The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-08-13
veto OF tho BnI Tor Reducing bonds
u or Certain Pnblfc sOnlcers. .s.,s.r, q.


n se of Certain Pnblic Omcers. s,,sp r'
ExEcuTryE DEPARTMENT.,
fsss CoLUEBIA, August 10, 1868.
Nh. President and Gentlenseh of The
Senate. ;4 f4 t aS3f
i have the honor to return to the
Senate, in which ut originated, San
Act to fix the amounts of the official
bonds OF certain public officers, aud
to impose penalties on embezzle-
ments," without my approval, which
/ am constrained to withhold for the
following reasons: '-
The public credit must be guarded
at every point. The embarrnssments
encountered in the Inauguration of
our new State Government will be
best overcome by proceeding in such
a manner as to command from the
first the confidence of capitalists in
the financial policy of the State.
Any measure appearing to counte-
nance relaxation of tho precautions
with which the State guards its
funds, will impair the public credit.
Such measure, now tolerated,
would he blow struck Mt the finan-
cial standing of the State, ut time
when all important considerations
demand that it should be vigilnntiy
and vigorously upheld. =,
TO reduce, at this time, the bonds
of those to whom the public funds
are entrusted for safe-keeping, seems
to ME dangerous to the public credit.
Many of the men who have been
elected to positions of trust, are new
to the public service They have
not been tried. We believe they are
true men. Those who know them,
express unqualified confidence in
their integrity. But the peculiar
circumstances i'll which they are
placed, demand that they should
furnish the amplest guarantees of
their official rectitude. The ability
to do this, is the only sufficient
answer to the often repeated charge
that the party in power has advanced
to positions of responsibility and
trust those who we're without re-
spectability and good standing in the
community. Were the question of
the amount of the bonds to. be re-
quired of public officers a new one,
the bill now returned might be I'M
Objectionable. .t. 'sl r,.t
But the circumstances must be duly
weighed, and it cannot be overlooked
that the reduction of these bonds
now will be understood and believed
to be made to meetindividuuI cases
of men who were elected with full
knowledge of the requirements of
the law. Legislation to meet special
cases .is always objectionable, and
the present is probably time when
more harm will result from such
legislation than Mt any previous mo-
ment in our history. It is not peril
nent, however, to inquire particularly
what may be the individual character
of the officer and officers who Glanced
to be personally interested in secur-
ing the proposed reduction.
The source of danger is in the
principle, and does not rest on per-
sonal grounds. The precedent is
bad. When once we begin to accom-
modate local requirements to suit
special cases, the mischief is done.
In the case of some of the officers
of Counties, it is understood that O.
proposition is under consideration to
diminish the responsibility by as
signing part of the duties to other
officers. In cases where the respon-
sibilities may be thus reduced, the
reduction of the bonds required would
not be improper. But, upon care
full consideration of the whole sub
Ject, and with the deepest concern
for the interests of the State, I feel
compelled to disapprove the Act to
reduce the bonds now required by
law of those officers elect, whose dn-
ties and responsibilities remain the
same as those of the present ineum-
bents and their predecessors.
The section guarding against en-
bezzlement of the public moneys,
meets my unqualified approval, bnt 1
am compelled, for the reasons above
given, to disapprove the Act as a
whole.
ROBERT X. SCOTT, Governor.
BE GUARDED The Boston Post,
always sensible and fair-minded,