The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-12-05
GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA,
EXECUTIVE CHAMBER,
COLUMBIA. November 26, 1878.

COLUMBIA, November 26, 1878.
Gentlemen Of the General Assembly:
The painful accident which happened
to Governor Hampton on Thursday, the
7th instant, and which sent deep SORROW
and gloom to every household in the
State, having disabled him physically
from the performance of his high duties
as Governor of the State of South Caro-
lima. with that exalted patriotism and
selfsacrifcing devotion to the best inter
.-ests of the State which has characterized
him through life, as soon as he became
aware of the full extent of his injuries
he at once relieved himself by ptoclama.
ton of the powers and duties of said
J Office, and, under the provisions of the
Constitution, the same devolved upon
me. This took place on the 18th inst,
and on the same day took charge OF the
Executive department Under these cir
cumstances, it has become my duty to
address you at this your annual meeting.
This unfortunate calamity to Governor
Hampton was so unexpected and the
time has been so short since assumed
the discharge of the duties appeftainlng
to this Office, and the pressure OF the
current business has been so heavy, that
/ have been unable, up to this time, to
inform myself fully of the wants and
necessities of our people so as to make
such full and matured recommendation
and suggestions to your honorable bodies
as the condition Of the State may per-
haps require, and as, no doubt, Governor
HAMPTON. had he been spared this mis-
fortune, would have been prepared to
make.
The reports, however, Of the very eff
cient officers in the different departments
and boards connected with the admins
tration, which will be laid upon your
tables at an early day, are so full and
thorough, so abundant in information
and so replete with valuable suggestions
covering the special subject matters 70
which they severally refer, and these
matters embracing as they do almost the
entire field of legislation, I feel greatly
relieved thereby, and shall content my
self on this occasion with calling the at
tef.tion of the General Assembly espe-
cially to the valuable contents of these
reports, with such recommendations
thereon as within the limited time which
has been allowed me I have been enabled
to conclude would be wise and proper.
FINANCE.
The annual report of the Comptroller
General, to be submitted to you with the
other department reports by the 1st of
December, will contain an elaborate and
carefully prepared statement Of the errors
and inaccuracies in the books OF his
Office and of the Treasurer's Office, as
turned over to the present incumbents by
their predecessors, and also report upon
the value of numerous accounts which
cumber the books and render deceptive
the balance sheet which he is by law re-
quired to lay before your honorable
bodies as exhibiting true and accurate
account of the actual state of the Treas
ury. beg to commend this report to
your consideration. -
Besides the usual statistics relating to
taxes and the finances, his report will
also be found 10 contain some suggestions
upon these matters, and other subjects
relatingato his department, which regard
as valuable, being based upon the expe-
rience and observation of the last two
years of a most careful and competent
public official. The importance of the
subjects dealt with in this report, and the
fact that any discussion of them, to be of
value, must 60 into elaborate details and
statistics, induces me to refrain from fur
ther allusion to them at this time, as the
report itself will be found to be full,
clear and accurate.
There IS one matter, however, which is
brought out in the report to which l de-
sire to call your attention especially.
There are some evils connected with the
organization of what is known as the
Board of Equalization which eminently
deserve con sideration. In the report of
the Compt .oller will be found sugges-
tions intended to remedy these evils. 1t
certainly is just that every citizen in the
State should be required to aid the gov
ernment in the shape of taxation to the
extent of the value of his property pro-
tected thereby. The burden of taxation,
however, should bear equally on all, and
il is TO be hoped that, in your wisdom,
some measure may be adopted to i'm
prove the present system OF assessment
and promotive of the great end Of equal
ity, so much to be desired. If this is
done, no citizen would have the right to
complain, nor would they complain, for
I feel sure that all of our people are will
ing to bear their proper share of the
burden of necessary taxation; but in the
absence of this, complaints will not only
be numerous but well-founded. the
object of the Board of Equalization is to
produce this equality, and to this end
the manner in which the Board is To be
organized is q matter Of the highest i'm
portance.
EDUCATION.
The report of the State Superintendent
Of Education gives an encouraging ac-
count of the condition of the public
schools.
The last General Assembly made i'm
portant changes in the school law, which
is now better adapted to the wants of our
people.
The report shows that 116, ,239 children
attended the public schools last year, an
increase of nearly 1000 over the num-
Der reported for the preceding year. This
fact, together with the increased interest
in education manifested by all classes of
our citizens and the Improvements in the
public school system, show that gratify-
ing progress has been made IN this most
important department OF the State gov
ernment.,
would especially recommend that, in
accordance with the suggestions OF the
State Superintendent of Education, some
action be taken which will secure more
prompt payment of the teachers sala-
ries. During the past year much EN-,
barrassment and loss to teachers resulted
in the delay in the collection of taxes.
Unless some remedy for this evil IS pro-
vided, it is feared that we may lose the
services of some of our best teachers.
The other recommendations contained
in the report are we'll worthy of your
careful consideration.