The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-12-01
to dispatch a sufficient force to any place, and
station them there until such time as their
presence is shown to be unnecessary.

to dispatch suthc1ent f0rce 10 any piacei auu
station them there until such time as their
presence is shown to be unnecessary.
TIE CONDITION OF THE STATE.
Messnge of Governor r. X. Scott to the
General Assembly Of South Carolina
The following message from the Governor
was read at noon yesterday before both Houses
of the General Assembly:
Fello,c- Citizens Of the Senate
and of tie House Of Representatives
Tn accordance with the acquisitions OF the
constitution to lay before you lnformauon OF
the concition of the State, and recommend TO
YOUR consideration such measures as may ps
deemed nece ssary or expedient, snall proGeeu
to perform that duty as briefly as clrcumstan-
ces will permit, postponlng 70 a iusaie oppUo ot
directly connected with the administration OF
the government The interval since your last
session has been 80 brief, and the details con-
uected with the organization OF the new
branches of public service has occupied 80
much time and attention, as TO leave Dut illtlo
opportunity for the consideration or matters OF
more general character. many OF which were
luliy ulSCuooSO ~ AAJ
Tha acr providing for the assessment and
taxation OF property has received conslderaoie
attention. and the organization OF the Huu-
tors Department has progressed as rapldly as
circumstances would permit. Great care ano
officers TO whom will be entrusted the execu-
ton of the tax law; but i is Believed that the
appointments made, and to be made, Will give
efficiency and success to this important part OF
tbe > oyernmsnt. shall 10y before you, at the
earliest practical period, the complete assess,
ment of the property of the State, winch WILL
afford the necessary basis tor taxation.
The estimate OF the Audltor tor 1ne cTI'tn, ho
gent fund may appear large, but 1t shou!d pc
remembered that the Assessors books, blanks 1
and other forms for the whole State are to be
provided out of this fund, not only Tor the as
sessment which is about to bs made, Dut lor
that which will have TO be made previous 10
the converting of the General Assembly Id
1869. r,. n,,,,,
The organization of the Auditors Depart
first assessment OF property, will Involve
large amount OF labor and soma unusual eA.
nenditures but as the result aimed at ls most
desirable. I recommend that the Logls l&tuce
will afford every facility for the accomplish
ment of the object. o
nv reference to the report OF the Comp
trofIer-General, it will be seen that the entlre
bonded debt of the State is S., ,407 3)6 q, con-
sisting as follows:
Three per cent. stock, payable at the -, ~, ~
pleasure of the Sate.... ...:........s oo,oSo W oo
SIX per cent fire loan payable In lSIo. S4'aoo 90 90
Six per cent stock new state House,. 1,io'oVo w
sd dspt per 'eu'' o'oeA M 1882 2s71 27
~ uoDs ~. " co,t honds Are loan 484, ,444 81
e., nar cent honds Blue Ridge Railroad. 100000 90
S t,er can't hoT Az new State Capitol OIL GU0 90
Making GRAND total Of. .s5 4C7 3O6 27
Interest due on the entire debt July l,
1868. .,,........ ooozuf o.
Interest due January /, 1869 .......... 1924 3S
Total interest. t....................o oi4flo "
This is not the interest on capital debt OF
SIS 4O7 3O6 q, at six per cent. but the reason Is
Obvious, as portion of the debt is at three
per cent. and another portion at five per cent.
In addition to tho foregoing interest paying
debt. there is floating debt Of 100000. in the
shape of Bills Receivable, authorized by the
Legislature, which arc available for tlxes, and
which will be probably absorbed by application
to that purpose during the present quarter:
way OF current funds. This is the last quarter
of the collections for 1867, under the assess
ment by the Military Commander, and it will
leave the entire collections for 1868 available
for the purposes OF the Treasury. They would
have been sooner collected, but for the difficult
ties attendant upon putting the new tax law IN
operation, tbe collections under which WILL
commence in January next.
Under the new law, bringing every class OF
property on the tax list, at its bona tide valua-
ton, including much OF what has been hereto
fore exempted and o still larger mount enter
ed at nominal value, at o moderate estimate,
there will be not less than three hundred mil
lions of property rs q basis OF taxation. Ihls,
at very low percentage, will afford abundant
revenue TO meet the current expenses OF the
State, the interest on lts funded debt, and "
considerable margin for the establishment OF
sinking fund.
In this connection I would recommend that
o law be passed providing for tho levying and
collection of taxes i'll couuties to meet their
local expenditures and the salaries OF their OIL
GERS. This will enable them to make such i'm
movements in the way of roads, bridges and
public buildings as the taste aDd pubic spirit
OF the citizens may dictate, without drawing
from the public treasury monies to defray the
expenses of local impl OVEN ants, IN which the
citizens of the State az large have no direct in-
terest.
The Comptroller's estimate OF expenditures
for the current year amount to s4o9, 79S u; ex-
that on portion Of the debt for the quarter
ending October, 1869. making an aggregate or
sS19 900 81.
In the report of the Comptroller-Ge you
will notice the items Of what is considered rs the
war debt of the State, aggregating So 722 BIS Sc;
and of credits due the State from sher1ffs and
tax collectors, amounting in the aggregate TO
s7G,G6 81, which he recommends may b: "n2i
and dropped from the accounts Of Lno state.
would suggest that the chairman Of the
Committee on Finance OF tho Senate, nnd the
chairman of the Committee of Ways and Meaus
in the House, be associated with the Comptrol-
ler IN investigating and determining what
claims originated from the prosecution Of tho
war. d,
recommend to your consideration the pro-
priety Of passing q law for the funding OF the
interest on the State debt up to July 1, 1858. to
avoid the necessity OF forcing the bonds OF the
etate on the market at O sacrifice. l have every
Confidence in the ability OF the treasury to
meet the future interest upon our debt as it
becomes due.
The following is list Of the assets Of the
State on the 31st day of October, 1868:
Shares in Northeastern Railroad Com
papy. ......e lZV,VU w
road COMPANY. any....................... $50 900 90
Shares in Pendleton railroad Company. 42,50c 90
road COMPANY y....................... 49, 900 90
Shares in Blue Ridge Railroad Company1 900 90
road Company .................. 42,2OO 90
shares in Cheraw and coalfields Railroad
Comnany. ........................ 2OO 0c0 90
Shares In Laurens Railroad Company. $4,000 10
' - - $4,000 90
Shares in Charleston I'D Savannah HALL
road Company. ............ ZfOUOu W
Shares in southwo stern Railrol1 Bank. G,oOo OO
Shares in Keowee and Tuckaseegee