The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1866-09-12

August throughout The State, aS we'll rs nj
unusually short wheat crop, foroshadow 4
gloomy future for the people for tho ncx
year. Coming rs ycu do from every Dis
trict, you have the means Of making an cs
| innate, approXimating accuracy, Of the OK.
tent Of the failure Of the provision crop
and what amount of supplies will bc needed
to save the poor, dependent and helpless
, from starvation ] invite your earnest nn(
prompt consideration Of the subject.
Sound political economy ordinarily con
dcmms the feeding population BY the Gov
, crulncnt, rs the inevitable consequences ar,
OF increase ilcncss, pnupcrism and crime
But where the provision crop Of whole
country is destroyed by blight, or whcr,
production IS suspended hy ioaS continue,
Drought, and the deficiency is traccablc tc
these causes rather than to tho idlcncss
of the population, humanity and sound poll
cy alike justify the Government in lending
OF giving its means to save the people from
starvation-to arrest that increaco Of crime
which want always produces, and to stay
emigration to moro favored localities. The
present population is insufficient TO till tho
soil Of the State, and to develop its rcsourc-
cs; and it is high duty Of the Government
TO remove, rs far as possible, tho necessity
for emigration beyond its borders. Tho
embarrassment Of supplying food for tho
needy will 'bc greatly increased after tho
| first of October, when tho Frccdmcn'd Bu-
rcau will cease to issue rations for The indi-
gent and helpless whit cs md frocdmbn, who
! have been heretofore furnished with subsis-
| tcncc. You may find it rcccsssry to in
| crease Tire powers, duties and responsible
| ties Of the Commissioners Of the Poor, and
to organize such bodies in all Districts Of
| the State. In most Of tho Districts, land
and buildings have heretofore bccn acquir-
cd aud erected for tho whites, but thcy
must be enlarged, so as to provide accom-
moaations for paupcr, idiotic and helpless
| freedmen
Tho failure of tho Board of Commissions
ers Of tho Poor to pl ovide for tho helpless,
is great crime against humanity, and ad-
| aitional penalties should be imposed by law
against such neglect or refusal to perform
properly this philanthropic duty.
] Tho capitation tax imposed by you, at
the last session Of tho Legislature, on freed
men, has not generally been COLLECTED.
| The Comptroller General, following sug-
gc5tion made by mo and approved by tho
| Attorney General, instructed tho Tax-Col-
| cctors not 10 issue executions against tho
| freedmen, for tho onpitation tax, until tho
| present session of the Legislature. This
| was to avoid all conflict with the military
| authorities, arlsing OFT tho fact TINT or
courts were not used for tho protection Of
| the freedmen, md no provision was mado
| for the Helpless. Whcnovor your lcgisla-
| lion RENTS tho custody Of persons Of color
| to tho State laws, these executions may be
issued. Proper diligence Of the Shcrifls
will enforce tho satisfaction Of most Of these
executions, md the fund may then bo ap-
propriatcd exclusively to the support Of tho
class from which il is derived.
| If you should in your wisdom, determine
| Ia IN l,tJ pl,utu
| tcncc for The indigcnt white aud colorcl,
the Scycral Boards Of Commissioners Of
| tho Poor, would be, perhaps, tho best agents
| for its distribution.
/ TO meet my appropriation made, thcro is
no resource available, and tho funds can
| only be raised by issuing and selling State
bonds, The credit OF tho State has hereto
|. foro been untalnislted, and reasonable
hope is entertained that bonds issued for
| such purpose will command nearly par,
in the money markets Of tho United States
| or Europe.
AS the present is called session, and
you my desire TO return to your homes at
|ahc earliest day compatible with your public
duties, shall defer, until the regular ses-
sion, bringing to your attention tho general
| financial condition Of The State, or making
! any recommendation for putting II on q safo
and satisfactory basis. Undor the 0uthori-
| ty Of your Act authorizing tho issyo of bills
| receivable, in payment Of tho indebtedness
| Of the Stalo, the Treasurer had engraved
and printed bills to tho amount Of $4,000
and ka5 Tnid out, 10 tho public officers and
Other creditors Of tho Stato,. only $l60,Q00.
returns, and tho legal tender United States
| notes paid into tho Treasury, together will,
| !!Lc bills receivable not yot issued, will en-
| able lis operations to be eonduolcd without
embarrassment until your regular session.
| OF The bills issued, they have already been
redeemed III payment of taxes, S72, 900.
| No appropriation was made to dcfray the
expenses Of engraving and printing the
| billy, but the Treasurer, setting upon my ro-
| commendation, advanced tho expenses
| incurred from procccds Of tho loan Hereto
paid by him, was 81, 436.l2. ] recommend
| That an appropriation be made TO cover this
| amount.
:. .Iflho TreasurcrIhnd declined to make tho
payment in advance of tho appropriation,
| the Act GpYld not have been carried into;
execution, Without Converting on cxtra sos
sion ofthc General Assembly.
! Al tho last session Of the General As
senbly, "full power and authority" Was
given the Governor TO make "such rcgula-
tions rs in his opinion might bo necessary to
| pFSfCHt CNtIuuCE uIu bpTouu W fpolutiO
cholera In this State" Ih February last,
opcncd correspondence with Major-Gono.
raj Sicklcs, with reference TO tho establish
mont nfa rigid quarantine overall theseaports
in Tho State, which resulted in tho military
authorities undertaking to establish and on
force proper quarantine regulations. am
happy TO sny TO you Fhat tho duties. under
orders from General Sickles, have beon Well
| performed, aud not single oaso OF cholera
or yellow feyer has occurred within the
limits Of tho State.
/ The work of organization and recon
sruction is progressing slowly, but steedilyt
! 0"r Senators and Representatives haye not
| boon admitted to seats in the Federal Con-
| gress, and wo hayo rccetved no relaxation
| from oherous taxation, notwithstanding wo
have been denied representation. II 10 bo
lieved, however, that our fellow-oitizens IN
the North and West will not much longer
lpormit this fagrant injustice 10 BIO contin-.
Aled. rho state Government Is entirely re-
organized law Courts held their rsgn.
lar sessions In tho spring and dospatciisd
much business, which has boon accumulas:
ing for years, and very generally cleared
| tho criminal dockots. The Courts Of Chape
cory hayo also been regularly hold on all
tho circuits. The machinery of justico isin
| full operation, and private rights and pub