The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-12-01
views OF LIEUTENANT -GOHERNOR
RANSLER.
What He has to Say About the Ku.Klu1
and Reputation.

and Reputation.
The following is the full text of the address
of Lieutenant. Governor Ransler, delivered at
the opening session of the State Senate on
Tuesday:
Geralemen-You have again met, pursuant
to the provisions of the Constitution of the
State, after an interval of eight or nine
months. to assist. as part Of one OF the co-or-
dinate branches of the State Government, In
devislng ways and means necessary to meet
the wants OF the State and people.
To the more important matters deemed nee
essary to be attended to by you 1t is to be pre-
sumed that his E1cellency will invite your at
tentlon. It is not my province to do 30.
It would be In exceeding bad taste, there
fore, for me to 90 into details as to matters
may be permitted, however, without doing
violence to propriety, to say that we meet
under peculiar circumstances,t In the mldstefan
extraordinary state OF affairs-no less grievous
than extraordinary. In several counties OF the
State the life OF the citizen Is imperilled, and
such condition OF things existing as to have
provoked o resort by the Government Of the
United States to that extraordinary power
vested In the President-the suspension OF the
writ OF habeds cOrpus-in order that those
guilty OF the outrages charged upon them may
be apprehended, tried and punished. There
must, indeed, be sad condition OF affairs
when 1t is deemed necessary to resort TO such
remedy, which has occurred but seldom In
the history Of our country In times Of peace.
It may be possible for you, gentlemen, to say
how long this cono.lon Of affairs shall last,
and whether or not we can make a govern
ment strong enough to protect the humolest
citizen in the untrammeied and lawful exer-
else OF his rights and immuntles, and afford
protection to his life and property.
Again, charges of the most serious natursin
relation to our financial management are al.
throughout the country, in consequence of
which our credit has been most seriously
affected. Whether these charges ore true or
not, am not prepared to say, for the reason
that do not know. We know, however, that
public confidence In those who manage the
iuauces of the State Is shaken, and that our
bonds are be yging for purchasers In the mar
kets of the world, and that the price they
bring to-day Is sad commentary upon that
management, and most severe reflection
upon those who are entrusted with 1t. Those
who are charged owe 1t TO themselves, If these
charges have no foundation In truth, 10 estao-
lIsh their Innocence. You, gentlemen, owe 1t
to yourselves, to the people OF south Carolina,
and to the country. who demand of you
thorough sitting of the matter, and whose eyes
are upon you, TO institute the most rigid in
ouiry, that the truth may be gotten at, and
those, If any, who are guilty of peculadon and
fraud, may be assigned their proper places.
the finances of the State put in proper hands,
public confidence In our faith and credit there
by re-established, and The honor and good
name of South Carolina preserved.
I do not assume that the parties charged
are guilty. Far be 1t from me. Nor do l as.
sume that the statements contained In the
newspapers, as to the extent of this peculatlon
and fraud, are true. 1 refer, however. to The
fact that serious charges in this matter ore
made against this management IN question;
that public confidence Is nearly destroyed, and
our securities, or obligations, are almost
worthless In financial circles everywnere; and
that 1t Is your duty to act in the interest of our
creditors, and in the interest OF the State and
the people of South Carolina, In this most i'm
pOrtant matter.
South Carolina, whatever has been her er-
rors In the past or her sins, has always and
ever dealt honestly with her creditors, and; TO
the extent of her ability, met her honest Obli-
cations. See 10 it, gentlemen, that, In our
hands, che and her creditors suffer no detri-
mant If any of her obliga ions are to be re-
pudiuted, il Is extremely difficult, submit, to
draw q dividing line, to discriminate, as to
these obligations, which of them should or
should not be repudiated, at least, until We
shall know more about this entire matter than
WEI seem to know just now; aud utter this
seem to favor in rather hot haste the rrpudia-
tion of all debts contracted or bonds issued
since the reconstruction of the State and her
res oratlon to the Union. Be careful, gentle
men, else you open the door and point out
the way to the virtual reputation of the old
as we'll as the new-the entire debt Of the
Slate, and thus, Samson-like, destroy your
selves beneath the ruins wrought by your own
hands.
I have hopes that you will do your duty IN
this matter, gentlemen of the Senate; that you
will see 10 1t that our school are opened,
our teachers paid, and that an improved con-
diton of training in this respect be brought
about. A solemn responsibility rests up N
YOU. See to it that the legitimate claims
against the State aud the several counties,
held by hundreds Of poor persons, are paid.
Do your duty In these as In other matters that
NAV properly come under your notice, agreea.
Bile to the Just and reasonable demands of the
State and the wants of the people, and you
will have done well.
Uniform courtesy and kindness extended to
me as your presiding officer in the past.
though not OF your immediate choice, and
confidently counting upon continuance In
the future, entel upon the duties Of the