Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1866-09-14


! Government. ns the inevitable consequences
are to nrrrnsc idlrncsa, pauper;sm aud crime
l;ut where the provision crop OF II whole cnun
Try is destroyed by blight, or where pro,luc
tion is suspended hy long continued drought,
a"'! The deficiency is trnccnble To these causes
rather than to the ilcncs, Of the population
humanity md sound policy alike Justify tlo
Government in lending or giving its means 10
gave tho people frcm stnrvutinn-to nrr, st that
increase Of crime, which want always rr0dr.
ccs and 10 stay emigration to more favored To-
eaIitns Tie present roru1, is Insufficient
to till the soil Of tie State ond to develop its
resources; and it is q high duty of the Gov
"rn:,"mt 10 remove, MS far rs possible the ne
'e>:iiy for emigration beyond its borders. The
embarrassment Of supplying food for the needy
VIII hc greatly Increased after the first of Oco-
Der, when the Frecdmcns bureau will ccase to
issue r"liuns for the iHdigcnt and helpless
whites and irrcdmcu. who have Encn hereto
fore furnished with subsistence. You may find
1t nccessary 10 increase the powers duties and
responsibilities Of the Commissioners If the
f""r, "hd 10 "rgan ize such bodies in all Dis
ircts @: the State. In inuSt of the Districts
land md buildings have heretofore been nc--
CURED and erected for the whites, but they
mnst l." enlarged, 50 rs to provide nccommo-
dations fer pauper, iIio;ic and helpless freed
rlcn.
The failure Of the Boards of Commissioners
Of the Poor TO provide for the helpless is Il
great crime against humanity, aud additional
penalties should DC imposed by law agains.
such neglect or refusal to perform property
trs rhilanthropic duty.
The capitalism tax imposed by you, nt the
last session of the Legislature on free ed:ucn has
not generally been collected. The Comr,rol
ler-Gencral, following suggestion made by
me and approved bv the Attorncy.Generai
instructed the Tax-Cullcctors not to issue ex-
ecutions against the freedmen, for the capita.
tion tax, until the present session of The Lrgis-
lature. This was to avoid nll conflict with The
Military authorities, arising out Of the fact that
our courts were not used for the protection Of
the freedmen. and no provision was made for
the support of the iniirm and helpless. When
ever your legislation RENTS the custody OF
persons of c"ior to tho State laws. these cXccu-
tions may he issued. Proper diligence by tho
SheriiIs will enforce the satisfaction Of most OF
these executions, and the fund may then bo
appropriated exclusively to the support of the
class from which it is derived.
If You should, i'll your wisdom, determine to
make an appropriation 10 buy subsistence for
the INDECENT white and colored, the several
Boards Of Commissioners of the Poor, would
be, perhaps the best agents for its dlstriLu!-
ton.
To meet any appropriation made, there is no
resource available and tho funds can only DO
raised by issuing snd selling State bonds. Tho
credit OF the State has heretofore been untar.
nshed, and n reasonable hope is entertained
that bonds issued for such purpose will COM
mand nearly par in the money markets of the
United States or Europe.
As the present is n called session, and YOU
may desire 10 return to your homes ut the ear.
liest day compatible with your public duties, I
shall defer, until the regular session. bringing
to your attention the general financial condf-
ton Of the State, or mnking any recommenda.
basis. Under the authority Of your Act nu-
thorlzing the issue of bills receivable, in pay
mcnt OF the Indebtedness, Of the State, the
Treasurer had engraved and printed bills TO
the amount of S390,00O, and has paid ont, TO
the public officers and other creditors Of tho
State, only Sl50,00O. Most Of the Tax Collec-
tors have made their returns, and the legal
tender United States notes paid into the Treas
ury, together with the bills receivable not vet
Issued, will enable its operations 10 he conduc-
ted without embarrassment until your regular
session. Of the bills issued. there have AREA
dy been redeemed. in payment Of taxes, S72,-
600. No appropriation was mado to defray
the expenses Of engraving and printing the
bills, hut tho Treasurer, acting upon my recon-
mendation, advanced the expenses incurred
from proceeds Of the loan heretofore autho-
lied to be made. The amount paid by him
was &4,436.l2. / recommend that an appre-
printion be mnde to cover this amount.
If the Treasurer had declined to make tho
payment in advance'of the appropriation, the
Act could not have been carried into execu-
tion, without convening m extra session of the
General Assembly.
full power and authority was given tho Gov
ernor 10 make "such regulations as in his opin-
ion might be necessary to prevent the entrance
and spread Of Asiatic cholera in this State"
In February last. opened correspondence
with Mnjor-G General Sickles, with reference to
the establishment of rigid quarantine at all
the seaports in the State, which resulted in the
military authorities undertaking to establish
and enforce proper quarantine regulations.
nm happy TO cay to You that the dnties under
orders from General Sickles have been we'll
performed, and not n single case Of cholera or
the State. a.fa. r.; ..-s.f..,,, ego. -, .,,,.t
The work Of re organization and reconstruc.
tion is progressing slowly, but steadily. Our
Senators and Representatives have not been
admitted to seats in the Federal Congress, and
we have received no relaxation from onerous
MED representation. It is bslived. however,
that our fellow:c citizens In the North andsWess
will not much longer permit this aagrant IN
justice 10 be continued. TheState Government
Is entirely resorgsnizsd fhe law Courts held
their regular sessiobsin the spring, and sades2
mulating for years, and very generally. cleared
the criminal doekets. The Courts Of Chaneory
have also been en1ariy held on ali tie 'cisst
ouitsg The machinery Of justice 10 in full opss
Grafton, apd private rishts and public sSrongs
can be enforced and punished. 49,
However much all may depiore that the pro-
gress Of tho State has ssardedj and lbs pIba-
perity psralyzed by loss Of fortune apdfqreflikv
and by SHORT ,arops. itlss wise and manlY eShgss
for oar people % 10 redouble their essfg
banish upavailing regrets eet adyssssa With
astout hears'and brave hauds,,and thr6ughthb
approving smiles Of graciepss sHsAyan, our ven.
cradle mother will sgsip; be- sszProspsrons, aud
her children contented and happy. 7"'i4