The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1861-12-24

discussing officers and others about RALEIGH The
ordinance provides that the Board shall be continued
until the first January e63 and that the three mem
oers shall receive an annual salary of $4,000 each
The first part of the I'd section reads as follows
That besides, and in addition to the duties con :.
ferred and enjoined by said ordinance the said Board
snail have power, and it shall be their duty examine
and pass upon all for expenditures made or
responsibilities incurred allowances claimed by any
and every discussing agent which have not already
been finally settled and allowed at the Treasury
according to existing law, and such account shall
hereafter be setLed dUoaced paid the Treasure
unless, and until the shall have first been passed
upon, and allowed and certified by the said Board"
1t is objected to this that it will unnecessarily delay
the payment of claims against the State, contracted
for supplies for the army &C. and that it supersedes
the duties of responsible officers who have been dis
charging the duties Of examining and paying bills.
But, complaint is made land justly think that
the committee which reported the ordinance reflected
unjusy and injuriously the officers of the State
Government. In their report, the committee say:
L" From the examination which YOUR committee have
given the subject, they satisfied that fraud ccula-
ton and n0eosance will be deve loped if proper and
efficient investigation is made into the conduct of the
officers and agents who have been entrusted with the
custody and disbursement of the public funds"
This is a serious charge, and demands immediate
investigation. But when Major Devereux the Quarter
investigate the of his department. the chair
man Of the committee that used the above language
dsclaimed 'al intention of casting any imputation of
personal character upon any officer any Of The De-
partnsns" This disclaimer of the committee and the
report of the committee, strikes quite inconsistent
and very strange to say the least.
We have not the least objection to a full investga-
ton OF the manner in which the various departments
have been managed land confident of the
officers have any such obecon) but think it wrong
and impracticable pension upon the State board
of gentlemen at salary of $4,000 year discharge
duties which other officers paid to do, and who
fully responsible to the State and worthy of being
trusted AS the gentlemen who constitute the Board of
Claims. We protest against the creation of many
salared offices. The Board might have been con-
tnued ut fair daily compensation pass upon certain
claims Tin accordance with the original intention of the
ordinance creating the Board) and it could have met
from time to time aud discharged its duties, and proba
bly, have been in session than three months
during the year.
From the proceedings of the last day of the Conven
ton FRIDAY the l3th) the following.
THE President laid before the Convention q commu-
ncation from Adjutant General Martin.
Mr. Kittrell objected to its being read
Messrs. Graham Sattcrthwaite, Rayner and Osborne
concurred in thinking that the communication if re-
spectful, should be receive ed and read.
Mr. kittrell having withdrawn his objection, the let
ter read.
tasks the appointment ola committee of three mem
bers OF the Convention to investigate the affairs of his
department during the approaching recess and sug-
gests that they devise system of accountabty in
the disbursement of public moneys through his depart
men and that the ordinance passed by the Convention
this subect'shoud be suspended until the Conveu
ton again assembled.
Mr. Satterhwaite characterized thi. communication
as can insolent outrageous attempt to over awe and
brow-beat the Convention" He said that the time
had arrived when the Convention must either tamely
submit to military dictation rebuke Indignantly
such Offci"us intermedding. 1t was an unworthy at
tempt the part of these military gentlemen to
the impression abroad that the ordinance reported
by the committee and passed by the Convention had
stopped the payment of claims would delay their adj
ustment. They wished to pre- udice the action of the
Convention in the public eye, and thus lead to
peal of the ordinance If everything right they
would court the investigation proposed but the terri
BILE panic which the action of the Convention had
caused among these military gentlemen conclusive
evidence that they dreaded it. This insolent commn-
nicatOn asked the suspension of the ordinance. He
ycntured to say that if this were done, every claim
would be speedily adjudieated, "by some convenient
third person" and it would never be known what had
become of the public money. In conclusion Mr. Sat-
terhwaite moved that the letter be returned to its
writer.
Mr. Badger also commented with severity upon the
letter. He regarded it as arrogant dctatorial and
wholly uncalled for.
the military to dictate to the civil power. 1t
gross abuse of the right of petition and should be
r"mpty rebuked by the Convention.
Messrs. Osborne, Reid and Thomas of Jackson view
ed the communication in difcrent light, and cOncurr
ed in. thinking that undue sensativ encss had been
eynced well by members of committee by the
officers whose letters had been laid before the ConYen
ton. They thought that the letter not intentionally
discourteous TO the body
After further discussion, Mr. Satterthwaites motion
for the return of the letter, was laid the table.
Yeas SIS. nays IA
The communication finally laid on the table
motion of Mr. Badger"
We have read the Adjutant Generals communication
and can find nothing in it which justi6es such harsh
treatment by the Convention.
Mr. Bedsoe, assistant Quartermaster sent a note to
the chairman of the committee inqnirng if the report
of the committee alluded him. The chairman threw
himself his dignity in the convention and declared
he would such questions. If The committee
was not prepared explain their report and investi-
gate the matter it had right to make injurious in
situations.
THE CONFEDERATE CAPITAL.-A writer in the State
Journal suggests suitable place for locating the
capital of the Southern Confederacy, the vale of Flat
Rock in Henderson county, North Carolina. The
writer says:
"This elevated and beautiful table country is imne-
diatey the summit of the great Allegheny range,
which separates the waters of the Atlantic and the
Mississippi six hundred miles airline from n Orleans,
on the southwest four hundred and twenty from Balti
more on the northeast; hundred and seventy from
Cincinnati on the NORTH and two hundred and fifty
from Savannah the South, air measure. Its height