The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-03-17

uiusoA NO tuV1Ou8un nePuOnonuJ
aud is the man who says that he ''enlist-
sachHsetts Cavalry Regiment, at Haver-
hill, Massachusetts, where he Mr.. Park
er had been the unsuccessful proprietor
OF restaurant and bar" Capt Collins
gives his address as Post Office Box 33,
Beaufort, s. g. His letter containing
the above statements appeared in The
N,1iion newspaper of New York.
8. From what the public in South Gu
rolina know Of Mr.. Parker through that
officer himself and through Captain Col
Inns, as above quoted, it is more than
probable, beg leave to suggest, that
Mr.. Parker is one Of those men whom
his Honor Judge Orr once characterized
rs ''men who do not, and never did, en-
Joy public confidence; men who nre
ignorant. corrupt. dishonest, and unfit, by
reason Of their early associations, for de-
cent society,""
There are numerous other points
similar to these, which might give, but
these, trust, are sufficient to explain
the existence of the public opinion in
question.
The effects of this opinion must of me-
cessity be:
1. To impair the credit of the State
a. ~ moho JouE auuiulStIatlod Oul'
g. To make the Republican party infa-
nous.
T. To retard or prevent the collection
of the State taxes.
S. To foster discomfort in general,
which may, and probably will, lead 10
an organized resistance to the authority
of such officers as are in any way identi-
fed with suoh abuses.
I am quite prepared to believe that
your E1cellency is ready to take oil
Legitimate steps to avert any and all of
these effects. In venturing to suggest
something that may be done to better
this state of affairs, need hardly fur
ther urge my entire freedom from any
desire to appear officious or obtrusive
with advice not called for; nor need be
misunderstood rs intimatipg that this
one is the only or even the greatest one
of the three or four grand causes of the
difficulties before us-dif1iculties which
all good citizens join your Excellency in
deploring. Nor need avoid intimating
thnt, in my opinion, your Exccllency has
far more to gain by exposing frauds and
fraudulent officers, relatively speaking,
than the State has.
am quite aware that your Excellency
has not the power to remove an officer
elected oy the people; nor is the removal
of Mr.. Parker the step am about to
suggest. | would know him guilty be-
fore could aee;-e his removal.
That which your Excellercy can do,
however. is to appoint an expert ,count-
ant; to place in his hands the books of
the Treasurer, the Comptroller General
and the Financial Agent; to get such &C.
countants report of the books of these
three officers, especially those OF Mr..
Parker; and to publish the result. The
accountant must be man favorably
known throughout our State; and such
a man can be found in Charleston If not
in Columbia.
The effect of this step would be either
to relieve Mr.. Parker of load Of odium
that rests upon him, and thus remove a
great source of discomfort, or else to
brand him with that infamy which he
deserves aud which, as have attempted
to show, is bringing disgrace upon the
State your Excellency governs, upon the
party your Excellency represents, and
upon your Excellency rs an individual
as an individual so long, and so long
only, as your Excellency takes no step to
draw the line of demarkation between
the Governor and that wholesale plum
dering of the public treasury which is
fast making this unhappy Commonwealth
II Kissing and by-word among all hon.
est governments.
Ii Mr.. Parker has done no wrong, he
ought to be the first to demand this step;
bnt if lie is guilty. your E1cellency
would hardly care, we think, to share the
infamy with him: But, as things have
resulted, the public do fix upon the State
government, which your Excellency rep
resents, this odium; and what 1 have
ventured to suggest is that your Excel
lency owes it to yourself. to your Office,
to your party, and to truth, to throw the
odium where it belongs. If this or
something tantamount to it be not done
such is the nature of man, when
smarting under gigantic wrong g-whe-
ther it be right or not does not affect the
result-the people will hold your Excel
lency to be an accessory after the fact, in
that under the shield of your silence the
crime has been allowed to 60 unwhipt of
justice, and the culprit to daily Huunt
the glitter of his illgotten wealth in the