The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1870-12-01
Governor Scott's inaugural. |

Governor Scott's Inaugural w |
Fellow CITIZENS BY large ma.
.ibrity Of The votes ofthe people Of the
State, l have again been elected to the
office of Governor: While 7Fcaunot'f
but accept this reshltas an epdorse-
ment of my own administration of the
affairs of Government during the past
two years, am well aware that it is in !
a greater degree intended as an endorse-,
ment of the great principles and meas
sures of the party of which ] ain simply
the chosen representative saG
Thecampain through which We have
passed. has been heated, and ID some
particulars very bitter and acrimonious. |
Doubtless many things haze been eaid |
by the adsochtes ofbott PARTIES, which
had better been left 7tinsaid. aiOf one
thing the people of the State may !, be e
assured, so far as my course ASA public!
officer is concerned the examinations
and rccriminations of the political con.
test are forgotten; and while 1 shall
mot faitih allegiance to the principles OF
the !party.1 represent, as Governor OF
the State, entrusted with the execution
of its laws, Il will know noparty or class,
but shall endeayor most earnestly to
protect and secure the rights and'piisi-
legescof ALI - - - ~.
The Constitution dnd laws Of our
State give the Executive large powers,
and these powers carry with .thcm cor.
responding responsibilities. He would
indeed be bold man, whog having oc-
cupied the position which it has been
my lot to hold forsthe past two eyentfut
wears. should claim for himself freedom
from mistakes, or even serious errors 10.
the administration of the affuirs of 60
vctnthent certainly make no such
claim. But / do claim that the gener-
al scope and aim of my administration
has been very good; and that 1t has
been measurably free from the! errers
incident to human governments. !.
A charge freely made against any ad-
miuistration, has been the incompetcncy
of its appintecs, to the various County
end other offices. The charge. is not
entirely without truth. But a rccur,
renee to the history Of the two years
lust passed will offer some Justification
for such appointments. When the, ad-
miuisrration just closed came into power,
the citizens of the State, who, by cdu-
cation and experience; were best fitted to
| fill the vavious Offices in the gift Of the
. Executive, either openly opposed, OF
silently, but pcIsistently, stooa aloo'
from the Government. Persons, whose
services the State would have been
glad to secure, refused to qualify for the
positions which wero offered them
while on the other hand, men were
, urged upon the Executive, whose op
ss=lEz-Sfzast to the eGc-1n--..:s.:g. z:s 90 q ]
ii il fshcwn as=F7B=#F THEFT appointment
SO far as the execution of the laws wa
concerned, a. farce. In addition, many
if not the most of these appointments
had to be made Immediately; the cxi
gencies of the public service were sucl
as to preclude the possibility OF thor
oush investigation into the chaiacte
; an fitness of the persons recommend
cd by them, upon whom the Executive
was compelled to depend for informa
iion. In the nature of things, it ha
been, to great degree, impracticabls
t for him to know fully the qualif
: cations of those who have been urge,
G upon him for appointment. am sat
| isfed, that without doing injustice. y
:. the claims Of any one, the large expert
ence which we have all gained, combines
with the accessions which have bccl
/. made to the ranks of those who are botl
! actively and passively friendly to the ad
: ministration, will enable us to cue thi
Q evil in the future. 1t is not necessar
t to enter into an argument to show tn
: impossibility of carrying on the affa
! of the Government without competenc.
d on the part of those selected to perform
a its duties; the thing is Delf-eYidcnt. l
9 is my purpose, so far as the rc.ponsi
n bility rests with me to secure such com
e potency; and in this effort l think mo.
r confidently look for the support of tn
n people of the State Of all classes.
y Fellow.citizens, our State has mad
j, great progress in all respects witbio tn
d last two years. Two years ago, lars
), class of our people were unit almos
D in their avowed determination not 7
a recognize the validity of the Recon
s,ruction Acts of Congress, or of th'
4 Government established under them
: To-day, these are all treated as accom-
pli,hed facts, by all classes of TIT
community, SO far as public utterance
! have any value, and we have good rca
son to believe that the number of per
n sons who cherish either the hope or tn
t desire to distrust the existing politica
relations Of the people is very inconsld
= crablc. Our national progress has KEEP
9 pace with the political 1t is true, tha
the European war, BY depressing prices
f has made our people poorer than the.
, hoped to be, but nevertheless there arr
: indications of life and energy all owe
G the State. New branches OF industry
D are being opened up, and all things
: ,r;,L noooo op6 onod order