The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-05-30
SOUTH CAROLINA UNIVERSITY.

ANDERSON, S. c., May 2S, 1878.
Mr.. EDITOR: Some parties in this County
are endeavoring to get up feeling of dis
satisfaction in reference to the action Of the
Legislature in regard to the South Carolina
University. Twill, therefore, state the facts,
so that parties may make up an intelligent
opinion, anG not be misled by misrepresen-
tation.
1. Article 10, section 0, of the Constitu.
ton of the State says: '"rhe General AS
sembly shall provide annually for the main
tenance of the South Carolina University"
This every member of the General Assembly
took solemn oath to do when he was
sworn into Office.
2. Section IA of can act to provide for
the organization of the State University"
approved March ed, 1878, provides "that
the Board of Trustees be, and they are here
by, authorized and required, whenever they
shall receive express authority from the
General Assembly to do 80, as may be prac-
ticable, to organize each of the said branches
of the University, by establishing such
schools in each. of them, and prescribing
such course and mode of instruction therein
as they may see fit," &C., &c. No such
authority has been granted, nor will there
be until the State is able to afford it.
3. AS to the organization increasing the
taxes. 1 will only refer to section of the
appropriation bill: "The sum of two thou
sand one hundred dollars be, and the same
is hereby, appropriated for the South Caro-
lima University, namely: l. For the pay
ment of insurance on the University build
ings, one thousand dollars, to be paid on
the application of the Board of Trustees,
upon the warrant of the Comptroller Cen
eral. 3 For the salary of the Librarian of
che South Carolina University, five hun
dred dollars. 8. For repairs on University
building. six hundred dollars" Hence,
you see the wonderful outlay. The build.
ings cost many thousand dollars, and COM
mon sense requires that they should be
repaired and kept insured. The library is
one of the most valuable in the South, and
must De protected.
4. There was one other important reason
for the passage of this Act. The Clatlin
College, at Qrangeburg, was founded since
the war for colored students by Northern
people, and by the sale of land-scrip, given
by Congress to the different States for edu-
cational purposes. BY the Act Of Congress
granting this land-scrip, the State is made
responsible for the interest on this fund,
and has to pay it annually. This college
Lad been the hot-bcd of Radicalisln in for
mer. times, and it was necessary that it
should be put in better hands. So by this
Act it was put under the control of our
own people, and property Of the value Of
twenty thousand dollars was acquired by
the State without one cents increased lia-
bility, for the interest on the land-scrip had
to be paid whether we controlled it or not.
These are the facts of the case. The
University was not opened, nor did the
bill seek to open it, but simply to reor-
ganize it. The amount of taxes spent on it
is the pitiful sum of twenty-one hundred
dollars, and this all goes for insurance, re-
pairs of the library roof, which was leaking
badly, and damaging the books, and the
salary of librarian to preserve these valu-
able works.
! simply make this statement that
proper understanding may be had, and
misstatements corrected.
Respectfully,
| las. l.. ORR.