The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-07-11
GOV. sCOTT's MEssAeE-Cono1udcd

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that "the General Assemble sbaIi
provide by law for q uniform and
equal rate of assessment and taxo-
ton" ard defines the powers of tba
corporate authorities of counties.
cities, towns, &C., and authorizes
them to assess and collect taxes for
corporate purposes. The assessed
value of the real estate of South
Carolina in 1860 was $129, ITO. 6S4.
This value has, of course, been ma
terially lessened by the violent con
vuls1ons to trade and the industrial
interest OF the people during the past
seven years, yet it serves to indicate
that with every allowance for the
known reduction in the market value
OF our real estate, that even upon q
minimum assessment of values, it
will form an important basis of taxa
ton and of the financial resources of
the State.
COUNTY TREASURES AND AUDITORS.
In this connection, I would recon-
mend that the General Assembly will
provide by law for the creation of the
offices of County Treasurer and
County Auditor, to be appointed in
such manner as your hon orable BODY
shall direct. These officers should be
placed under ample bonds for the
safe keeping AND faithful return of
all moneys of the State and County
that may, at any time, come into
their possession. The County Audi
tors will be the clerks of the several
Boards of County Commissioners.
and will make up and audit the ac-
counts between the County and the
taxpayers and the State, and exa-
mine and countersign the necessary
drafts upon the County Treasurers.
DIVISION OF THE COUNTIES.
l. respectfully Recommend that YOU
will provide, at your present session,
for the division of the larger Conn-
ties of the State. According to the
United States Census of 1860, South
Carolina has an area of "a, 500 square
miles, with population of 7O3, 7O8,
or near fifteen persons to the square
mile. AS the State is divided into
thirty-one Counties, these figures
show that the average area. of our
Counties is about 500 square miles.
while several of them actually EN-.
brace m area of more than / 800
square miles. In the present condi-
ton of our public roads, with many
OF the streams unbridged, and with
the few facilities for travelling pos
sessed by the most of our people, the
great distance of the County seat
and records from those living upon
the border of one of those large
Counties, entails the most serious in
convenience upon them.
In view of the necessity of q new
geographical sub division of the
State, article 2, section 3, of the Con
stitution, provides "That the Gene
raj Assembly shall have tho power, at
any time, to organize new Counties
by changing the boundaries of any of
the old ones, but no new County
shall be hereafter formed of less ex.
tent than CPS square miles, nor shall
any existing Counties be reduced to
less extent than 625 square miles.
Each County shall constitute one
election district" suggest that 625
square miles, or twenty townships.
be made the maximum area of any
new County that may he hereafter
formed.
PUBLIC ROADS AND BRIDGES.
view of the very bad condition of
our public roads and bridges, I re-
commend that the General Assembly
will provide by law, for the sub divi-
sion Of each County, into road dis
tricts, and for the appointment of
competent persons, as supervisors of
such districts, under the direction of
the County Commissioners. These
supervisors of roads should rcccivea
reasonable per diem when actually
employed, and the County Commits
sioners should be empowered to re-
quire that each ablc-bodied citizen,
between the ages of twenty ono and
fifty five, shall give his labor rea-
sonable number of days in the year,
to be fixed by law, for working the
public roads, or shall pay in lieu
thereof certain sum.
1t should also be provided, that the
County Commissioners may be held
responsible in damages for any injury
to persons or property, that may ac-
crue to any citizen, because of their
failure to keep the roads and bridges
in good and safe repair.
JUDICIARY.
Article Of our Constitution. pro-
vides for the reorganization of the