdsvits all such should be committed to
4hc usitary or civil authorities, whenever the
Marshal may think it necessary. He should
put himself in communication, also, with the
comniandant of the nearest military post, and
might have authority to call on all such to
aid him in his police supervision within his
District or Parish. In most Instances, the !
owners of slaves are in the ranks, defending
the country, and they cannot, therefore, ex-
erc;se the ordinary jurisdiction with their |
overseers. The duty Of the Marshal should
be to give that protection to slaves which is
necessary, on account of the absence of their
masters. In many portions of the country,
oil the magistrates are also i'll Tbs army, and
the power to administer oaths aud have sum-
mary jurisdiction is necessary.
The patrol system has likewise been de-
ranged By the breaking up of the beat COM
uanies, and tue proper organization of all
orersecrg, under Provost Marshals, for speci-
fed districts of the country, would provide
substitute fos the present. The Marshals may
not be paid, but agents or assistants might
be; and let the chiefs be selected from men
OF independence and long, high standing. If
sny measure is to be adopted in relation to
this matter, it ought to be done Us soon as
possible, for on the islands of our seacoast
there is at present much confusion, and great
,,acasr;t1y IN, q rtronp police in some shane or