The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-07-09
oo1oHlblA = w. SATURDAY MORNING. VOL. V

the same proligacy in raising and ex-
pending money-where thousands have
been extorted from the people by false
estimates and assessments, and not one
hour of labor bestowed upon the public
| highways, and scarce dollar to any
County Improvement.
Shall we look for q high motive to
justify such increase of taxation upon n
people SO ground down by poverty as
ours? Shall we find the public debt
greatly reduced, Or the public assets
greatly increased in the hands of these
reckless financiers? Let us see:
Public debt. September 80, 1860, 81,
o,o4o:l6 November 27, 1866, by Go.
vernon Orr's message, principal and in
terest. excluding war debt, S5,2O5,
22f:!4, or by Comptrollers report, ex-
cluding war debt, 81, 42G, G,44G. 46. Octo-
per per o 81, 1669, Comptroller's report, &c.
For people whose ability to nav was
so reduced, it would seem that this was
q sufficiently reckless increase of debt TO
induce call for strict accounting. bnt
as usually is the case with defaulters.
the result is worse than their c.c Dorte
showing. Items are excluded from this
account, properly belonging to it, which
present fearful condition, and demon
strate that unless this wanton profigacy
and waste be checked, tho people of this
State, white and colored, are to be re-
duced to endless slavery, or be released
only by repudiation. Thus:
The Comptroller reports tho debt. Oc.
tober 81, 1869, Sc, 1873, ,349.17 Add Blue
Ridge Railroad bonds, which the State
is responsible for, and from which, able,
disinterested and honest management
would scarce extricate her, 81, OOO, 600. OO.
Bonds issued to Land Commission.
$500. 10000 bonds issued to redeem
bills Bank of State, 81, $50, 900. 90; bonds
pawned by the Financial State Agent.
$1,000, 10000. Total S14, ,S33, 34o.17.
Now what value have the people for
all this expenditure? Shall We be pointed
to the fruits of the Land Commission? !?
Where are they? Who knows of any
benefit to the poor and worthy in this
great "land to the landless'' scheme?
Who does not know, spite of their efforts
at concealment, that the funds entrusted
to this Commission have been used,
only to swell the ill-gotten gains of the
administration and its friends? Within
the observation of almost every one,
poor tracts of land have been bourht mt
COM
mIttee have been able to learn. with no
eye to the benefit of those whom this
scheme was professcdly intended to pro.
vide with land and homes.
With the partial exposures already
made, the administration party, consist
ing largely of individuals holding fonr
or five paying offices each, acknowledges
that reform is needed, but insists tGat
Mey must carry on the reform: that this
'cop must be the nursing mother of our
lamb. Ii their repentance ia sincere,
they should pray to be delivered from
temptation, not to. be forced to hold
watch and ward over the tempting
Treasury.
Let us sec how the increased receipts
of the Treasury have been, and are to / e
expended:
Salaries 1867, $4,000; 1870, s167 800
Contingent funds, 1867, $25, 600; 1870.
S34, 800. Legislative expenses. 1867
S43, 900; 1870, $144,79O. Educational
aud milirary, 1867, S36, 600; 1870, $l25..
600; extraordinary expenses, $40, 900.
These are few items from official
sources, indicating the sufferings of our
people, the faithlessness of the unjust
stewards, who have gained control and
disposition Of the affairs of the State.
But tnls is not all-ln many of the Coun-
ties, the County Offices and County funds
are held by individuals irresponsible and
notoriously corrupt, and disposed of for
the same illegitimate purposes. Add to
this, that large monopolies are passed
the Legislature through the medium Of
open and notorious bribery; that fran
chises are seldom obtained but by pri-
vate purchase or for corrupt and fraudu-
lent ends; that the commonest acts of
Justice, requiring legislation, must pnv
their passage; that votes of members of
the Legislature are bought and sold as
merchandise; that public officers prosti-
tute their positions and even the legisla.
ton of the State to the purposes of
stock -jobbing and speculation; that so
stnpendons Il fraud is perpetr.trd as thnt
whereby the Land Commission, aided by
the Advisory Board, of which the Go.
Tcrnor Of the State is the official head,
| acquired 800, zoo of the public money in
a single transaction; and, above nil, that
the administration of the State has not
! dragged to light and to punishment even
one of their Infamous band, and say
where, in all the catalogue of iniquity
which disgraces the history OF fallen hu-
m n nifv no -