The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1863-09-30
Legislature Of South Carolina.
CALLED SEssIos OF SEPTEMBER, 1863
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER %.

SExATE.-The Senate met ,hi, day, at
IL O'Clock. The President, Hon. VIM. ID.
Porter, 10 the Chair. The Clerk read the
proclamation Of the Governor calling this
session. After which, the following new
Senators appeared and were qualified: }. ID.
Pope, Thos u. Bacon, and Is 5. Jones.
messrs. Moses, Manning and Lescsne
were appointed Committee to wait on the
Governor, and inform him that The Senate
had organized, and was ready to receive any
communication from him.
The following message was received
from his Excellency the Governor:
EIEcuI1yx DEPARTMExT,
Columbia, Sept. 81. 1853.
Gentlemen Of The 'Sendls
snd iouse Of Repressnfntires:
Tho day for your annual meeting is 90
near at hand that ! should not have invoked
you again In extra session, but for " what |
deem pressing emergency admitting Of no
delay. The progress Of the war for the
last few months has not been favorable to
oar arms. The brilliant repul.e Of the enc
my's ironclad feet on the 7th of April last
ln Charleston atbor, hns bsrn succesdsd
by the fall Of Vicksburg and Port Hudson
our retirement from P-nnsylvan MARY.
land and Tennessee. and also by our evacu.
alton Of Morris Island, but not without q
stubborn resistance by the brave garrisons
OF Wagner and Gregg, under fire from
naval and land batteries such Hs no works
have ever before withstood. Fort Sumter
still holds out with an infantry garrison
which haa rscently achieved q briliian, sue.
cess. Her noble ruins afford the best proofs
OF the indomitabls courage Of the officers
and men Of the first South Carolina Artil
lery. Our msIignant foe 10 now erecting
on Morris Island powerful batteries OF Par
Sott guns, and repairing his damaged fleet,
preparatory TO another and more determin
ed attack upon our harbor outposts, whilst
his land forces are being increased with the
hope, possibly, Of carrying Chaslss,on in n
combined attack by land and sea. The call
Of the President for five thousand troops
for six months service within the State.
beginning the frat Of August last, has been
promptly responded TO, with the exception
OF hve companies, now in process Of organ
iIation. This requisition and the enforce.
}nent Of the Conscription Act TO forty Eve,
embracing almost the entire population be
tween the ages Of forty and fhy, 80 impairs
tho efficiency Of oar militia organization
that ind 1t impractieAbls to obtain readily
\ force adequate 10 such emergency as
seem likely 10 DO upon ~. To meet theSs
emergencies have endsav ored. under your
late Act aud tho ACT Of lS4I, 10 raiss a
volunteer force Of one mounted repiment,
two companies Of cavalry, and one battery
OF artillery. for service uhersysr in the
Stats they may be needed. This force has
not been ipromptly raised ~ tbs occasion
requires, and ] have therefore felt il my du.
sy to again convene your bodies, and 10 70.
commend 10 you that you devise such plap,
40 10 your visdom may scem sxpedient, for
furnishing for immediate asryics . mjl;tary
force Of st least two regiments Of infsntry,
one OF which should be- mounted, and q
proportion ate force Of cavalry and artillery
Also, that tho law be- % amended as 10
plscs 10 some military organization, for the
defence OF the State, every able bodied cili.
Zen between the ages Of sixteen and sixty,
not In Confederate sesvios or Otherwise 10.
galIy exempted. The immediate danger to
bs spprshende1 arises from raidjpg parties
Of the enemy, who may dash suddenly into
the State from Tennessee, through upper
Georgia, or the passes of the mountains Of
North and South Carolina. Should the on .
emy in large force attempt invasion from
these sections, the Confederate Government
will, no doubt, sford adequate protection.
Bot, 10 rePsi raids and 70 protect our hrs-