The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-01-20
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spartanburg, especially the former, while al
layed for the time being, are of character
calculated to provoke the <livelfest appreheh-
sions. A spark may ignite the sinouldering
fame, and lead to consequences that will be
deplored by the people Of the entire State.
At present all Is quiet both here and
there. But if, at any time hereafter, an
attempt Is made by the colored mill
tia to interfere with white persons
peacefully engaged, to establish pIckets, patrol
the highways, or exhibit any semblance Of mil
itary power without due authority, o collision
win be inevitable. There are class of men
In all the upper counties who cannot and will
not be controlled by such agencies, and when
employed, will resist them, though there be
tswar to the knife, and the knife to the hilt.' -
No one understands this position OF affairs bet
ter than Governor Scott and it is probably be-
cause of his frmness in resisting the demands
OF an excited Legislature, and his discretion in
declining to call out the militia force Of the
State, that. oil has been poured upon the
troubled waters, and we have peace. So
Ii sconeerned, 1t appears that wbiskey was at
the bottom Of the entire difficulty. A man
driving along the road was stopped by a party
of colored militia, and drink demanded 1t
was given. More was asked for, and refused,
whereupon they shot the owner and helped
themselves Being arrested, they were taken
from jail by body OF unknown men, and some
OF them, In retaliation, killed. True. the best
citizens Of Union, of whom General Wallace
and Colonel NcKiasIck are fair types, assem-
b,ed In public meeting, promptly denounced
the outrage, and took steps to bring the Of
tenders against the law to justice; but this did
not satisfy, or seemingly satisfy. the Legisla-
.ture. They required more, and in the absence
OF the Governor, he being on business visit
70 the North, raised the outcry which is only
now being somewhat appeased by the very
reasonable message jrlst published. Even
this, however, does moi Ratlsfy all. Here and
there you find oolored senator or representa-
tive who says ''Amen, and well DONE" but
there Is still an evident underlying
CURRENT OF OPPOSITION
to the Executive, based on, other circunn-
stances than his refusal to obey the behests of
the General Assembly. First It Is intimated
that monster "Ringn exists. among whom,
had the militia been called out, would have
been divided no inconsiderable portion of the
large sum required fer their maintenance.
These are, of course, the sore-heads. Second
ly, It was believed that opposition to the Gov
ernor on such popular hobby as a flrst-class
row, would 80 concentrate votes againsthim
as to enable the Ring aforesaid to effect the
pssssge. over his veto, Of sundry measures
which are said to be cooking IN the cauldrons
of certain wire-pullers and money-mskers, and
which would have feItilized the pockets of
needy. members. Finally, the Governor has
psremptorlly padlocked everything that savQrs
of peculatton and extravasance-tha is to
say, as far as lies in his power. A grave Of
fence. Let me explain.
FRIa HTfUL LEAK
Just before the recess for the holidays you
will remember that the Legislature made an
appropriation of one hundred and thirty-fve
thousand dollars to pay the per diem. mileage
and incidental expenses Of the body. Up to
the 4th of January (which included the recess)
the General Assembly hadS suppositiously
been in session forty -four days. The average
amount of money paid to one hundred and
hfty-two members during that time was s255
each, which, in the aggregate, made the sum
OF s3s,650. The number of attaches to both
Houses Is not far from one hundred. At lib
eral estimate, these were entitled to about
one hundred and fifty dollars each-maklng
fifteen thousand dollars and total of $53, $50.
Before his departure for the North the Cover
nor signed certified checks to the amount Of
ss5,0o0. -"
- WHERE DID The MONEY 90 TO?
On his return TO Columbia, In two weeks
after, he found to his amazenent that the en-;
tire slS5, 600 appropriated had been expended,
and about fifteen thousand dollars still remain
ed.unpaid. In other words, the difference be-
tween s65,00o aad sl35,OOO has been 'lost"
sight or-paid out without the Governors slg-
nature required by law, and there Is net q hu-
man being who can or will tell what has become
of the missing funds. The treasurer of the
State has simply paid out the money to some-
body, contrary to the law which prescrlbes
that the Governor shall eounterslgn every
check issued from hs department. tits clal m
ed that the appropriation bill authorized the
speaker OF the House and president Of the Sen
ate to issue certified checks, when properly
vouched by the committee. lam informed that
ten thousand dollars will cover all the checks
issued by. the speaker of the House, and 1t
is not likely that the expenses of the Senate
were any greater; 30 that, supposing the wife
OF every member, and his wife's relations, were
employed as clerks, there is still in the voca-
tive large amount in somebody's pockets not
likely to be sounded BY any plumb line drop
ped by Judge or jury during the present ad-
ministration of the State Government. These
checks are scattered over the town. The two
banks here are said to own goodly number,
purchased, OF course, at ''liying" discount;
but in vain have tile officers applied to the
Governor for his countersign. This is one
cause of bitterness between some of the men,
bers and the Executive. Comment on this
condition OF affairs is unnecessary. The facts
speak for themselves.
THE Widest EXTRAVAGASCE
seems to be the rule of the hour. Whatsoever
the hand flndeth to do In the way Of spending