The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-11-13
Fight the Common I.emy:

| ing, in wordy controversy, the thought anu
| energy which, if we'll directed, may bring
the public robbers to the bar OF justice, and
lift from the shoulders OF the people the
double burden of illegal debt and ruinous
taxation. The Courier cannot, whatever it
may say, cause the position Of this paper to
be misunderstood by the people of the State,
| and we cannot be diverted, by question or
innuendo, from the one great object we have
| in view, viz, to find, If it be possible, sim
pie and practical way Of exposing the frauds
of the government, and OF preventing q
continuance of the cheating and extrava-
gauce which threaten the Commonwealth
with ruin.
We shall, as we have already said, re-
s;ss the payment OF any debt OF the State
which has been contracted in fraud. And it
may become necessary 10 throw the burden
of proof upon the holders Of the obligations
tainted with illegality. We cannot tell, at
present, what particular form OF rascalily
has been practiced; whether simple over
issue OF bonds, or duplication OF author
lied Issues, or the contraction OF a huge
floating debt which was expected to be foist-
ed, in some way, upon the bended backs OF
the people. We know, to begin with, that
50, 500, 900 of the sterling funding bonds are
hypothecated in New York as collateral
security. The whole issue OF these bonds,
amounting to s6, 900, were practically
repudiated last May, when the taxpayers, 10
convention, gave formal notice that the So
called sterling funding bonds would not be
held binding, and that their payment, or the
enforcement of any tax to pay the same,
would be resisted, in eyerJ manner and at
all times, by all legitimate means within the
power OF the people. 1t is charged, be-
sides, that fraudulent issues have been made
to the amount OF many million dollars, and
1t is stated that the bonds declared to be in
hand cannot be produced by the officers in
whose custody they are said to be. These
circumstances might be sufficient to justify
the taxpayers aud property-holders io max
ing the demand, when that demand can
effectively be made, that the holder OF every
bond issued by the Scott administration, for
any purpose, shall prove that the bond in
question was issued and used in accordance
with law. This would protect the people
against fraudulent bonds, and would enable
them to assume, at once, such bonds as were
shown to be OF unquestionable validity.
But, after oil, repudiation can only come in
the future. We ,cant a remedy to,' NE pre-
sent and pressing eoa. There is a hope that
means will be found in South Carolina, as in
New York, OF bringing the State officers
into court, where they may be forced to give
an account Of their stewardship. But the
process may be difficult as we'll as tedious,
and the more we ponder the necessity OF
sharp and decisive action, the more satisfied
are we that it is OF supreme Importance
that not dollar OF taxes should be paid
into the treasury OF the State, until every
fraud is brought to light, the dishonest Off
cials are removed, the expenses OF the gov
ernment are reduced, and such laws are
passed as will give the taxpayers and prop
erty-holders jus, and reasonable protec-
ton against corrur lion and theft.
Up TO this time the Scott Ring has been
kept together, and kept in power, by its
complete control over the revenues and the
credit of the State. The taxes could be
used, and the State bonds could be pawned,
whenever money was wanted for carrying
on private speculation or for buying up an
inconvenlently out-spoken opponent. One
source OF revenue is nearly entirely cut off,
Money might be had at cent per cent, but
no considerable amount can be raised upon
any terms. The credit Of the State is gone.
And they who think that they may trust to
the colored voters of South Carolina to force
the property to pay all the bonds
which the Ring may choose to print, will
not be comforted by the assurance, which
we can give them, that several OF the lead
ing colored men in the State Legislature
have, for months past, openly advocated re-
pudiation. The difference between these
colored legislators and ourselves is just this:
They wish to repudiate the whole debt, old
and new, without exception, while we de-
sire to resist the payment Of only those
bonds which are illegal and fraud upon
the State We think it reasonably certain,
therefore, that the Ring cannot obtain money
by selling or hypothecating more bogus
| bonds. And the needs OF the Ring are
heavy and immediate. The members OF the
General Assembly and the officers OF the
body have not received their pay for the lat
ter part OF the session OF 1S70-'7l. Upon
this account alone, including the furnishing
bill of General Dennis, about S265, 600 are
due. Nearly all the State officers and county
officers have claims for the salary OF many
months. The State treasury is empty, and
the county treasures are in like case. Then,
again, it is customary for the Legislature to
appropriate 100000 or $3.50, 1000, early in
! the session, so that the members may be
paid of before the Christmas holidays. Be
sides these amounts, there is the interest on
the bonded debt falling due on the lst oi
| I,n,ory ,,b;,h mo " ho cot doun of S25n 00n