Moneys, bonds, or other evidences in court, 949,083.54 Capital of incorporated joint stock Cos. other than banks of circula tion and internal improvement Cos., and of all insurance Cos. and savings institutions which declare no dividend of profits, Personal property of internal improvement companies, 655,379.25 377,807.00 In regard to taxation and the contracting of debts and the payment of the State debt the constitution provides as follows: "The yeas and nays shall be taken on all tax and appropriation bills. No incorporated company shall be released from its liability to the State, nor shall the faith of the State be pledged for the debts of any company. Seven per cent. of the State debt existing January 1, 1852, shall be annually set apart as a sinking fund to redeem said debt. No loans shall be contracted irredeemable for a period of over 34 years. Whenever a debt is contracted, there shall be set apart, annually, for 34 years, a sum exceeding by one per cent. the aggregate amount of the annual interest agreed to be paid thereon at the time of its contraction, which sum shall be a part of the sinking fund. Stocks held by the Commonwealth may be sold, but the proceeds must be applied to the payment of the public debt." Schools.-The returns are very imperfect. They show, as regards primary schools, in 140 counties and 6 towns, 1,853 commissioners; in 129 counties and 3 towns, 3,934 schools; in 100 counties and I town, 55,271 poor children; in 129 counties and 4 towns, 32,072 poor children sent to school. Amount expended for tuition of poor children at common and other schools, including books and all other expenses, $69,404.14; average attendance of poor children in the year, 54 days; average cost per annum of each poor child, about $ 2.16. The returns as to district free schools are from only 10 counties and 2 towns. Number of districts, 261; of schools, 276; general average salaries of teachers in 7 counties and 2 towns, $224.75; number of children at school during the year in 10 counties and 2 towns, 13,176; average annual cost of these pupils, $5.92; local funds from taxes, contributions, &c., $63,293.52; amount applied from school quotas, $6,519.80; teachers' salaries and all other expenses, $68,265.30; tuition in 6 counties and 1 town, $36,065.53; when not otherwise stated, the above returns are from 10 counties and 2 towns. Council of State. - William K. Lane, of Wayne Co.; Whitmel Stallings, of Gates Co.; Archibald Henderson, of Rowan Co.; Wilson S. Hill, of Guilford Co.; Columbus Mills, of Rutherford Co.; Perrin Busbee, of Raleigh; and Robert S. French, of Robeson Co. Pay, $3 per diem while in service, and $3 for every 30 miles' travel. -- Circuit Solicitors. of Rockingham. W. N. H. Smith, of Greensboro'. G. S. Stephenson, of Salisbury. of Raleigh. of Murfreesboro'. of Newbern. M. W. Ransom, of Warren Co. of Fayetteville. of Lincoln Co. of Cleaveland Co. two in the city of The Supreme Court holds three sessions in each year; Raleigh, to wit, on the second Monday in June and the last Monday in December, and one at Morgantown, on the first Monday of August, for the western part of the State; and continues to sit at each term until all the business on the docket is determined, or continued upon good cause shown. It has power to hear and determine all cases in law or equity, brought before it by appeal, or by the parties. It has original and exclusive jurisdiction in repealing letters-patent, and also has power to issue all writs necessary and proper for the exercise of its jurisdiction. The judges of the Supreme and the Superior Courts are elected by joint ballot of both houses of the General Assembly, to hold office during good behavior. Their salaries cannot be diminished during continuance in office. Salary of a solicitor, $20 for each court which he attends, and fees for conviction. The Attorney-General is solicitor for the third circuit, and receives, in addition, $100 for each term of the Supreme Court which he attends. The Superior Courts of Law, and the Courts of Equity, are held twice each year in every county of the State. There are seven circuits, of about ten counties each, which the judges ride alternately, never visiting, however, the same circuit twice in succession. The judges of these courts have complete equity jurisdiction. FINANCES, For the Two Years ending October 31, 1852. Receipts for the year ending October 31, 1851, $285,154.79 3€6.728.88 $651,883.67 366,342.76 249,254.45 Receipts and Disbursements of the Literary Fund. Receipts for the year ending October 31, 1851, $129,255.24 The State owns stocks in railroads and other internal improvement companies to the amount of $600,000. State Debt. On the 1st of November, 1852, the debt of the State upon which interest was payable amounted to $1,230,000. During the last session of the Legislature, a further debt of $2,140,000 was authorized to be created by the issue of bonds, as follows: $65,000 for the Neuse and Tar River Railroad; $75,000 for the Seaboard and Roanoke Road; $2,000,000 for the North Carolina Railroad. Deaf and Dumb. · The building for the North Carolina Institution for the Instruction of the Deaf and Dumb was commenced April 14, 1848. The Institution is in Raleigh, near the State-House. The grounds have an extent of four acres. Lunatic Asylum. - The Legislature, at a late session, imposed a tax of one cent and three quarters on every $100 worth of land, and five and a quarter cents on every taxable poll per annum, for four years, to raise a fund for building a lunatic asylum. The tax will yield about $80,000 in the four years. XIV. SOUTH CAROLINA. JOHN L. MANNING, of Sumter, James H. Irby, of Lawrence, Governor, (term ends De- Salary. cember, 1854), House-rent and $3,500 Lieutenant-Governor. Clerk of the House, 1,000 1,000 J. T. Sloan, The Governor is elected by the Senate and House of Representatives jointly, to serve for two years, and is not re-eligible until after the expiration of four years. In case of his death, or removal from office, the LieutenantGovernor acts as Governor. Legislature. Assembles at Columbia, on the fourth Monday in November, annually. Representatives (124 in number) are chosen for two years, on a mixed basis of population and taxation. Pay, $3 a day, and 10 cents for every mile of travel. The Senate consists of 45 members, who are elected for four years; one half chosen every second year. Pay of Senators the same as that of Representatives. JUDICIARY. The judges and chancellors are elected by joint ballot of both houses. They hold their commissions during good behavior, and receive a compensation which can neither be increased nor diminished during their continuance in office. Repeated attempts have been made to limit their tenure to 65 or 70 years, but without success. A judge or chancellor may order a special court, and a chancellor may hear cases, by consent, at chambers. Chancellors in Equity. Isaac W. Hayne, of Charleston, Attorney-General, 1,100 and fees. Simeon Fair, T. N. Dawkins, Solicitor for Northern Circuit, 66 Southern 66 900 and fees. 900 and fees. 1,500 M. L. Bonham, J. S G. Richardson, of Smithville, State Reporter, 1851, Law Court of Appeals, and Equity Court of Appeals. — The former, consisting of all the law judges, for hearing appeals from the courts of law, and the latter, of all the chancellors, for hearing appeals from the courts of equity, are held in Columbia on the first Monday in May and fourth Monday in November. These courts are also held in Charleston on the second Monday in January, for hearing and determining appeals for the Districts of Georgetown, Horry, Beaufort, Colleton, and Charleston. Clerks. At Charleston, T. J. Gantt. At Columbia, A. Herbemont. Courts for the Correction of Errors, consisting of all the judges in law and equity, to try constitutional questions, or questions where the law and equity courts are divided, and which are referred thereto by either of the courts, are held at such times, during the sitting of the Court of Appeals, as the chancellors and judges may appoint. Courts of Common Pleas and General Sessions.-These courts have original jurisdiction in all civil cases where legal rights are involved (except in matters of contract where the amount is $20 or under), and in all criminal cases affecting free white men; and appellate jurisdiction in all appeals from Magistrates' Courts, and in appeals from the Court of Ordinary in all cases except in matters of account. They are held in each and every district of the State twice in each year. The times of holding the court for Charleston District are the first Monday in May, to sit six weeks, and the fourth Monday in October, to sit four weeks. Daniel Horlbeck, Clerk for Charleston District. Courts of Equity take cognizance of all matters belonging to a court of equity, as contradistinguished from a court of law. A term is held by one chancellor, annually, in each district, except Charleston District, where two terms are held; viz. on the first Monday in February, to sit six weeks, and on the second Monday in June, to sit four weeks. City Court of Charleston.- An inferior court of limited jurisdiction both in civil and criminal causes. William Rice, Recorder. Ordinary's Court. Each district has its own Ordinary. The principal duties of the Ordinary are to grant letters of administration; probate of wills; examine executors and administrators' accounts, &c. His office is the proper depository of wills and other papers relative to the administration of estates. An appeal lies from his determination, in matters of account, to the Court of Equity, and, in all other cases, to the Court of Common Pleas. M. T. Mendenhall, Ordinary for Charleston District. Magistrates' Courts have exclusive jurisdiction in matters of contract of and under twenty dollars. Court of Magistrates and Freeholders, for the trial of slaves and free persons of color for criminal offences. FINANCES. Total receipts during the year ending September 30th, 1853, . $381,430.90 276,674.40 658,105.30 |