The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1869-12-02
MISCELLANY,
Governor Scott's Message.

the message of Governor Scott to the
hegislature;:
Gum gra,ifed in being able to inform
YOU that much progreas has been maze
during the past year in securely placing
,tbe finances of the State on q a'frm and
healthy basis. This rs owing greatly to
the decided stand taken by you at the
>close Of the last session, in eeclln1ng to
ieopardize the State credit by yielding
to the pressure brought to bear upon
YOU by individuals and corporations lot
State aid for the construction OF rail-
roads. The following statement exh'0-
tits the'inacbtedness aud the assets OF
the State, 'octber 81, 1863: Funded
deb, Of the State, SIS, s,lss,44s.N II the
total amount Of assets heldbythe State
ON that date, s2;754,e6ooo; interest
'fallin; due during the fiscal year, end
ing October, 81, 1870, 1888, ,esa.se.-
The State debt is, comparatively, small
amounting in the aggregate to 1885,
$40; the taxable property, at a low val
>uatiou, will amount to $50, ,ooo'o 'ooo'-
During the past fscalyear, at . season.
too, when our capitalists, merchants,
farmers, mechanics, and others, mad
Ill their mouey Invested in 'thsfr va
rious branches of business, 81 l,O0o,ooO.
for taxes was received into the State
Treasury. To more fully illustrate the
ability of our people to meet all neces-
,sary taxes, I may refer also to the pay.
.ment by our citizens, in the Federal
Treasury, as internal revenue OF a tax
amounting to the sum of s2,522,69o'
making an aggregate of taxes paid into
rbe State aud Federal treasures thepast
wear of over 50, 100000. ! would herel
recommend that you rncmorialhe your
members Of Congress to use their efforts
for reduction Of the Internal revenue
tax collected to such an amount as Will
meet the liabilities of the General Gov
,erumcnt, but relieve our people as much !
90 noss;ble of the tax collected to pay
the national debt. | believe that the
present generation should not be com
prllcd to pay too much Of the debt 0' a.
great country that is to be left 0y tne~
M rich inheritance to postcrity. The
present lax system was new to our peo-
ME and it could not, perhaps, but be
expected that much dissatisfaction would
BE- felt in consequence of the change
But, it is gratifying to be able to state
sba, tho taxes have been paid as prompt
" as those of any State in the Uulon'
When the present State Government
came into power, 1 founa that the pro-
,;s;onal Government controlling the
:s,o,e from thevlose ofthc wat, had con-
rractca many debts, for the prompt pay
amcnt of which, as we'll as to meet the
current expenses ofthe State Govern
ment, it was necessary toproviae; among
these liabilities was foatiug debt, a.
mounting to s477,e65.3o. This deot
was due to various County officials,
she-ifFs, Magistrates, COroners, and 9TH
er claims against the State. BY author
ity Of law, there had also heen put into
circulation bills receivable to the a.
mount of $4,000. In addition to
this was the past due interest on the
State debt, which had accrued from the
first of July, 1867. ~ .ts.,
We have escaped from the disaster OF
lending the State credit to railroads, so
earnestly pressed and demanded at the
hast session of the General Assembly.
Whatever the opinions of individuals
may be, or however much they may feel
that their interests have suffered trom
the faifere or refusal Of the Legislature
10 comply with their wishes, all must
concede that the examples by which
VIC are surrounded Of the liberality of
other States in this direction, and the
financial results of their action, justi6es
. your course 10 refusing to comply with
their demands. 1t is to be hoped that
the same care and the same course will
continue to characterize the action Of
the General Assembly. There is in
the State Treasury s2,754,Ooo Of rail-
road bonds aud other securities, which
I recommend be held and ultimately
used as sinking fund, for the liquida
tion of the State debt, as they are of q
GLASS and character whichmust increase
in value. In addition TO this, l weuld