The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-12-17

large number of records from that Office
extended over the same period as those
OF the Secretary of States Office did
originally, viz: 1776 to 1848. For this
reason, it was almost impossible to dis
cover the grants or .plats recorded DUR
ing the period between 1S46 and 1870,
when the parties themselves did not
know the date, which was often the case.
without going over each one of the large
number OF volumes page by page, 80 in
accurate and confused was the index to
| eacn pook. This, OF course. we had no
time to do. 1t was, therefore, exceed.
1ng'y annoying and Injurious to persons
applying for copies Of the grants of their
lands to be unable to obtain them. while.
perhaps, their claims to the propertv
might be questioned, and their right de-
stroyed for want of copy. These def
oiencies have all been supplied by the
appropriation, aud thorough and com
piete general indexes of all tho records.
now in the care of the Secretary of State.
have been carefully compiled up to date.
The amO INT appropriated by the Leeis.
!ature for this work was $4,000. had
the work accomplished for So, 700. and
refunded $500 to the Treasurer, Ihaye
also included statement OF the amount
received and expended for this purpose
in the exhibit marked ca" I have re.
ceived Sd, 500 for contingent fund during
the period of four years and two months
above referred to, and have expended
the same. as will be seen by reference to
the same exhibit. I have thus received.
from all sources, during the entire period
from September 26, 1868, to November
2G, 1872, S3l .483.16. and have disposed
of the amount as above stated. r would
most respectfully request your honorable
body to appoint joint committee to in
vessigate and verify these returns, and
my receipts and vouchers as an act of
justice to myself.
In accordance with an ACT of the
General Assembly, approved the 18th of
February, 1872, abolishing the Office of
Lana Commissioner, and devolving tile
duties OF said Office upon the SECRETARY
OF State. tho Hon. 81. e. Hayne, on the
iss OF Marsh following, delivered 10 1ne
the records OF tho Land Commissioner
Office, and Immediately assumed the
duties OF the same. Mr.. Hayne. during
the short period Of his occupancy of the
Office, though embarrassed by the want
OF funds, did much towards arranging
the records of tho Office, bringing to the
notice of your honorable body what his
predecessors seemed to have made
! studied efforts to conceal, the disposition
OF the moneys appropriated for the pur-
chase OF land for the landless. But I
found that much remained to be done.
for. as yet, the persons for whose benefit
the lands had been purchased, had de-
rived little or no benefit from them.
Reports had reached me from reliable
sources that many tracts of land were
purchased at prices far above their
| actual value, and many who desired to
purchase were unable and unwilling to
pay two and three times the value of the
land, Notwithstanding the terms of the
sale were easy. In order to acquaint my
self with the true status of the case, the
quality of the land and the character of
those who desired to purchase, engaged
the services of Mr.. J. E. Green, Ser
geant.at-Arms of the Senate. to visit
each traot owned by the State, in per
son, and report to me the result of his
Investigations. Through the indefatiga.
BILE energy OF this gentleman, many
hundreds Of families have been provided
with homes, and the Land Commission
has been redeemed, in some measure, at
least, from the once truthful imputation
OF being an utter failure. The reports
Of Mr.. Green verified the statements
that were made as to the high price paid
for many tracts of land, and the unwill-
ingness of 1.-THE people to buy it at the
price that the State paid. I, according
~, appreciating the justice OF their
| objections, brought the matter to the at
tention of the Advisory Board, who,
after deliberating upon the matter,
adopted the following resolutions:
"Resolred, That the Secretary of State
10 authorized to dispose Of the lands of
tho State to settlers at their actual value,
after making the most careful inquiries
to ascertain the same"
! This gave entire satisfaction, and in q
great measure facilitated the settlement
Under tho former Land Commissioners,
local agents had been appointed in each
County, to superintend the settlement of
the land. found that many of them
had received moneys from settlers, but
had made no returns of the same to the
Land Com missioner. About $4,000 is
returned in this manner. 7, therefore,
prepared certificates of purchase, in
compliance with the Act creating the
Land Commission, with blank duplicate