New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-07-14
MESSAGES OF SOUTHERN GOVERNORS.


Gov. Robert X. Scott of South Carolina
sent his first message to the Legislature of the State
Monday of last week. The document commences as fol
bws:
For the first time in the history of South Carolina her
General Assembly has convened under OOnsqtC on
class by which the few governed the many, has gone
tutlOns been founded the broad basis that all
governments derive their just powers from the consent
the vast majority of the of South Carolina guar
antees to the citizen every privilege consistent with the
safety State and invests the State with pre-
rogatve inconsistent with the rights Of the citizen
Sound policy and correct principle thus unite IN our 20
Htca system and 10 Will be your duty as IL VIII doubt
less be your chief am so 70 egsae that the public laws
and administration OF the state shall not discredit the
Constitution under which you have assembled The OBJ
ec OF all legislation should be the greatest good TO the
Therefore REQUIRED at Your hands and have no doubt
that each and every class and locality in the state Will
receive their due share Of public favor from your honor
able bodies
The valid debt Of the State exclusive Of the debt
is according to the message about $55OOOOO The Gov
ernor recommends the liquidation Of the State Bank and
that responsible bank be designated depository fen
the funds Of the State regard to taxation and assess
ments Gov. Scott says:
1t is your delicate and important duty to adjust
system Of taxation that the enterprise OF the capital
list shall not be depressed by imposing upon him undue
burdens, while at the same time every class OF real ana
personal property shall be required to aid IN the support
that its Condition demands. In this You will
be guided by Section sc, Article l, OF our
pety subject taxation shall be taxed proportion to
It's value Each individual in society has right TO be
according to standing laws He should, therefors con
tribute his share tOthe expense OF his protection IN
wife your attention to Article OF the Constitution, which
provides that The General Assembly shall provide by
law for uniform and equal rate Of ana taxa
of counties cities, towns &c. and authorizes them 10 as
aud collect for corporate purposes. The
sessed value real estate Of South Carolina 1860
was tl29,772684. This value has, OF course, been
years. yet 1t serves 10 indicate that with every al
lOwance for the known reduction in the market value OF
real estate that even upon minimum assessment Of
values 1t will form an important basis OF taxation and Of
the financial resources OF the State.
Gov recommends the early reorganization Of the
judiciary the extension Of the jurisdiction of justices OF
the peace and thar a statute Of fraud aud statute
OF limitations be enacted by the Legislature He speaks
sensby relative to educational advancement in the
State, and thus refers to the subject Of agriculture
The concentration Of labor and capital upon one pro
duct and that too extremely liable 70 the varying haz
ards OF the seasons and the worm has retarded the ag
cultural prosperity OF south carolina ana OF the entire
South The true safety OF the farmer lies in the cultiva
ton OF several products that although the may
DO unproptous for one he may preserve the other lie
should not initiate the unwise merchant who embarks
his all. though uninsured in single ship. The mpOlicy
OF concentrating so large portion OF aooI upon cOtton
instead Of dividing among mixed crops OF corn wheat
4 best illustrated by the following facts,
drawn from the census OF 1900 ana me 70
port the United States Commissioner OF Agriculture for
1855 The cotton crop Of Georgia the empire state OF the
SOUTH in 1850 was 70 $40 bales yielding little more than
t3OVOJtvV, Whllo buttSi VI III
several products OF the dairy estimated at $6OOO0
Yet the census gives to NewYork but 409 farmers and
farm abOrers and TO Georgia, including white farmers
and farm aborer and only me mates Of NE slaves 3l6478
persons engaged in agriculture Should the female slaves
e. moulded Georgia would have actually had larger
number OF farm aborers than the State Of NewYOrk.
Beside the other dairy products, milk and cheese, and
me Multitude OF smaller products OF the farm the prn
cipa crops make IN value an astounding aggregate Thus,
I'M 1854 the corn crop Of HewYork was estimated at
s 600 600 the wheat at $25 100000 the oats at $50 O0OO
notatoes al 100000 and hay al 600 Including
the pnor cereals the products OF orchards ana gardens
fhe production OF beef and mutton from pasturage and
great variety Of miscellaneous products the currency
value of the agricultural productions 81 TINS one
STATE In the YEAR was far greater than the money
returns OF any cotton crop produced In THIS eoun-
try. aud the gold value Of such products would De
greater than the gold value Of half the cotton crop OF
seO the largest ever made in the United States Ihese
grand EesEs are net due 70 any superiority u sou VI