The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1871-05-11
GOV. Scott on the Situation.

Gov. Scott on the Situation.
A number of prominent citizens of Columbia
have addressed letter to the Governor, asking
for an expression of his opinions as to the re-
suit of the May Convention, to which he re-
sponded as follows:
COLUMBIA, S. O., May 6, 1871.
GENTLEMEN Il have the honor to acknowl-
edge the receipt of your communication of this
date in which, referring to the Convention of
Taxpayers to assemble in this city on the 9th
instant, "to take into consideration the de-
ranged condition of the finances of the State, !"
you invite: me to express my opinions on the
subject. concur with you most heartily in
the hope that the Convention will be successful
in "devisiDg means for the redemption of the
State from her financial embarrassments, and
placing her in the position she has heretofore
occupied-unbounded in resources, exalted in
credit and unsullied in reputation" The i'm
portance of this Convention is conceded by
every thoughtful man, as it springs from gen.
eral belief on the part of the taxpayers, that
there has been great mal-administration in
the finances of the State, tending to an unne-
cessary and unwarranted increase of the public
debt, and thereby adding largely to the burthen
of taxation. If this Convention assemblies, as
believe it will with determination to develop
the truth OF falsity of these rumors, unswayed
by political partisanship, they will accomplish
much good by pointing out any evils that may
exist in this particular, and suggesting prop.
or and prompt corrective, or, If the result OF
their investigation justifes it,, by relieving
those upon whom the burthen OF taxation falls
heaviest, of the wide spread distrust OF the
financial management of the State, which !, has
Course on the part of the Convention will lay a
sure foundation for all needed reforms, and
tend to inspire confidence both at home and
abroad. The important subject of finance and
the State debt, and of assessments and taxa
ton, which will be considered by this Conven-
ton, engaged my early attention upon my in
auguration in 1868, and in my first message to
the General Assembly, urged that they should
give to these vital matters their most careful
consideration, and / deem the following ex-
tracts from that message not inappropriate
now:
@The financial condition of the State will
doubtless engage your early and most serious
attention, and the necessary ways and means
be provided both for the support of its Govern
ment and to meet the lawful demands OF its
creditors, foreign and domestic.
Character is credit, and credit Is the very
sinews of the State in peace and war. The
obligation of the State, therefore, to meet all
of its liabilities, is founded alike upon correct
moral principle and sound public policy. This
obligation should be the more sensibly felt,
from the fact that State cannot, like an indi-
yidual, become the subject of coercive process
to compel it to meet its just indebtedness, but
the creditor must rely solely upon its honor"
In regard to taxation and assessments that
message contains the following;
'There is no problem that can engage the
attention of the legislator, more difficult than
the framing of an equitable system of taxation.
Even in the most prosperous communities, the
laws that exact from the citizen portion of
his means to support the Government that pro-
tects his life and property, are viewed with ex-
treme sensitiveness. Especially is this the case
in society such as ours, where values OF
every kind have been suddenly changed by the
convulsions ofwar," etc.
While it is my sworn duty as Chief Execu-
tive of the State, to take care that the COM
monwealth suffers no harm, either by the enact
ment of unjust laws or the mal-administration
of it's finances, my private interests as tax
payer also impel me to cooperate in any
measure that will tighten the taxes, reduce the
expenditure of public moneys, and at the
same time preserve the public credit. AS
you have invited my opinion, would venture
to suggest, that committee of your Conven-
ton cali upon the officers charged with the care
of the public moneys, for an exhibit of their
books and all official records relating to the
State debt and the receipts and disbursements
of the funds committed to their custody during
their administration of their respective depart
ments trust that these officers will cheerful
ly give the committee access to all sources of
information without reserve, and aid them in
person to arrive at correct conclusion and if
it were deemed expedient for this committee to
extend its researches to the financial agency in
New York, will render any aid within my
power to facilitate the object of such examina-
ton, believing as do, that the more complete
the investigation, the more beneficial will be
the result in satisfying the taxpayers and the
public creditors, that any existing distrust Of
the healty condition of our finances has arisen
from want of information On the one hand,
and of misrepresentation on the other.
1 do not wish to be understood as intimating
that there has been no extravaganza in the e1-
penditure of the public moneys-or no i'm
provident legislation. These evils have exis-
ted, and demand correction. The first, and
most natural remedy for these evils would be
to secure for the State the services of citizens
whose experience and personal character would
furnish guarantee for wise legislation, and q
iudicious expenditure of the public funds.
Events in this State for the past three years
have not been propitious To secure the services
of that class Of our citizens. Whatever plan
may tend to the achievement of this desirable
end, in any manner consistent with our system
of free government, will deserve the earliest
attention and support of the General Assem-
bly,.
be recognized in the application of any practi-
cal remedy for the deranged condition of our
finances, either real or supposed.
Yet, even with the most economical and
proyident administration Of the affairs of the
State, it would be impossible to reduce public
nvoanditnre To the anti.war- standard The