The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-07-25

the pnst year, but makes suggestions
worthy of your grave consideration
Owing to circumstances with which you
are familiar, the facilities for the educa-
ton Of our people have not been. as yet
what we desired and expected them to
be. We must not forget that among the
pledges OF ~cforiJ made by us there is
mono to which we are more solcmnly
committed than that of placing within
the reach Of all classes the means OF cdu-
cation. | earnestly invoke your favora-
bic action on this subject, and trust
that you will bc able to mature some
system watch, while benefttins tho
scholars. will secure prompt payment to
dischnrging their duties faithfully, now
hold claims against the State. which
| should ut onco be paid. recommend
the ratification of the constitutional
amendment regarding the tax to support
free schools, adopted by the voters Mt the
last election. From the funds which
will thus he provided, together with
those arising from tho poll tax, our
schools can be put on q footing of ,lse-
iuness.
The late professors Of the Univerity were
not paid in full when that institution
was closed. and l suggest that provision
be made to pay the cluims held by them.
My attention has been called to the fact
that there nre also portions Of the snla-
rios OF Professors Reynolds, Rivers and
the late DIR. LaBordo, Of the old faculty,
still unpaid, and it appears to Inc emf
| ncntly proper that whatever amounts
may he due to these gentlemen, or their
representatives, should be paid. These
claims can DO examined by committee
| appointed by the Legislature, and n re-
port embracing tho facts cnn bo submit
ted to that body for its final action. The
daughters of Professor LnBorde request
| me to transmit to the General Assembly
memorial on this subject. and take
great pleasure in doing SO, commenting
it to your favorable consideration.
The action of the General Assembly at
the last session contemplated the re-
opening of tho university Ms n school for
tho white youth of the State, and the
establishment of n similar institution for
tho bAck. This plan strikes mo as wise
and woll-considered. and recommend
TINT such measures bo taken at tho pres
ent session AZ may he necessary for its
successful Inauguration. 1t will. Of
course, be impossible to put these uni
versities or colleges in complete working
order at once, but such legislation to
that end can now be had as will lay u
secure foundation for them. They can
gradually be built up until they are able
to offer to tho youth Of the State every
| educational advantage to be found else
where. In no mode can the funds con-
tributed by the people Of the State be
moro judiciously, moro wisely or more
profitably expended than by giving to
their children cheap and ample means Of
acquiring knowledge.
Ignorance is the faithful parent of
crime, and if we hope to suppress the
latter we must first eradicate tho former. |
The reports of the officers Of the pennl |
and charitable institutions will give you |
NIL necessary information as to the con- |
dition and wants OF these institutions |
Though they have been managed well |
during the past year, under the oircum-
stances surrounding thon, and at n ma
teria reduction IL eypenJe, many !
changes are necessary to bring them up |
to tho proper standard. improvements !
i'll them are called for and are justified |
even in m economical point of view, for |
Ii these institutionD are put upon n |
proper footing they can be nlade self
supporting to great extent, if not in |
full. This is moro particularly the case
with the penitentiary, and it is very do
sirablo that the convict labor should bo
utilized, instead of being, as it now is, O
burthen on the honest people of the
State. The superintendent has recently
visited many of the penal Institutions In
the country, md ho has thus acquired
much valuable information, which has
been laid before the directors. sug-
gest thnt there should be five instead of
three directors of the penitentiary. to be
elected by the Legislature. III ny
OpiniOn tho snme mode should be
adopted as to the Regents of the Lunatic
Asylum, and l respectfully recommend
the change proposed in the manner OF
filling these responsible positions, as I
think that whenever officers of State in
stitutionB nre to be chosen the selection
of them should be in tho hands of tho
General Assembly end not of the Exceed
tive
The reports of the various officers of
tho State government will give full in
formation rs to all matters pertaining to
the different departments, and these re-
ports will receive, rs they merit, your
careful consideration l nm sure. The
exhibit made ia ominently satisfactory,
as it shows that substantial progress has
been mnde in inc march OF rctrenohment
and reform
The taxes levied at your last session
have been very generally paid, though
payment fell due Mt time not only un-
usual, but unpropitious. In view of
this fact, and the additional one that in
many casea the proceeds of the crops had
been expended before tho call for taxes
was issued, I recommend that you ex-
tend such measures of relief to delin-
quent tax payers as in your discretion
mny seem proper. Besides these tax
payers, (whoSc poverty has ,,revented