The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1868-07-22
f-JsOyERNoR oRRsLAsT COMMUNICA.
TIoN TO THE LEGISLATURE.
CONCLUDED FROM LAST WEEKS zss0E.
RESIDENCE OF THE GOVERNOR.

former Constitution, an appropriation Oh
$500 was annually made, doubtless to pay
the house rent Of the Executive during
the session of the Legislature-it being
the custom of the Governors Of the State
: to reside at their respective homes, ex-
Dept on this occasion.
:. In most of the States, Executive man.
z.sions have been erected and furnished for
j, the use Of Governors and the clause re-
ferred to ip the new Constitution, renders
it necessary that some provision of the
kind should be made in the State. Either
the salary or the appropriation for house
rent should be materially increased, or a
residence should be provided and furnish
ed for the Governor. The latter course
may be adopted at a comparatively small
cost Phe State owns S large, commodi-
GUS and handsomely finished building, sit
uated upon Arsenal HiH-a ocation which
commands picturesque view of the city,
and the valleys of the Congaree, Broad
and Saluda Rivers for many miles; q
beautiful grove is in front of the house ;
the out-buildings are convenient and am
pie, and the adjacent grounds, embracing
some eight acres, will furnish sufficient
spacefor gardens, &c.
I recommend that this edi6ce be set
apart as the Executive Mansion of South
Carolina, and that an appropriation be
made to enclose the premises, to furnish
the. honse, and to make such changes as
may be necessary to adaptit it to the use of
the Governor.
-. THE sURvEYoR-aENERAL.
The public lands owned by the State,
have all long since been granted to lndi-
viduals, and. the practice now prevailing
of regrantng the same lands over and
oyer again. can only have the effect Of in
creasing litigation among the citizens.
l., therefore, recommend that all laws
authorizing the grant of lands in this State
be repealed All of the proper functions
of the Surveyor-Gencral in this State have
ceased, except the issuing of commissions
to deputy surveyors in the different Dis
tritts, and thus making out and certifying
copies Of grants and plats recorded in his
office These duties may very well be
performed by the Secretary q :he State
and the office abolished. Ali OF the re-
cords and papers on file should be trans
fe..red to the Office of the Secretary OF
State, and the latter officer be. authorized
by law to discharge the duties incident
thereto, and charge the fees authorized
bylaw for his services.
In this connection, l call the attention
,of-the GeneralsAssembly to the fact that
the present fee bill was adopted many
Years ago. and that all the fees require
revision, and some of them material re-
duction.
THE CRIMINAL LAW.
The codi6cation of the criminal law of
The State is very necessary, not so much
for the purpose of declaring additional or
defining existing offences as for the pur-
pose of prescribing some uniform scheme
Of punishment adapted to the various
crimes and misdemeanors. Quite num-
Der of offences are punishable by death,
which, since the establishment of the Pen
itentiary, might be punished, by imprls-
onmont, at fard labor, in that institution.
Murder, arson, and one or two other crimes
of the greatest gravity, are exceptions !;
but there is no doubt that the incarcera-
ton within the walls of . State Prison
will be an adequate pnnishmentfor crimes
of lesser magnitude. A general codiiica-
ton of all of the laws OF the State, civil
and criminal, supervised by lawyers OF
ability, would prove a great blessing to
the people, and at least place the statute,
ry law within reach of every intelligent
man in the State. This sill be work of
time, but it cannot be proceeded with ut
too early day:
sHER1FFs.
There is an evil which has grown to
such magnitude within the last two
wears, that some remedy is absolutely
necessary. The number of escapes OF
prisoners from the various jaiis OF the
State, during this period, has been nearly
400. The result is due partly to the in
security of the buildings and partly TO
the neglect of the Sheriffs and jailors
having them in charge. The Commis-
sioners OF Public Buildings should be re-
quired, by more stringent laws than now
exist, to keep these prisoners in secure
condition; and as TO The liability of Sher-
ifs, the experience of the past demon
strate that all the legislation heretofore
adopted to enforce the performance of
/. their duty, has been without avail. No
Sheriff has been convicted, to my knowl.
edge. of official misconduct in South Caro-
lima for thirty years; and very many who
have held the position have certainly
been guilty OF misfeasance and malfea-
lsonce in office. If it is desired to secure
from these officials an efficient perform.
ancc ofduty authority should be conferred
upon the Governor, when complaint Is
made to him, and he is satisfied OF It's
.instice. to remove such detaulting officer
by proclamation, and order a new election
. 20 supply the vacancy. If action is post
;ooned until Courts present and Junes
Convict, the evil never will be corrected
LANDS SOLD FOR TAXES.
The failure Of parties to pay the taxes