The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-11-29

cents. The board Of regents, in transmitting the
reports OF the superintendent and OF the treasurer
Of the institution, accompany them by TWO I'M
portant recommendations, viz: First. That the
benefciaries should be maintained by the State
instead OF the several counties; and, second. the
extension Of the present new building so as TO
enable US to abandon the inferior quarters useu
for patients. With regard TO the first recomenda'
tion 1t has my thorough concurrence The erect OF
the present system Is to throw the entire expense
OF supporting the Asylum on portion OF tne coun
| ties, while considerable number is largely
In arrear OF their payments as will be seen by the
table accompanying the treasurer's report by
| apportonlng the amount OF the tax on the re-
spective counties to the number Of benehciare'
accommodated at the Asylum and collecting 1t
| with the general tax, q more equitable system
will be reached, and the Asylum saved from seve-
raj endorsements to which 1t is now liable.
With regard TO the proposed extension Of the
Asylum, for which an appropriation Of forty thou
sand dollars is ASKED think Its proprlety as
well as expediency are matters OF con-
siderable doubt. IL will be recolectea
that for more than twenty years the
suItableness OF the present locality has been a
matter OF discussion, while the want OF adaptable
ity OF the buildings to their present purposes Is
generally admitted. III consequence o, these de-
hcienc'es, the South Carolina Lunatic Asylum,
which at its establishment stood at the head OF
similar institutions in this country, has entirely
lost that proud pre-eminencc, and now lags
lamentably in the rear. Among those who nave
been most urgent for the abandonment OF the
present site and buildings, are DR.. D. II. Trese-
want, the former, and DR.. ]. w. Parker,
the recent, superiutendents Of the insti-
tuition, who unite in condemnlng them
for want OF. space 10 the grounds anu OF
suitabeness in the buildings. To these gentle
men, whose long connection with the institution
renders their opinion authoritative, may now be
added those OF Dr.. j. F. Ensor, the present super
intendent, who says that on taking charge OF IL,
the Asylum, oa August fifth, he found 1t 1ar oe'
hind the times in almost everything that Is now
considered necessary in a well appointed asylum.
Its buildings are not of proper capacity or con-
struction. No greater blunder was ever made IN
architecture than the plan upon Whica this
gloomy, incongruous pile was erected. Ine
most OF the rooms are mere cells OF
chincks in the walls, dark and lily ventl-
unhealthy that it would be-, to say the least, "
greatest inbumanity to require the patients 10
occupy them. In corroboration OF his own state
rnent Dr. Ensor quotes DR., wilkins, commission
er Of insanity for the State OF California, VINO Is
now making tour or the United States and Eu-
rome in quest Of information touching the suo]ect
OF insanity and institutions for the insane, who
smoke OF our Asylum ''as the furthest behind the
age Of all that he had visited in this country"
with one exception. With these concurrent
remarks Of medical men of the highest
authority it may well be inquired whether ills
consistent with policy or expedisncy TO patch up
an old and generally condemned building, by ex-
pending large additional amount OF money on
it. and thus perperuate the institute IN IN its pres
eut unfit locality, to make the necessary lnVes-
tigs,ion as to whether a more suitable Location
could not be selected. where ample grounds could
be secured, and suitable buildings erected for
moderate sum In addition to the price obtained
for the present premises. I commend the subject
to your careful and deliberate investigation.
QUARANTINE.
The annual report Of DR.. Robert Leooy, health
ofncer OF the Port Of Charleston, Will be found
highly interesting and satisfactory, as exemphiy-
ing beyond all cavIl the important fact that with
an attentive and vigilant quarantine otficer the
City Of Charleston may be considered perfectly
safe from the visits Of tropical epidemics, which
have occasionally desoated her streets and para
lived her commerce Her exemption from pesti-
lentisl diseases, her general salubrty her acces-
sibrlty at all seasons, with her other signal ad'
vantages and facilities present 3 brilliant future
to Charleston, which, If properly improved, can
not fail to place her at the head Of Southern sea-
ports. Dr Lebby. in his report, makes number
of sugg .stioas and recommendations which are
deserveoy entitled to the highest respect and are
recommended to your favorable consideration
AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS.
The report Of the commissioner Of agricultural
statistics contains much valuable information In
relation to the soil and productions OF the State,
embracing the various crops and modes OF cultlVa'
tion, the value Of the numerous fertilizers, the
culture Of fruits and OF the grape and the lorna
tion Of roads. I recommend that liberal ap
preparation be made to be distributed IN pre-
miums as prizes for excellence In agriculture and
the mechanic arts among the several counties, ana
the State fair at Columbia with the understand
ing that an equal amount, from private sources,
be raised for the same purposes by the state lair
and county fairs respectively.
PHosPHATBs.
Attention is called to the elaborate and sugges-
tive report Of Professor Charles Q. Shepard, Jr.,
inspector OF guano and fertilizers. 1t presents In
a most forcibe aspect the magnitude ahd im-
portance OF this new field of enterprise and In
dustry, its rapid growth and probable extension.
In th!s connection your attention may be usefulIy
given to the law Of last sessi n, granting to GER
tain parties therein named, the right to dig and
mine in the navlgable streams OF the State Tor
phosphate. The receipts thus far to the State
from that company have been nineteen hundred
and eighty nine dollars. In my Judgment, 1urther
legislation Is mperativey required to protect the
interest OF the State In this matter 1t Is believed
that with moderately efficient administration OF
the affairs Of this valuable property, sum may
be realized to the treasury suficlent to pay the
Interest on the debt Of the State or its equvaen
The constitution provides for uniform and equal
rate of assessment and taxation, and that only
the proceeds OF mines aud Mining claims shall be
assessed. The inquiry may be suggested wheth er
the present mode Of assessing the phosphate lauds
Is the most advant to the State and equlta-
b,e to the taxpayer, and whether some change ID
not demanded,
TIE LAND coMNIsSIoS
Was undoubtedly one OF the wlsest and most
beneacent projects OF the State, but, from the
odium which has been brought upon 1t by charges
freely made Of peculation and personal purposes