The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-04-15
IADvERTIsEMEST.l
Z" Public l'Iundor." /"
TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEWS

~ IdE 1IOH OF HE NEWS.
"a Citizen" publishes in your paper Of yes
terday long string of what he calls "faots' In re-
gard to Mr. George W. Clark, Acting Mayor of
Charleston; and, although no particular love
for Mayor Clark. do not k, to see stabbed in the
back man who, whether he knowsit or not, is aght.
ing the battle of law and order in ng to give up
his seat to Plsb.ry until that person is declared by
the proper tribunal to have been duly elected.
Now, what are the 'facts" which "a Citizen" pa
rades with 80 much apparent pride? am Tot ia
miliar with the domestic economy OF the city gov
ernment. but think that can very quickly dispose
Of most of them. First. Mayor Clark is said to be
"the purveyor tor all the city institutions" This
as am Informed, il untrue. Mayo Clark is not
purveyor for the Aims House, IN he purveyor for
the Orphan House, which institutions do certi ly
consume some mell. -four boon and salt His
hrm g. W. Clark q Co., do supply the hospitals
with groceries, but nothing Csc. S. cond It is
charged that the articles supplied by Mayor clark
are of the most Inferior quality. and that the
Hour, meat and meal issued to tho patients
at The Marine Hospital found to be
utterly uneour d. This may be true. do not
know whether it is not; but, If 1t is then the
fault. as am informed. lies with tho OH isls In
charge CT the hospital duty 1t is to see
the food ia wholesome. and to inject what is not fit
for use Thrd 1t Is charged that the May or saudits
his own accounts. and, as Ma or. draws his checks
upon the city TREASURY to pay them.-' This brings
me to the root of the VIII ,le question. which is
whether the city Ia paying too much for what it buys
and whether the persons who sell to the city are
abled by their official posion to approve their own
accounts and pay themselves the money.
All accounts agan,t the city ere submitted to and
examined by the Committee on Accounts, which
committee approves the accountsf they arc found to
be correct. The accounts are then reported 70
Counci and If approved by that body pad by the
reasurer. 1t 10 the Committee on Accounts which
determines whether too much is paid 70 spikes and
whiskey. or dozen ancient eggs and agree with
IA Citizen" that 1t would be a violation Of public
decency for the Mayor to be the whole OF that com.
mittee. But he Is not the whole Of the committee
nor the half Of it, even the chairman Off, The
committee'is composed Of three members Alder
man H. b. OIney, chairman. Alderman w. G. Will
den and Mayor Clark. Mr.. Olney aid Mr. Whild+ n,
two OF our own citizens. determine what shall be
paic and what shall not. Mayor Clark has but one
voc in three. This to my mind, d,sposes of the
whole charge. am willing to trust m property In
the hands Of Aldermen Oney and Whilden, and I
believe that ninety-nne Of every hundred taxpayers
In the city are willing to do the same.
AS to what "A CT izen" says about the Acting AL.
dermen srppi, ing the city with lumber and lime. and
briok, reply that the Aldermen have the right
TO sell material to the city that have, or GA CHI
zen' has. They do not lose their rights as mer.
chants because they are aldermen. They have the
perfect right TO- sell what they please to the city II
they do not charge moro than the nsa, let price and
tho Committee on Accounts will see to that.
have said all that outsider can say about this
matter. and there let 1t Drop may remark, how.
ever that, whateverthe politics Of Mayor Clark he
is undoubtedly the deferder of the rights privileges
and immunities OF the oiizens OF Charleston with
out regard to parry. Every kind Of pressure has
been used to make him recede from his position.
and. while he stands firm in his determination 70
let the law decide both his case and ours
gossip and anonymous accusations viii only tend to
defeat the object we all have In view by weakening
the Acting Mayor and Aldermen and strengthening
the Pi lsbnry party.
April Is ~ CITIZEN AND TAxpAxrn