Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1877-12-06

to buy in the bonds of the State annually
to the extent of the fund so raised. 1t will
be readily seen how profitable to the State
such. plan would be while the bonds arc
below par. Tho proceeds OF such tax as
has been Indicated could at the present time
retire bonds TO the amonnt Of 800, 900,
realizing to tho State profit of twenty five
or thirty per cent. The public debt could
be gradually but surely reduced, while tho
burthen of paying it in this mauAcr would
tall lightly on the tax payers. merely
suggest such systen, leaving its practca
bility and its details to the wisdom aud cx.
periencr Of the General Assembly.
Another suhjcct Of vital consequence to
our material prosperity to which beg to
call 10 your attention, is that Of the free
schools. The Superintendent Of Education
in his annual report, gives not only the
result of his labors during the past year, but
makes suggestions worthy Of your grave
consideration. Owing to circumstances
with which you are familiar, tho facilities
for tho education Of our people have not
becn, as yet, what we desired aud expected
them to be. We must not forget that
among tho pledges OF reform made by us
there is none to which we arc more socmnly
committed than that Of placing within the
reach of all classes the mcars of education
| earnestly invoke your favorable action on
this subject, and trust that you will be
able to mature some system which, while
benciiting the scholars, will secure prompt
prymcnt to the teachers. Many Of these
latter, after dischnrgine their duties faith
fully, now hold claims against the State,
which should at once he paid | recom-
mend tho ratification of the constitutional
amendment regarding the tax to support
free schools, adopted by the voters at the
last election. From the funds which will
Tins be provided, together with those aris
ing from the poll tax, our schools can be put
on footing of usefulness.
The late professors of ttc University were
not paid in full when that institution was
closed, and suggest that provision be made
to pay the claims held by them. My attcn
,ioa has been called to tho fiot that there
arc also portions of the salaries Of profos.
sors Reynolds, Rivers, and the late DR..
L,Bord, of the old faculty, still unpaid, and
it appears to me c'emincntly proper that what
ever amounts may DC due to these gentle.
men, or their representatives, should be
paid TAcsc claims can be examined by a
committee appointed by the Legislature
and report embracing tic facts can be
submittcd to that body for its final action
The daughters Of Professor LlBord request
me to transmit to the General Assembly n
memorial on this subject, aud take great
pleasure in doing so, commcndtng it to your
favorable consideration.
The action of the General Assembly at
the last session contemplated the re opening
of the university us a school for the white
ycuth Of the State, a:il tho establishing Of
y similar institution for the black This
plan strikes me as wise and wcsl.conSidcrea,
and recommend that such measures be
taken at the present session as may DC ne
cossary for it's successful Inauguration. 1t
will, of course, bo Impossible to put those
universities or colleges in complete working
order at once, but such legislation to that
end, can now be had as will lay secure
foundation for them They can gradually
DO bull; up until they aro> able to offer to
the youth Of the SUITE every educational
advantage TO be found elsewhere. In no
mode can the funds contributed by tho
people of the State be more iudiciousIy,
more wisely or more profitabIy expended
than by giving to their children cheap and
ample means of acquiring knowledge.
Ignorance is the faithful pareut Of crime,
and if we hope to suppress the latter We
must fret eradicate the former. The
reports Of the officers Of the penal and
chaltabla institutions will give yul all
necessary Information as to the condition
and wants of these institutions Though
they have been managed well duvins the
past year, under the circumstances sur
rounding them, and ut material reduction
in expense, many changes are necessary to
bring them up 70 the proper standard.
improvements ip them are called for aud
are justified even in an economical point of
ricw, Tor if these institutions are put upou
a proper footing they eau be made self sup
porting to great extent, if not in full.
This is more particularly the case with the
pcntcntiary. and it is very desirable that
convict labor should be utilized instead OF
being, as it now is, n burthcr on the honest
people of tho State. The Superintendent
has recently visited many Of the penal in
stitutions in the country, and he has thus
acquired mnch valuable information, VIII ch
has been laid before the directors. sug
gcst that there should be five instead of
three directors Of Che pcnitcn,iary, to be
elected by the Legislature. 10 my opinion
the same mode should be adopted as to the
Regents of tho Lunatio Asylum, and
respectfully recommend the change pro-
posed in Tie manner Of filling these re-
sponsiblc positions, as | think that whatevcr
officers Of State institutions are to be chosen
tho selection Of them should bo in tho