The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1868-07-22
Anoerse1l yntelligentu,
Wednesday Morning, July 22nd.
TO TIE PEOPLE OF SOUTH
CAROLINA.

tered upon the discharge OF ths uuCies VI
Chief Magistrate of South Carolina, pur-
ant to the provisions of the Constitution
,.,,tcd by a Convention IN September,
: This Convention was called by a
..lanation. of Provisional Governor
errv, he having been appointed to that
,osition by.President johnson, the July
preceding.
Upon what principle the President de
Jared that the Constitution of force at the
close of the war was valid, and by virtue
Of what authority he could order the for
nation of a new Constitution, has not been
very we'll defined. Nevertheless, as we
were just emerging from revolution, and
As the scheme OF restoration proposed by
the President appeared to be liberal and
,ast, it was accepted by the people OF
south Carolina, and by DO one OF her clti-
zens more heartily than by myself That
plan, however, failed as indicated by the
vote of the people in 1866. A new one
was adopted by Congress, and the ques-
tion presented to the then existing Execu-
t..e Of tie Southern States was whether
81 would advise its acceptance or rejec-
t.o. adyised its acceptance. My Off
,&i -,aciions having now terminated, I
leenl the present a proper occasion to
lrief.Y resiew what has been done in the
State during my administration-to pre-
sent some Of the reasons which have in
iuenced my official action, and to express
tbs opinions entertained by me as to the
proper line of policy in the future.
ntil the General Assembly in Novem-
3e-, 1865, the State had been for many
nl@1ths entirely under the jurisdiction of
r-oyost courts and military commissions.
i civil court had met to administer law
or Justice in South Carolina for more than
twelve nonths, preceding. Outlaws
abounded in many localities; depredations
were of daily occurrence, and desperadoes
roamed over the land detying the military
and outraging the persons and property of
citizens It was not until the succeeding
Spring that the judges resumed their
places upon the bench, courts were held,
criminals brought to trial and punishment,
and civil law, to certain extent, was re-
stored. Citizens then became more as
sured Of protection and the prospect of
material progress and improvement hourly
frightened The public institutions were
revived The South Carolina College was
converted into University, re-organized
and placed in successful operation. The
Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb and the
Blind, was re-opened and continued in op-
Grafton until the exhaustion Of the fund
appropriated by the Legislature. "A peni-
tentiary was ordered to be established,
and rapid progress has been made in its
construction. a large nun nber Of convicts
are already inearcerated in the prison,
earning their subsistence and relieving the
State from the expense Of maintaining
them in ideness in the jails. The new
State House has been enclosed and cover
ed, thus protecting structure, which has
cost an immense sum OF money, from fur
cher deterioration and decay. Court
houses have been placed in proper repair,
or new ones erected, and the jails destroy
ed by fires have been rebuilt. The Libra
ry of the Court of Appeals, together with
the Legislative Library, which were de-
stloyed by the condagration of February,
sos, are again filling up with those vol
mes so essential to the judge and legisla-
in the performance OF their duties, the
: ecutivss of the various States of the
N having generously responded to the
= .t.est that they would furnish duplicate
Jies of such books as could be convent
=atly spared from their respective collec
ions. Tho Executive Departments have
,een thoroughly reorganized, and are in
6iccessful operation, and the records and
archives of the State which were not de-
.troyed by fire or lost by the casualties
of war, have been re-arranged for the pub
lie convenience. Artificial legs have been
furnished to nearly all of the citizens Of.
South Carolina who lost their limbs du-
ing the war; All the important railroads
II the State which were torn up aud de-.
stroyed towards the close OF the war have
been repaired, and the lines are now in
successful opperation and prepared to IA
cil:tate the commercial intercourse of the
:; =.rior with the seaboard, the North, and
" =. foreign nations. Repeated remon-
st-~G .es made against the illegal and op-
=s-i2e conduct Of Treasury agents have
-ecysei ti.e restitution. Of much property
:clonglng 30 the citizens which had beer
seized, ostensiby y, for the use Of the Gov
srlia.ent, and the obnoxious parties were
1866, and up to April, 1867, there was lit
tie o. co interference by the military au-
thoritiss with the civil administration of
jrstice in this State. In consequence of
Il failure OF the provision crop of 1866
sppeals were addressed to every section
u, the North and West for corn and other
provisions to supply the destitute, who
we're numbered by thousands. These APP
peals were generously responded to, and
through this Department u large quantity
of corn and bacon was distributed during
the Spring and Summer of 1867, thereby
al!iev;ating the suferings Of a multitude,
many OF whom would probably have
starved but for these generous donations.