The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-07-11

emily spared from their respectiye coIIec-
tions! The Executive Departments have
o.. Deen, ah,oToqghiy no, re-orgsnized and are in
" PEE and the records and
stroyed by FIRE or lost by the casualties Of
war, have been re-arranged for the nnhl;c
convenience. Artificial legs have been
furnished to nearly all OF the citizens OF
South Carolina who lost their limbs during
the war. All the important railroads Of
the State, which were torn up and DESTROYED
towards the close Of the war, have been re-
paired, and the lines are now in successful
operation and prepared to facilitate the
commercial Intercourse OF the interior
With the sesboard, tho North, and with
foreign nations. Repeated remonstrances
made against the illegal and oppressive
conduct OF Treasury agents have secured
the restitution Of much property belong
ing to- citizens, which had been seized,
ostensibly, for the use OF the Government,
dismissed. During the year 1866, and up
to April, 1857, there was little or no inter
ference by the military authorities with
the civil administration of justice in the
State. In consequence OF the failure of
the provision crop Of 1866, appeals were
| addressed to every section of the North
! and West for corn and ether provisions 10
supply the destitute, who werc numbered
by thousands. These appeals were gene
rousiy responded to, and through this De-
| Partment large q .antity of corn and
bacon was distributed during the spring
ana summer of 1867, thereby alleviating
the sufferings Of q multitude, many Of
whom would probably have starved but
| Tor these generous donations. A bureau
or emigration has been organized and
agents sent abroad, with the Wow of in
wing p@oir5ions p@i ms OF the teeming population
OF the Old World to seek homes on the
generous and inviting soil of South Caroli-
ma. The merchant has replenished his
vacant storehouse, tho mechanic his ma
chine shop, tho planter and farmer, not
wlthstanding past disappointments, are
hopeful and Industrious; and n vigorous
effort is being made by all classes to repair
the disasters of bloody and unsuccess-
ful war.
Taxes sufficient to defray the ordinary
and extraordinary expenses of the State
government have been paid. No combi-
nations have existed to defeat, by violence,
the laws of the land; and no riot between
the white and colored races has marred the
peace and good order which has prevailed
in South Carolina since the cessation of
hostilities. Indeed, a degree of tranquil
ty has marked our career which may
proudly challenge comparison, not only
with any Of the late Confederate States,
but with any State in the Union
Within one year after the abolition of
slavery, the Legislature Of our State volun-
tarily passed Civil Rights Bill" which
enjoyed by any citizen-allowing him to
sue and be sued, and to give evidence in all
cases. The traditional prejudice brought
from tho mother country, which had been
nourlshed for ages, against permitting any
party In interest to give evidence in any
and the law now invites testimony from
every source which is calculated to evolve
the whole truth, leaving it to Jurors and
Judges to- determine what credence shall
be given thereto.
From time to time measures for the relief
or the people, who were suffering from the
pressure of large ante-war Indebtedness.
were recommended by me to the Legisla-:
ture. but that body, in it's wisdom, did not
think 1t proper to adopt these suggestions.
liberal homestead law, tho abolition of
imprisonment for debt, and the passage of
Indebtedness on the surrender, by the
debtor, OF his property, have been earnest
ly urged by me during my administration:
but while failing in the General Assembly
to compass these most desirable ends, T
am gratified to know that such measures
have been embodied in the now Constitu-
tion.
1t would also have hoen wise to incorpo-
rate in that instrument provision for the
scaling of debts contracted prior to and
during the war, down to the basis of the
existing wealth and resources of the coun-
try. No one will question that the war
destroyed moro than one-half of the value
of property in the South, and since its
close various causes have produced de-
probation Of one-half of the remaining
half, 80 that the wealth Of the State is
really reduced to one-fourth Of it's value
prior to the war. Now, if an individual
CHANGED, at the commencement OF the
struggle, to have his estate invested in
loans on bonds and mortgages, there cer-
tainly can be no justice or propriety in
permitting him to recover the full amount
OF his property, dollar for dollar, when the
very property upon which the credit was
given has perished in the hands Of the
debtor, not by his own act, but by the act
OF the Government and tho casualties of
war, for which the lender and borrower
are equally responsible. There is no JUS
tlce, equity or morality which would re-
quire that the note or bondholder, prior to
the war, should not suffer at least pro rata
with the debtor, whose property was ruined
by the calamities and disasters of the
same period.
The present is also fitting opportunity
for brief review of my course since the
passage or the reconstruction Acts of Con-
gross, and OF the reasons influencing my
conduct with reference to them-the same
not having been presented before.
In January, 1867, at the instance Of seye-
raj OF the leading citizens Of the State.
visited Washington, and after a full con-
ference with leading Senators and Ropre-
scntatives of the Republican party, became
satisfied, that under no circumstances
would they recognize the Presidents plan
of rcstoration; and that in the plan which
Congress intended to adopt, the atcrna-