Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1866-12-06
Dolhttal.
GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,

House of Representatives
Yourauuua assembling at the seat Of
Government, has been the occasion of con.
graduation by the Executive, upon the con-
tinued happiness, prosperity and improve
ment of the Commonwealth. regret that
no such greeting can be extended to you on
the present occasion. We no longer hear
the clash of arms, nor the tread of hostile
armies, and our people have escaped the
scourge of that terrible disease, which revels
in the shocking carnival of death Whilst
the general health has not been good, the
viruence and ualignity of disease have
been mitigated, and comparatively small
fatality has visited the sick room. For
these blessings, our thanks are due the
great Ruler of the Universe. In the depths
of humiliation and contrition, let US invoke
Him to avert the evils that are upon us-to
stay the hand of our prosecutors, to turn a.
way the wrath, and bring to nought the
couusels of those who would oppress and
destroy US, and to restore to US the happi.
ness and prosperity of former years.
The toll of the husbandman has brought
him a scanty return from his 6elds-the
grain crop is aarmingly small-the cotton
crop, in many portions of the State, will not
suffice to furnish the means of supplying
provisions-our population, white and col,
ored, are abandoning their old homes and
country, and are emigratiug to strange
places, where they can find bread. With
the loss of labor, OUT farms must dilapidate,
our fields remain untitled, our granaries
continue empty, and our progress in devel-
oping the resources of the State must be
arrested. The failure of the earth to make
o generous return TO the toll of the husband.
man, causes the goods of the merchant to
rest unsold on his shelves-and keeps the
tool of the mechanic idle-the learning of
the professional man useless. The political
condition of the country-the intolerance
of our ouuquerors- prescription to which
we are subjected, by those who should be
our loving brothers, and who WELD the des'
TIMES of this great nation--these evils in
timidate capital, paralyze enterprise, disor-
ganize labor, and destroy hope aud conf
dence. The enormous tax on cotton dis
courages production, and aggraVates the Fl.
nancial embarrassment of the people.
Never, therefore, 10 the history of the
State, has Legislature assembled under
less favorable auspices, to provide for the
wants of an impoverished and disheartened
constituency.
But these extraordinary embarrassments
must be met with wisdom, patience and
courage, with energy and hope, and manly
resolve to subdue and overcome them. We
must keep our population here-we must
provide for their present necessities-we
must stimulate our white population to 60
earnestly to work, and let them see that Ia
Dor is honorable, and idleness reprehensi
Bile. Entering new year with this fixed
determination, our fields will be better cu'
tivated, and the next harvest time will find
our garners we'll filled with the products Of
the soil. The staple crops will be more a
buudaps, and the financial embarrassments
of the people will, by consequence, be great,
ly relieved. Let us cherish hope and prac.
tice such industry as shall merit the fulfill
meut of these anticipations.
therefore proceed to make such recon-
mendations as will, in nv judgment, pro,
mote the interests Of our common coustitu
enoy.
DISTRICT COURTS.
The third Article of the Constitution of
this State, in the third paragraph of the
first Section, directs that "tbe General AS
sembly shall as soon as possible, establish,
for each District in the State, an inferior
Court or Courts, to be styled the District
Court'-the Judge whereof shall be resi-
dent in the District, while in Office be re-
eligible-which Court shall have jurisdic-
tiou of all causes wherein one or both pa.-
ties are persons Of color, and of all criminal
cases, wherein the accused is person of
color and the General Assembly is empow.
cred to extend the jurisdiction of the said
Court to other subjects" tits unfortunate
that this clause was inserted in the Consti-
tuition. The first paragraph of the Section
declares, that the judicial power shall be
vested in such superior and inferior Courts
of Law and Equity as the General Assem-
bly, shall, from time to time, direct and es'
tablish :" and this is sufficiently compre-
hensive to authorize the establishment of
any inferior Court which the wisdom of the
General Assembly may determine, whether
it be Police, District, County or Magis-
trate's Court. Here, the largest discretion
is given to you and such tribunals may be
established as experience or necessity may
dictate but the clause already quoted re-
ouires the General Assembly to "establish
District Courts" and these Courts must be
continued until the Constitution is amend.
ed in the prescribed manner, or the iustru-
mept itself will be violated. In order that
the largest discretion may be allowed the
General Assembly, in devsiDg the best ju-
dietary system to meet our wants in the re-
Gently changed relations of society, recon-
mend that the present General Assembly
provide for an amendment of the Constl'
tuition, BY striking out the third paragraph
in the Article aforesaid. The next Genera
Assembly can consummate the amendment
IL T .-;.lo,,ro ,y;ll ho loft with