Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1865-12-14

ORDERED 70 bn6 bDSr055iuS sOoHH1ihsoosss-<-
+SaA Bill ato provide for the drawing Of
juries in certain cases" etc., was read q
third time and ordered to the Senate for con.
Mr.. Bsnbov presented the petition Of
sundry citizens of Clarendon District,
praying aid in behalf Of debtors in certain
cases, which was referred to the Judiciary
COMMITTEES. The petition prays ssthat some
action be taken in regard to-, and for the
relief Of debtors where the debt has been
incurred for the purchase of slaves now, set
free. by the United States Government as
we'll lassby the action of our State recently
made In Convention TO enforce the pay
ment Of that olass of debts would operate
most injuriously to aSlarge class whose prop.
isrty has been wrested from them by the
Government under which we live; indeed
such course would not .pniy be injurious,
bat absolutely yTuinous to most of those who
should be involved in it. AS the same time,
we think it would be just aud right that o
fair hire should be allowed from the time
the purchase was made
Mr.. Simonton introduced a Bill to repeal
certain enactments in relation to the banks
Of thisSsats. The Bill provides for the
remission Of all pains, penalties and for
FIXTURES incurred By the banks or their
shareholders BY failure to make payments
in coin, to make returns TO the State, &c.
Referred.
AT the night session the Bill to amend
the criminal Law was passed with some mod
iflcatious, and sent to the Senate.
Mr. Seigling offered resolution that the
Committee on Retrenchments inquire and
report on the propristy Of paying members
only for the time that they may be present.
This resolution is eminently proper, and if
passed viii save some money to the State.
OhThursday, the following Message from
His Excelleney Gov. Orr was read in each
House
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT 8. c.,
49,, =. December S, 1865.
Gentlemen of the, Senate and
~ o. House Of Representatives:
1t is my duty to strecommend to your con-
sideration such measures as I shall judge
necessary or expedient" The messages of
the Provisional Governor, at you special and
regular sessions, have brought to your at
tention many of the subjects meriting your
consideration at the present time. Some,
however, have not been noticed, and others,
in my Judgment, are Of sufficient import
anoe to be reiterated.
:. The people of the State are not in con.
dition TO pay the usual taxes heretofore col.
leeted, and hence the necessity of omitting
all appropriations which the efficient admin.
istration Of the Government does not impe.
riously require. The annual appropriations
for Free Schools and for the Military Acad,
smy, should be suspended for the next year,
and the appropriations for the College, for
Public Buildings, for Contingent Accounts
and Claims, materially reduced. But, with
all the economy that can be praeticed to
keep yonr State Government in operation,
twill require such 9 sum to meet necessa--
~ expenditures, as viii be oppressive on
the people to raise. The Courts can not be
opened if your Judges fail to receive their
salaries. The functions of the Legislative
and Executive Departments Of the Govern,
ment cannot be performed. if their pay is
withheld. When you shall have deter.
mined the amount you intend to appropri.
ate for the fiscal year, how can the money
be raised to meet it? 1t must be done By
taxation or loan. The anamalous situation
10 which we are placed, precmdes the hope
that any loan can be effected without ruin.
ous loss. If this is true, then our only re,
source is taxation.
The Treasury is empty, and taxes win
not be paid into it before the FIRST of June.
How is your Government to be keptin oper.
alton until that time recommend that
the Treasurer be authorized to issue certi-
6cates of Indebtedness, payable to bearer
and receivable in payment of all State taxes.
These certificates will be taken by the cred
itors of the State, and will preserve their
par value, If thesissue is limited to one half
Of the taxes to be levied. BY imposing
this limitation, the public is efectually pro.
tected against redundancy in the issue,
and its redemption is certainly secured
during the fiscal year.
All the direct tax due the Government of
the United States has not yet been paid
The laws of Congress now prohibit the State
from assuming the tax but I feel very con.
ddent that the same privilege will be &C.
corded to South Carolina that has been en-.
joyed by most Of the States of the Union.
I, therefore, recommend that Congress be
memoraiiaed by the Legislature, SO to modi.
fy the existing law as will enable the State
to assume the tax, and that the Secretary
of the Treassry be requested to suspend che
collection of the same until Congress may
have time to consider the application.
You can provide by law, at your present
session, that in the event the privilege is
granted the State, that the Governor be
authorized to consummats the arrangement
with the Treasury Department at Washing
ton. And, in this connection, may bnng
toyour attention the condition of the lands
on and near the seal board, where this direct
tax has been collected. by sales under the
various acts of Congress. Much of the land
in that section has been sold at enormous
sacrifices, and is infinitely more valuable
in amount than the whole tax and, if gen.
eral statements are to be trusted, these
sales have realized for the General Govern