The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-07-08

ton of $500 was annually made, doubtless to pay
house rent of the Executive du:1nS the session OF
the Leg1slatureit being the custom OF the Govern
ors Of the State to reside at their respective hoes'
except on this occasion.
In most Of the States, Executive mansions nave
been erected and furnished for the use OF
and the clause referred 10 in the new Consutuuon
renders it necessary that provision OF the Kind
should be made in this State. Either the salary or
the appropriation for house rent should DE matera
ly increased or residence should be provided ana
furnished for the Governar. The latter course may
be adopted at comparatively small cost. The State
owns large, commodious and Handsomely finished
building, situated upon Arsenal Hll-a iocanon
which commands picturesque view OF tne cry; aaa
the valleys Of the Congaree. Broad and saiuda
Rivers - many miles; beautiful grove Is IN 1rons
of the E:ase; the out-buidings are convenient anu
ample, and the adjacent grounds. embracing some
eight acres, will furnish sufhcient space Ior ea9
dens, &c.
recommend that this edifce be set apart as the
Executive Mansion of south Carolina, and that an
app opriaton be made to enclose the premises, 10
furnish the house, and to make such changes as may
BE- necessary 10 adapt 1t to the use OF the
THE suRvEYoE-eENERA1-
The public lands owned by the State have all long
since been granted to individuals and the pracuce
now prevailing of regranting the same lands over
and over again only have the effect OF increasing
litigation among the citizens
l. therefore, recommend that the laws authorizing
the grant of lands In this State be repealed Az o.
the proper functions of the IN .nls
State have ceased except the issuing OF commis
sions to deputy surveyors in the different dstrcts
and the making out and certifying copies OF grants
and pla.s recorded in his Office. These duties may
yey we'll be performed by the Secretary OF State, anu
the office abolished All Of the records and papers
on Gle should be transferred to the Office Of the Sec.
retary of State and the latter officer be autnorlle9
by law to discharge the duties incident thereto ana
charge the fees authorized by law for his services
In this connection coll the attention OF the gene.
vol A IN 10
adopted many years ago. and that all the ices require
revision, and some Of them material reduction.
THE CRIMINAL LAW.
The codi6caon of The criminal law OF the stste -
very necessary not much for the pui pose OF oe-
.claring additional or defining existing ofences, as
for the purpose of prescribing some UNIFORM
scheme OF punishment adapted TO the various
crimes and misdemeanors Quite number OF OF.
fences are punishable by DEATH which, since the 60,
adjustment of the Penitenary meh. oS ,pstitnfion
Murder, arson, and one or two other crimes OF ea
greatest gravity are exceptions; but there no
that the incarceration within the Walls OF staIe
prison will be an adequate pnrsnmesn. or of a Of
the laws Of the State, civil and crminai,
by lawyers of ability, would prove greas Sessins
to the people, and at least place the statutory law
within reach of every intelligent man IN the stale
This will be wo:k OF time, but it cannot be pro-
ceeded with at too early day.
sHEaHFs.
There is an evil which has grown to such magni-
tude within the las two years that some remedy Is
absolutely necessary. The mum OF escapes OF PITS
oners from the various nls Of the state during Inis
period has been nearly four hundred. The result
due partly to the insecurity OF the oundlngs anu
partly to the neglect Of the sherifs and 1aors naHng
them in charge The o. rGns io1sS
than now exist to keep these prisons IN secure con-
dtion; and as to the liability of sherits the expert
encs Of the rast demonstrates that all the legsauon
heretofore adopted to enforce the performance oi
their duty has been without avail. No sherin mas
been convicted to my knowledge, of official miscon
duct in South Carolina for thirty years; ana very
many who have held the position have cerlanly oeen
guilty Of misfeasance and malfessance IN once
Is desired to secure from these officials an ethcient
performance of duty. authority should be conferred
upon the Governor when complaint ts made to niIn'
and he is satisfied of its justice, to remove sucn oe
faultng Officer by proclamation, ana Ofaer mvn
ed until courts present and 5ar1es CONVICT tne e'u
will never be corrected.
LANDS SOLD FOR TAXES.
The failure Of parties to pav the taxes levied upon
them by the acts of 1865 and 1866 has caused quite
large number Of executions to be placed IN Inc nAnds
of the sherffs Of the respective districts IN some
localities combinations were formed, so that when
land was offered for sale By the shenu no nia Was
made and the State was thereby defeated-aitnougn
these parties had sufficient property to saas1y tne
erecutions-in realizing toe amount OF taxes Que.
obyiate this difficulty General Candy issued Gen
eraI Orders No. 6S (Aprl g. 1861. directing that the
land ehould be sold by the sheriff for ire term OF
seven years; that he should bid for 1t himself tne
amount of taxes and costs. including costs OF exc.
cutting stamping and recording the deed, Tor the use
Of the States that If no HIGHER bid was offered. the
property should be knocked down to the sner1n anu
conveyed BY the sheriff to the sate Ior .ne o
have the deed recorded in the Office CLERK OF me
Court Of the district in which the land was situaea
forthwith and within two weeks thereafter transmls
&-aoo yrn W.
10 enter an abstract of the deed and the amount oIhe
consideration. Where lpon the deed was to be filed
and recorded in the Office OF the secretary OF stare
Tha Governor was authorized after the expiration OF
thirty days from the receipt OF the de by the treas
rer md until otherwise provided by law to rent the
land for the period OF one year. prov1ded Inat tue
taxpayer should within thirty days pay to the treas
,rer the whole amount OF taxes and costs lncudlng
the recording and twenty-five per cent. upon such
full amount. thenfhe deed should be cancelled; Win
a further proviso, that # the same should not be
paid within thirty days. then the owner OF the prop
erty should be allowed to redeem the same WITHIN enc
wear after the date Of Its sae By paying the whole OF
the tax and costs together with fifty per cent OF the
amount additional; and If not redeemed within one
year from the day Of sale, then the Legislature was
authorized to "dee mine by law tne conaluoos upou
Win h the same may beredeemed by the former own.
er during the remaining term OF the seven years Tor
which IL was sold"
reported aud deeds filed with the OF lour
in Colleton District Others Fill, perhaps, pe MED
during the present and succeeding month. Your at
tenton is therefore, called to the order and 70 the ac
ton which has aready taken place, and which may
hereafter take place underi to the end that the nee
essary legislation contemplated by the order may be
enacted
5uREs.
Tie duty will be devolved Upon you OF providing
m stntrte fol the selection Of suitable persons 70 ac
as Grand and petit Jurors in the various courts OF lis
State For more than fifty years In Soutn Carohna
the reaaisite for placing the name OF ctlzer upon
the Jury LIST from which jurors were to be drIwn was
the payment the preceding year o. TAX o, OF a9'se
one dollar In 1859 the jury law was amended. SO
that every person WHO WAS entitled by the Constitu
tion OF the State 10 vote Tor members the Legsa
tnre "and who shall have paid the year preceding
be Sitting of court; at which new jury list shall
he made tax OF any amount whatever Tor properly
held In his own right" liable to serve as grand
and petit Juror. The military orders wmch nave
been issued in this district require every tax payers
name to be placed in the jury box, from which the
Jurors are to be drawn and when drawn the 1udge
invested with the power OF setting aside any NUMBER
of fine panel for want of mental or moral fitness to
perform the duties
When the importance OF composing these oodles Of
per:ons of intelligence is remembered too much care
cannot be taken in guarding pgress into the jury bo1
by sllch standards OF qualification and character as
win pro.ec it from all suspicion OF incompeepcy or
corruption The deirest right OF citizen Is often
times decided 10y the jury Life, liberty and proper
ty is IN the keeping OF these persons and i there oe
a lack of understanding natural inability to COM
prehend and weigh evidence to unravel the perures
and mis- conceptions Of wine ses, an want OF edu
cation sufficient to comprehend the law OF the case
as expounded by the Judge the most fearful conse-
ouerces may result to the citizen. The standard