The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1868-08-19
Veto Of the Bill for Reducing Bonds Of
Certain Public Officers.
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
COLUMBIA, August 12. 1868.
Hr. President and GeailcHen ofthc tSspujt

COLUMBIA, August II, 1858.
dr. President and GeaUe,cn ofhc Ssauit:
have the honor to return to the Senate,
III "hich 1t originated, can Act TO fix the
amounts Of the official bonds Of certain
public officers, and to impose penalties on
cmDrzzicmcnts," without my approval,
which am constrained to withhold for the
following reasons
Tho public credit must bceuardcd at
every point. The embarrassments cncoun.
| tered III the inauguration of our new State
Government will be best overcome by pro-
cceding in such manner as to commani
from the first the confidence of capitalists
IN .he financial policy Oft the State
any measure appearing TO countcnancc
relaxation OF the precautions wish which
me state guards its funds, will impair the
public credit. Such Il measure. now tolcro.
ted. would be o blow struck at ihe Gnnnciol
s'nhainG OF the State, at II time when nll
Important considerations demand that il
should ho vigilantiy and vigorously I'D.
held F
TO reduce, at this time, The bonds Of those
to whom the public funds arc entrusted for
stic-kccping, seems to me dangerous TO the
public credit. Many Of tho men who have
been c!cctcdto positions of trust, arc new
to the public service Thcy have not been
'rird. We believe they arc irue men. Those
| VINO know ihcm, express unqualified conf .
/ 'rhcc III lhrir integrity. But the peculiar
circumstances IN which they orc nl,ccJ
demand hat they should furnish ;ie ar,-
plrSt guarantees ofthcir Official rcct,tudc.
| The ability 10 d" this, is the only sufficient
answer to the often repeated charge that
| he party Iii power has advanced TO posi-.
iions sofrcsponsibilily and trust those who
were without respectful ility end good stand.
ing in The community. We're the question
OF the amount of tho bonds to be required
OF public officers new one, the bill now
returned might he unohicctionablc.
But the circumstances must be duly
weighed, and it cannot be overlooked that
the reduction of these bonds now will be
understood and believed 70 be made to
meet individual eases oC men who were
elected with full knowledge Of the rca,iro.
mcntS OF the law Legislation TO meet spc,
cia! cases is.always Objectionable, and The
present is probahiya time whcr more harm
VIII result from such legislation than nj any
previous moment in our history. 1 is not
pertinent, however, to inquire particularly
what may be the individual character of ihr
oli!ccr and officers who Glanced TO bc per
sonally interested in securing the proposed
reduction.
The source Of danger is in The prinoplc,
"n" """s hN' rest on personal grounds. The
precedent is bad When once we begin 20
accommodate local requirements to sui,
special cases, the mischief is done
In The case Of some Of the officers Of
Counties, 1t is L."Sr>tood that n p oposition
is under consideration TO diminish ,hc res
possibility by assigning part OF the duties to
othcr officers. In cases where The RESPONSE
hiIiticS may be hus reduced, the reduction
OF the bonds required would not be impro
per. But, upon careful consideration of
the whole subject, and with the dccpcs,
concern Tor the Interests ofthc State, feel
comp'Il'd to diSapprovc the Act 10 reduce
'hc bonds now required by law of those
ohccrs elect, whose duties ana RESPONSE
o'iitics remain the same as those OF the
present iucumbcnts and their predecessors.
The section guarding against cmbczzlc
ment of the public moneys, meets my un-
n"a''hed approval, but am compelled, for
.the reasons above given, to disapprovc the
Act as a whole.
ROBERT L. SCorr.