The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1870-07-20

greatly reduced, or the public assets
greatly increased in tho hands Of these
reckless Ananoiers 7 Let us see.
Public debt, September 80, 1860; "a.
048, 540.16; November 81, 1866, by
Governor Orr's message, principal and
interest, excluding war debt, 45,205,.
227.74 or, by Comptroller's report, OK
oludiugipg war debt, e4,427, ,44e.46 !;
October 81, 1859, Comptroller's report,
SO, 1888, ,849.17.
For people whose ability to pay was
10 reduced, It would seem that this was
. sufficiently reckless increase Of debt to
induce = call for . strict accounting ).
but, - usually is the case with default
ors, the result 70 worse than their e1
parte showing. Items are excluded from
this account, properly belonging to il,
which present fearful condition, and
demonstrate that, unless this wanton
proaigaoy and waste be checked, the
people Of this State, white and oolored,
are TO be relieved only by repudia-
tious
The Comptroller reports the debt,
October 81, 1859, $6, ,183, ,349.17; add
Blue Ridge Railroad bonds, which the
State is responsible for, aud from which
able, disinterested and honest manage
ment would scarce extrioate her, 81, 900.
900; bonds issued to Land Commission,
500, 900; bonds issued TO redeem bills
of the Bank Of the State, $1,25O,O00; !;
bonds pawned by tho Financial State
Agent, $4,000, 900; total, $14, 1888, 349.-
II.
Now, what valuo have the people for
all this expsnditure2 Shall we be
pointed to the fruits of the Land Com
mission I Where are they? Who
knows of any benefit to tho poor and
worthy in this great Gland to the land.
less" scheme? Who docs not know,
spite of their efforts at concealment, that
the funds entrusted to this Commission
have been used only to swell tho ill.,
gotten gains Of tho administration and
It's friends? Within the observation of
almost every one, poor tracts of land
have been bought at immense prices,
and, SO far as this committee have been
able to learn, with no eye to the benefit
of those whom this scheme was pro-
fcssedly intended to provide with land
and homes.
With the psrtia, exposures already
made, the administration party Coon
sisting largely Of individuals holding
four or FIVE paying Offices each), &C..
knowledge that raform is needed, but
insist that they must carry on the re-.
form that this aoolf must be tho nursing
mother Of our lamb. IF their repentance
is sincere, they should pray to be de-
livered from temptation, not to be forced
to hold watch and ward over the
tempting treasury.
Let US see how the increased receipts
Of the treasury have been and are to be
expended:
800.
Contingent Funds-1s67, $4,000
1870, $4,000.
Legislative Expenses-1367, s43,-
600 1870, $S44, 100.
Educational and Military--1867 $780,
900 {; 1870, $125, 900.
Extraordinary Expenses-1S70, S140,.
900.
These are few items from official
sources, indicating the sufcrings of our
people, the faithlessness of unjust
stewards who have gained control and
disposition Of the affairs of tho State
But this is not all. In many of the
counties tho county officers and county
funds are held by individuals irrespon.
sible 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 opon and
notorious bribery that franchise are
seldom obtained but by private purchase
or for corrupt and fraudulent ends that
the commonest acts of justice requiring
Legislation must pay their passage that
votes of members Of the Legislature
are brought and sold as merchandise {;
that public officers prostitute their po-
sitions and even the legislation OF tho
State to the purposes of stockjobbiug
and speculation that so stupendous a
fraud is perpetrated as that whereby
the Land Commission, aided by the
Advisory Board, Of which the Governor
Of the State is the official head, acquired
800, 900 Of the public money in a single
transaction; add, above all, that the
administration of the State has not
dragged to light and punishment even
one Of this Infamous band; and say
where, in oil the catalogue Of iniquity
which disgraces the history Of fallen
humanity, can be found . parallel to
this picture fainty but faithfully deli
neated2
This carnival of vico and corruption
flowing from that pandemonium ofruin
and disgrace into which tho antagonism
of races has converted the government
of South Carolina, the question for you
to decide is: Shall these things con-
tinue so to be : Is no effort to bo made
to rescue from utter ruin the vast mate
rials Of wealth and prosperity yet re-
naming which require only good gov
ernment to make you grand and happy
people7 Will you continue to bo the
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