The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-12-05

| There can be no doubt that the unity o
our people in the past and the command
ing position which for so many year
South Carolina held in the councils o
the nation was due in some measure tt
the influence of the college. Nothing
will contribute more to the material pros
perity of the State than the restoration
of this institution to its former condition
of usefulness.
I do not underestimate the denomina'
tional colleges which now exist in this
State. They are contributing largely to
the education Of our people, and they
we'll deserve the patronage which they
receive, and more. But in order to com.
plete our educational fabric, we should
have State institution not only worthy
of the past, but fitted for the increasing
wants of the future. This matter, how
ever, is solely for you. You are better
informed of the wants and wishes Of the
people and of their necessities, financial
and otherwise, than myself; and with
you, to whom this subject properly be-
longs, respectfully leave it.
MILITIA.
The general condition of this branch
of the pnblic service shows great i'm
provement, as will be seen from the full
exhibit in the report of the Adjutant and
Inspector General. Many nominal or
ganizations Of the National Guard,
which, on inspection, had failed to meet
the requirements Of law, have been dis
handed but all effective bodies have been
retained, and the State Volunteers have
rapidly increased in numbers and eff
cheney, and their condition is highly
creditable to their officers and the peo-
pie. The supply of arms and equip
ments, however, is totally inadequate.
Many of the commands are entirely with
out outfit of any kind, and, though sew
eral artillery companies have been or
ganized, yet the State does not own a
single piece Of ordnance.
The usual source from which such sup
plies have been drawn is the general gov
ernment. By Act of Congress, the sum
of two hundred thousand dollars is an-
nually appropriated for arming the mill
tia of the States, and efforts are now be-
ing made in some Of the Northern States
to have this sum increased to one million
per annum. Under the present law, the
quota for this State is the sum of So ,358.-
so, due on the 30th of June Of eoch year.
Under the proposed increase, South Car
olina would be entitled TO about $4,000
annually. This sum would be adequate
to the wants of the department, and
would soon place it on first class foot
ing;
in the way of obtaining the ordnance
stores needed from the general govern
ment. In the year 1869, Governor r.
K. Scott, being authorized to obtain two
thousand stand of arms from the United
States, actually drew ten thousand stand
of obsolete muzzle-loading muskets with
equipments. The government claimed
to regard this issue as having been drawn
in advance of the whole quota of the
State in the years thereafter, and now
declines to issue any ordnance stores to
South Carolina. Under the third Sec
ton of the Act of March the Sd, 1875,
this State has also been charged with all
its quotas during the period Of the war,
although six years before this Act the
large drafts above referred to had been
made. 1t is believed that Congress will
readjust this account whenever the facts
can be made known, and it is earnestly
desired that the matter should be brought
to the attention of our members in Con-
gress By such action as your wisdom may
dictate. Until this matter is settled, the
troops must remain urequipped TO a
great extent, as the financial condition Of
the State at this time will not justify the
expenditure of the large sum necessary
to purchase the arms and accoutrements
needed. Some legislation, however, will
be needed to perfect the system, and
respectfully recommend to your conside-
ration the report of the Adjutant and In
spector General as embodying the imme.
diate wants Of this department.
PENAL AND CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS.
The reports of the officers of the penal
and charitable institutions will give you
all necessary information as to the con-
dition and wants of these institutions. /
have had an opportunity recently of Wis.
iting the Lunatic Asylum, and / must
congratulate the State in having Board
of RegeHts who are most zealously de-
voting much of their time, without COM
pensation, to the amefioration Of the con-
dition of the unfortunate inmates of that
institution.
This Board, as well as the Superinten-
dent in charge and his assistants. deserve
the gratitude of the people. The report
made by the Board will be sent in at an
early period, and / invite your careful
attention to its contents, and, if our bur-
dened Treasury can possibly bear it.
spare something to the humane objects
suggested for the benefit Of this stricken
portion of our people.
COURT OF CLAIMS.
have been informed by the Hon. ]
C. Colt, Judge of the Court of Claims
that, in the discharge Of his duties, it be-
came necessary to have counsel to repre-
sent the State, and that Mr.. John R
Abney, Solicitor of the Fifth Circuit
rendered professional service to the
Court at such times as he could spare
consistent with his duty upon the Circuit
The Act organizing this Court authorized
the Commissioner, in cases of doubt OF
difficulty, to call in the aid of the Solic'
itor Of the County, but no provision wa'
made for his compensation. l respect
fully recommend this matter to your con
sideration, both as to compensation fol
past services and also as to the propriety
of fixing q sum for the future if counse
should be needed.
THE PALMETTO MONUMENT.
Permit me also to call your attention
to the condition of the beautiful monu
ment which stands on the Capitol grounds
to the famous Palmetto Regiment o
South Carolina, which, by its gallantr,
on foreign field, reflected so much
honor upon its State during the Mexican
war. Two panels, containing the name
of many of the officers and soldiers hav
been lost. They could be restored at
trifling cost and thus the monument pre-
served, as it was intended, an ever-e1ist