Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1868-08-20
G0V.sCOTT'S. VETO
rHE RITZ FOR REDUCING THE b

OF THE BILL FOR REDUCING THE BONDS OF GER
-, TAIN PUBLIC OFFICERS.
Mr. President and Gentlemen of The Senate:
have the honor to return to the Senate, in
which it originated, "An Act to fix the amounts
of the official bonds of certain public officers and
to impose penalties on embezzlements," without
my approval, which, am constrained-to withhold
for the following reasons: ihkt4E 1911
The public credit must be guarded at every
point, The enlbarassments encountered in the
Inauguration Of our new State Government will be
to command from the first the confidence Of CAPT.
talists in the financial policy of the State.
Any measure appearing to countenance relax
alton Of the precautions with, which tho State
guards its funds, will impair the public credit
Such measure, now tolerated, would be blow
struck at the financial standing Of the State, at
time when all important considerations demand
that it should be vigiantly 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 un-
qualified confidence in their integrity. But the
peculiar circumstances in 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 advan
ced to positions of responsibility and trust those
who were without responsibility and good stand
ing in the community. Were the question OF the
amount of the bonds to be required OF public 9TH
GERS new one, the bill now returned might be un-
Objectionable, -, ..gTEHT. ~ J
But the circumstances must be duly weighed,
and it cannot be overlooked that the reduction of
these bonds now will be understood and believed
ito be made to meet individual cases of men who
were elected with full knowledge of the require.
nents 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 at any previous moment In
our history. It is not pertinent, However, to in;
quire particularly what may be the individual
character of the officer and officers who CHANGED
Ito be personally interested in securing the proposed
reduction. ......,.. g..
The source of danger is in the principle, and
does not rest on personal grounds. The precedent
IS bad. When once we begin to accommodate 10.
cal requirements to suit special cases, the mischief
In the case of some of the officers Of Counties,
its understood that proposition is under eonsid
GRAFTON to diminish the responsibility by assigning
part Of the duties to other officers. In cases
where the responsibilities may be thus reduced
the reduction Of the bonds required would not be-
improper But, upon careful consideration OF
the whole subject. and with the deepest concern
for the interests of the State, feel compelled to
disapproye the Act to reduce the bonds now re-
auired by law fthose officers elect, whose duties
and responsibilities remain the same as those OF
the present incumbents and their predecessors.
The section guarding against embezzlement of
tile public moneys, meets my unqualified appro-
val, but am compelled, for the reasons above
given to disapproye the Act as whole.
'-"' ROBERT 4. SCOTT, Governor.