XIII. NORTH CAROLINA.

Capital, Raleigh. Area, 45,500 sq. m. Population, 1850, 869,039.

Government for the Year 1858.

THOMAS BRAGG, of Northampton County, Governor (term of office, Salary. A furnished house and $3,000 Secretary of State, $800 and Fees.

from Jan. 1, 1857, to Jan. 1, 1859),

Rufus Page,

of Wake Co.,

Daniel W. Courts, of Rockingham Co., Treasurer,

Wm. II. Richardson, of Raleigh,

2,000

750

$1,000 and Fees.

Clerk of the Treas. Dep.,

Comptroller,

Supt. Common Schools, 1,500
Private Sec., $300 and Fees.

of Hertford, Governor's

of Raleigh,

of Burke Co.,

State Librarian.

Speaker of the Senate.

of Cumberland Co.,

Speaker of the House of Commons.

of Stoke,

Clerk of the Senate.

Edward Cantwell,
Literary Board. -

of Wake,

Clerk of the House.

The Governor is ex officio President. Members, Wm. W. Holden of Wake Co., Matthew Shaw of Beaufort, Alfred Jones of Wake. They have no compensation but a per diem allowance for expenses. Council of State. Gideon C. Marchant, of Currituck Co.; D. G. W. Ward, of Greene Co.; Nicholas M. Long, of Halifax Co.; John Walker, of Mecklenburg Co.; William D. Bethell, of Rockingham Co.; Clarke M. Avery, of Burke Co.; and A. A. McKay, of Sampson Co., Pay, $3 per diem while in service, and $3 for every 30 miles' travel.

The sessions of the Legislature are biennial. A session will commence on the third Monday of November, 1858.

The Supreme Court holds three sessions in each year; two in the city of Raleigh, to wit, on the second Monday in June and the last Monday in December, and one at Morganton, 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 original and appellate jurisdiction in law and equity. 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.

The Attorney-General is Solicitor for the Third Circuit, and receives, in addition to his pay as solicitor, $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 November 1, 1856.

Amount in hands of State Treasurer, November 1, 1854,
Receipts of Literary Fund for the two years,

$55,120.79

329,826.35

3,826,112.94

$4,211,060.08

The sources of income of the Public Fund are, besides sales of bonds and loans, dividends and interest, public taxes, taxes on bank stocks, and attorney's licenses. The principal items of expenditure annually are, for the Executive and Council of State, about $10,000; for the Judiciary, about $30,000; for interest, about $300,000; for printing and advertising, about $5,000; for Agricultural societies, about $2,500.

State Debt.-On the 1st of November, 1856, the bond debt was $5,038,802.55, upon which the annual interest is $302,328.15. The State is also indebted to the Literary Fund $171,045.18. Total debt, $ 5,209,847.73. The State has productive property to the amount

of $4,616,274.23, and is secured for its loans to the roads by mortgages of the roads. Banks. For the number and condition of the banks in this State, January, 1857, see the table, ante, page 221.

Common Schools for the year ending December 31, 1855. The present common-school system went into operation in 1810, and is now growing rapidly in usefulness and efficiency, and in few States have the schools a more energetic superintendence. By the census of 1840, 14,347 children only are returned as attending primary schools; and those attending colleges, academies, and primary schools numbered in all about 20,000 scholars. With no very large increase of population, there were, for the last school year, about 120,000 scholars in the common schools, and some.11,000 more in colleges, academies, &c. The State is divided into school districts, with local committees, and the districts in each county are under the direction of a board of county superintendents, the chairman of which is the treasurer of the school fund for the county. This board appoints committees of examination,

not more than three to a county, who examine applicants for the office of teacher, and give or refuse a license. In 1853, a General Superintendent, the present incumbent, was appointed, and re-appointed in 1855, who is responsible to the Board of Literature and to the Legislature. There is also a committee of examination in each county, whose special duty is to examine teachers. The county board report the condition of the schools to the State Superintendent. There are 85 counties, three of which are new. Returns were received from 75. Number of districts in the 75 counties, 2,995; districts in 71 counties in which schools were taught, 1,905; whole number of children in 70 counties, 189,562; number attending school in 73 counties, 112,632; number of teachers licensed in 57 counties, 1,369. Average length of schools, about four months. Average wages of teachers per month, males, $18.

males, $21; fe

School Fund.-There was a fund invested in November, 1855, of $1,538,995.46, yielding an annual income of about 120,000. Sales of lands, taxes, &c., increase this sum to about $180,000, which is divided among the counties according to their federal population." The counties raise by taxation about $ 60,000 more, making the amount devoted to schools annually about $240,000. July 1, 1857, the fund had increased to the nominal value of $2,155,745.42.

Deaf and Dumb and Blind. - The North Carolina Institution for the Instruction of the Deaf and Dumb and Blind is in Raleigh. The State appropriates annually for pupils $ 1,000. Insane Asylum. - This institution is at Raleigh, and was opened for patients in March, 1856.

XIV. SOUTH CAROLINA.

Capital, Columbia. Area, 28,000 sq. m. Population, 1850, 668,507.

Government for the Year 1858.

R. F. W. ALSTON, of Georgetown, Governor (term ends De- Salary.

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, elected by joint ballot of both houses, hold their commissions during good behavior, and receive a compensation which can neither be increased nor diminished during their continuance in office. A judge or chancellor may order a special court, and a chancellor may hear cases, by consent, at chambers.

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, John Waites.

Courts for the Correction of Eriors, 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 crim

inal 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.

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.

State Debt.. The debt of the State, October 1, 1856, was as follows: Three, five, and six per cent State stocks and bonds,

Annual interest thereon,

The State is liable for its subscription to the Blue Ridge Railroad Company, to the amount of $600,000, yet to be called for, which will increase its indebtedness to $3,293,276.50, and the annual interest to $269,527.88. The State has also agreed to indorse its 7 per cent

$2,693,276.50 149,527.88