The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-04-30

fthat "Aa enumeration; of the inhabitants
shall be- made in 1876;
and ,shall be made in the course OF: every
tenth year thereafter, in such manner as
shall be by Law directed" The Legisla-
ture at its last session failed to pass the
bill which this section of the -Constitu.
ion requires, in as plain terms as the
IEnglish language can convey. 1t, how
ever, does not defeat the execution of the
constitutional requirement, for the follow
ing section. (5) of the same article
provides that aIf the enumeration herein
directed shall not be made in the, course
of the year appointed for the purpose, it
shall be the,duty of: the Governortoh have
|it.efected as soon thereafter as shall be
practicable The provision, therefore,
is, that if the Legislature fail to have
the enumeration made within the time
proddedsby law, then the Governor shall
have, il done as soon thereafter as practi..
cable. Perhaps a strict literal construc.a
ton Of this section might require the
Governor to delay action until next year,
ias The Legislature has the; whole Of the;
present year, under: the Constitution, to-
have Instrumentation of the Inhabitants
.oftthe State made; but it is now abso.
lutely certain that the census will not be:
taken under Legislative enactment this
year The body has adjourned without
providing for it, and does not meet again
instime to have the enumeration made
this year. The Legislature hasno power:
to provide sfor the enumeration to be
made next yeafi;;a thereforst there can be
no, reasonable doubt that the census, if
taken at al, must be taken under action
by The Governor, either now or next year.
The Legislature may differ upon the
features Of Q particular BIZ, and fail to
obey . provision of the institution, but
Wss apprehend the Governor will not
ignore his plain duty under the Consti-
tuition, and that the census will be taken
Under his direction. Then when shall it
be done The letter OF, the Constitution
may Indicate next year, ,sbut its spirit is
that after the provision for the census to
be taken every tenth year: is neglected to.
be executed, as soon as practicable the
Governor shall haveit taken. The fail
iure to take It is now apparent.
It is now certain that the census will
rot be made this year, as provided in the
Constitution, and thati it will be incum.
bent on the Governor to act in the
premises. The object Of the Constitution
is to have the. census in every tenth
year. 1.-THE Governor delays, twill de.
feat the very object of the Constitution.
The failure to make the census in the
time, is the source of the Governors
power and duty. The failure has already
been made and the Governor will have
to act, and the duty to act being now
certainly fixed upon him, it seems to us
that in view of the fact that immediate
action BY him would tend to the adyan.
.tage Of the State, by getting the greater
part of the expense Of thework betrayed
by the general government, as we'll as
sthefact that the spirit aud purpose Of
the Constitution would be carried out.
it seems to as that the Governor should
proceed at once to have the census taken
in conformity to the Act of Congress, by
which ne would draw nearly sufficient
sum to defray the expenses Of the work.
In order. however, that there might be
mo failure in the matter, it would be
well for Governor Thompson to apply to
Secretary Lamar, to know if he would
pay for a census taken under his direc.
3tion. If SO, the State would heartily
approve the Governor in organizing the
census work immediately. The Senate
ought to have passed the House bill and
provided foritl last Winter. The Cover
nor may, however, by proceeding now,
remedy the matter and save the State q
heavy expense next year.