The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1865-11-11

ne mas never held or sought office under
any power inimical to the United States
that he has given NO aid, counsel or eoun.
tsnance 10 Peroons in hostility to the United
States and that he has not yielded vol.
untaIy support to any authority hostile to
the Onitsd States. il this oath is TO be
applied to members Of Congress, it will, of
course. excl uds all from South Carolina.
IL may, with truth, be said, that no man in
South Carolina can take It without commit
ting perjury. But the Constitution of the
United States prescribes an oath for mem.
bsn OF Congress to take, and they cannot
be required 10 take any other oath consti-
tutionally. If the Southern members are
present when the roll is called BY States,
they will take part in the organization of
The House, and may vote against the oatn
being rendered 10 the members when tney
are sworn.
, The Convention di ided the State Into
| four Congressional Districts, which you will
respect and recognize as election Districts.
II will be your duty, also, nj some conven-
lent and proper time, during your extra
session, to elect two United States Senators.
| to represent the State of South Carolina in
the Senate Of the United States. There are
now two vacancies in that body from South
| Carolina lu the organization of the Senate
OF the United States into three classes, the
| Senators from South Carolina were drawn
in the second and third classes. The sec
| ond class seat 70. South Carolina became
vacant on the third Of March, 1866, and
your election to fill that vacancy will be for
six years from that date. Tho third class
| seat became vacant on the third Of March,
1851, and your election will be for the m
expired term of that vaca ucy, which will be-
till third Of March, 1867.
| The subject Of finance 10 ono Of great
embarrassment and serious difficulty at this
time in South Carolina, and will require
great wisdom and sagasity 10 your Iegisia.
ton. The people ars in q most destitute IL
condition, without money, and without the
means OF paying their taxes, Their gold
and silver were exported during the war as
| q species Of commerce. The State banks
are all brokens and their bills have ceased
to circulate. The Confederate money, with
which the country was inundated, 10 utterly
worthless. The Federal currency is inac.
cessible TO our people. Their cotton has
been destroyed, asd their provisions con.
sumed by the armies, and they have moth.
ing to procure money with. Under these
circumstances, II would DO well FOR you to
consider whether or not IL 10 possible to de
fray the necessary expenses ofths State by
issuing aud selling State bends, % as to
avsid levyiug any tax during tho ensuing
year. The present Indebtedness Of the
State 10 not large, aid her credit ought to
be such a. 10 secure the sale Sf her bonds
At fair prices. If you conclude to raise
msnsy 10 this way, you ought to include
the payment OF the direct tax, and which
South Carolias new ewes the United States.
snd which her citizens will sooa Do called
upon TO pay.
| Il 10 impor tant that the courts Of justice
In this State should DO once more fully
opened. civil law restored and properly ad
ministered. This cannot be done ill you
0ll the several vacancies ON the bench. You
will have TO elect . Chief Justice Of the
State, two law Judges aud one Chancellor
The Act to prevent the collection of
debts, known a. the stay law, was wholly
unnecessary nj the time il was passed, bat
10 now . matter Of primo necessity 10 the
community. This Act should bs continued,
with permission, however, to collect the
interest On debts due. There are many
widows snd minor children whose sole sub
sistence dePends On the pay ment Of interest
due them on their estates.
The 70 organization Of the militia 10 q
; measure Of the highest Importance, under
existing cirsumstancea | have received
Information frsu the Secretary Of State at
Washingtoa, that as soon as our State
Government is organized, all the Federal
troops would be Withdrawn from South
Carolina. We must then rely on he mill
la for the projection Of the State aqains,
insurrection and domestic viole nee. Il L. q
matter Of serious consideration, however
whether We should not desire to retain, FOL
J the present, portion Of the Federal troops
10 the State. The freedmen and solored
people look TO these troops - their friend,
asd protector, and wsuid be much les,
likely to have any co1,ission with them thar
with the militia. The colsred Rarrisons
J which were at ore time stationed through
out the county. have done Infinite mischief
BY inducing The negroes to believe that al
the lands Of their former owners were e
Se divided out amongst them. Thls ha,
made them discostented and unwilling 4
msks contracts tor the ensuing year. /,
many portions Of the State, there are seri
Gus aPPrehsssiSns Of disturbance at the be
ginning Of the sext year. Strong garrison,
ou4ht 10 be eootin aed In Charlsston Reau