The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-12-27

The City Coanoil or Columbia Corn.red.
The reply y-of' tho City Oouncil' of Co.
lnmhis. with the accompanying afhida7its, fhi
given to the public in hot haste, has
been received with the general remark
that 1t is most lame and impotent de-
fence. The City Attorney ought to 5be
able to do better. II that official does
not do better. the Council may yet con-
clude that he must be, after all, an enemy
in the camp. whilst affecting to be their
outspoken advocate. They may yet, be-
fore this business is done with, have
cause to conclude that the City Attorney
has himself winged come Of the shafts
that have pierced home and brought the
city ''birds Of prey" down.
We have simply to say that the Shouting
Of the Council soia not do. This is the
public sentiment We have yet to meet
With with ono apologist for the Oouncil,
outside OF the ring-whioh really in
oludes. more or less, the Mayor and all
the Aldermen: We repeat it. the show
ing is not satisfactory, and fails to re-
lieve either the Council. or Messrs.
Neagle. Allen and Wigg of the charges
that now rest upon them. AS to the
afidavits of Messrs. Allen and Wigg,
they are the affidavits of the accused.
and must go for what they are worth;
and, until sustained by proofs, they will
not go very far. As to the affidavits. of
Messrs. Waring, johnson and Parkins.
as given in the Council proceedings. we
have simply to say that they were given
a week or so before their sober second
thoughts led them to come forth out of
false position, and give the more recent
sfidavits. wh;oh clearly point cut the
conspiracy, and which. together with
the eff1davits Of Messrs. Troy, Fry,
Scott, Baldwin and others. show the com-
plicity OF the City Council. The matter
is in NUTSHELL 1t is obvious that
Messras Allen. Neagle, Wigg and all the
Council stand, Implicated upon the
afidavits of the plaintiffs, not yet Os-
proved. The question is, did the Mayor
and his Aldermen all not know that the
Gi.y HsA .rcs to coas but from $75. 900 to
$50, 900? The evidence shows that they
did. When, then. they voted to award
the contract to Allen for $4,000 they
voted for what bore on it's face the
corrupt marks of fraud, and they shall
not escape the responsibility. And they
are all involved-because, although AL
dermen Denny and Moony were not pre-
sent when the contract was awarded, yet
they said or did nothing about it after
wards, and thus consented to the wrong
doing OF their Acknowledgement. Too
long have our people been trifed with
in State and city matters. It cannot
longer be borne. It is time for the peo-
pie to strike with the electric current OF
their indignant wrath. Under the law
aud within the law, let Us bring all our
powers to bear upon the monstrous cor
ruPtion of the State and the city-a cor.
ruption morally demoralizing, and ma
terially fatal to all our hopes of agri-
cultural, commercial and mechanical de-
velopment. All We want is Official in
tegrity, and common honesty, and pro-
per intelligence in governmental matters.
All we want is honorable peace and it's
| fruits of popular happiness and content
, ment. They who hold that we seek
party ends and are making party capital,
3 affirm falsely. We do, however, with
{ all our powers. intend to make war upon
, land pirates and impenitent thieves
: whether found in the State House or in
3 the City Hall, and to this war we sum
3 mon oil the people, of all parties and all
: colors, who are arrcyed against the dis
honesty of officials and the corruption
+ OF men holding place and power.
. The State must be saved, and we must
redeem the city.
Awards of tho State Agricultural and
Mechsntcel society.
We have had the pleasure of exa min.
8 ing some Of the medals issued to on,
fellow-townsmen at the late fair. These
medals are handsomely executed. On
, one side are the emblems Of industrial
, developHons-the palmetto tree encom.
passed with cotton bale. barrel, anvil.
+ grain, plov, hoe, rake. fork, &c., &c.
whilst on the other aide is the note of
r award, enoircled with conjoined wreath
8 OF grain and the cotton plant.
8 Two of the premiums are awarded to
Goldsmith & Kind, for "Best Ornamental
!. cast,iron aoindoao.cap;" the other TO,
, "Best horse power." Oae is awarded to
the Columbia Brick, Granite and Tile
Company, for superior brick. One is