682 



SOUTH CAROLINA. 



the vital, practical questions of the living present. It 

 presents the only possible basis of union to the peo- 

 ple of South Carolina, and holds out to them, for the 

 first time, the olive-branch of peace. It proposes a 

 fair trial, and in the only form in which a fair trial 

 may be had, of the experiment of universal suffrage, 

 under tho most difficult of all circumstances. If ac- 

 cepted by the people, the experiment will have 

 proved the triumphant success of a great principle, 

 and we will have demonstrated our capacity to emanci- 

 pate ourselves from the thraldom of prejudice, igno- 

 rance and corruption, and to exercise wisely and well 

 that great privilege of the freeman self-government. 

 But, if rejected, ours is a sure progress of ruin and 

 decay, of vice and corruption, and in the end almost 

 inevitably a violent and bloody solution of the great 

 problem, which we had not the wisdom and the vir- 

 tue to determine upon just, liberal and enlightened 

 principles. May Almighty God, who rules and gov- 

 erns tne affairs of nations as of men, guide you to 

 right conclusions on these momentous issues ! " 



On the 26th of July the Convention of the 

 Republican party assembled at Columbia, and 

 nominated R. K. Scott for Governor, and A. 

 J. Ransier (colored) for Lieutenant-Governor. 

 The following resolutions were adopted : 



Resolved, That tho Eepublicans of South Carolina 

 in convention assembled, in a spirit of amity and 

 peace toward their opponents, and of justice to them- 

 selves, make the following declaration of principle 

 and policy : 



1. That, as citizens of the nation representing the 

 Eepublican sentiment of a proud and honored Com- 

 monwealth, we regard with sincere satisfaction the 

 fidelity evinced byTresident Grant to tho Republican 

 party, and we pledge our cordial support to the meas- 

 ures inaugurated by him to insure conciliation, econ- 

 omy, and justice at home, and command considera- 

 tion and respect abroad. 



2. That we cordially indorse the administration of 

 Governor Scott, as wise, economical, and honest, and 

 that it deserves, as it has received, the hearty ap- 

 proval of the loyal people of South Carolina. 



3. That we insist on a continuance of strict and 

 close economy in all departments of our government, 

 5 11 order to maintain the happy financial condition 

 which our State has attained under Eepublican rule. 



4. That we hail with gratitude the adoption of the 

 fifteenth amendment to the Constitution of tho 

 United States, as the crowning act of American civil 

 emancipation, and that, in the exercise of the sacred 

 right of the elective franchise which it proclaims and 

 perpetuates, we will elevate to public office only 

 capable and honest Eepublicans, irrespective of race, 

 color-or previous condition. 



5. That we hereby pledge the Eepublican party of 

 South Carolina to a firm, fearless, and unfaltering sup- 

 port of the Civil Eights Bill, and shall demand the 

 ntrict enforcement of the principles that it enunciates, 

 ns just and practical assertions of the civil equality 

 of all American citizens. 



6. That we appeal to the national Congress to open 

 to settlement and preemption the forty-eight mill- 

 ions of acres of public lands in the Southern States, 

 and to provide by a suitable law for the purchase, 

 through the General Land-Office or otherwise, of lands 

 in this State, to be sold to the landless, under the 

 provisions of the homestead law of the United 

 States. 



7. Congratulating ourselves upon the return of 

 peace, the representation of our beloved State in the 

 national councils, and the comparative quiet that 

 prevails in our midst, relying upon Divine Provi- 

 dence for wisdom in council and efficiency in our ac- 

 tions, with malice toward none and charity to all, we 

 pledge our earnest and best efforts to the success of 

 the Eepublican party in South Carolina, and enter 

 upon the campaign of 1870, confident of victory, with 



the noble words, " Equality before the law, free 

 speech, a free press, a free ballot, and free schools," 

 emblazoned upon our banners. 



After an exciting political contest, the elec- 

 tion was held on the 19th of October, and re- 

 sulted in the success of the Republican candi- 

 dates. Governor Scott was elected by a ma- 

 jority of 33,534 in a total vote of 136,608; and 

 A. J. Ransier was chosen Lieutenant-Governor 

 by a majority of 31,637. 



The Legislature chosen is largely Republican 

 in both branches. Referring to this election, 

 and the heated political contest that preceded 

 it, Governor Scott, in his annual message to the 

 Legislature, says: 



I am conscious that I have been reflected by a 

 large majority of the citizens of this State, a majority 

 BO large as to secure my administration against any 

 opposition of practical consequence, and 1'trust that 

 my conduct in the future, as in the past, will show 

 how thoroughly I recognize the confidence which has 

 been vouchsafed to me ; but I cannot refuse to recog- 

 nize the fact that a large body of those in whose 

 hands the wealth, the influence, and the education of 

 the State, have in former times been entirely placed, 

 and in whose hands to a very considerable extent they 

 are still placed, have been opposed to the party of 

 which I am the chosen representative, and arc to-day 

 apprehensive of the results of my administration. 



The funded debt of the State on the 31st of 

 October, 1870, was $7,665,908.98, while the as- 

 sets held by the State on that date amounted 

 to $2,290,700. 



The report of the Commissioners of the Peni- 

 tentiary represents the affairs of that institution 

 to be in a favorable condition. The whole num- 

 ber of inmates during the year was 575, of whom 

 23 were discharged by expiration of sentence, 

 205 pardoned, 24 died, 6 escaped, and one be- 

 came insane, leaving in confinement, at the 

 close of the year, 316 309 males and 7 fe- 

 males. The large number pardoned consisted 

 chiefly of those whose terms were about to ex- 

 pire, and who were recommended for their good 

 behavior by the superintendent. The superin- 

 tendent reports the effect of this leniency to 

 be most salutary in promoting good behavior 

 among the convicts, and enabling him from day 

 to day to designate larger numbers of the con- 

 victs for work as laborers, teamsters, and me- 

 chanics, without the presence of a guard outside 

 the enclosure of the prison ; " and not one has 

 betrayed the confidence thus reposed in him." 



The number of patients in the Lunatic Asy- 

 lum at the beginning of the year was 232, to 

 which were added 90, making a total of 322 un- 

 der treatment during the year. Of this num- 

 ber 30 were discharged cured, 16 removed, 

 31 died, and 4 escaped, leaving in the institu- 

 tion at the close of the year 244 112 males 

 and 132 females. The Board of Regents of 

 this institution recommend that " the benefici- 

 aries should be maintained by the State 

 instead of the several counties," and " the ex- 

 tension of the present new building, so as to 

 enable us to abandon the inferior quarters 

 used for patients." For the latter purpose an 

 appropriation of $40,000 is asked. 



