The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-01-22
A FRIaHTFUh LEAK-WHERH DID THE
Wnrrrv No ToC Tba nosroo-o~1ook ~

A FRraHTFUh LEAK-WHERH DID THE
MONEY Go To?-The correspondent Of
the Charleston Ne,cs says: 5
. just before the recess for the holi-
days, you will remember that the Legis-
lature made an appropriation of $685.
eco to pay the per diem, mileage and
incidental expenses of tho body. Up to
the 4th of January, (which included the
recess,) tho General Assembly had sup.
positionsiy been liz session forty.four
days. The average amount of money
paid to 152 members during that time
was 1855 each, which, in the aggregate,
made the sum of Ss3S, $50. The number
of attaches to both Houses is not far
from one hundred. At liberal esti-
mate, these we're entitled to about $3.50
each-making $4,000 and II total of
S53, $50. Before his departure for the
North, the Governor signed certified
checks to the amount of S65. 200.
On his return to Columbia, in two
weeks after, he found to his anazement
that the entire $135, 600 appropriated
had been expended, and about SIS, 600
still remained unpaid. In other words,
the difference between S65, 900 and $l35,-
900 has been "lost" sight of-paid out
without the Governors signiture re-
quired by law, and there is not q human
being who can or will tell what has
become OF the missing funds. Tho
Treasurer Of the State has simply lmid
out the money to somebody, contrary to
the law, which prescribes that the Go
vernon shall countersign every check
issued from his department.. It's claim
cd that the appropriation bill authorized
tho Speaker of the House and President
of tho Senate to issno certified checks,
when properly vonched by the commit
tee. L am informed that $4,000 will
cover oil the checks issued by the
Speaker of the House. and it is not
likely that the expenses of the Senate
were any greater; so that, supposing the
wife Of every member, and his wife's
relations, were employed as clerks, there
is still i'll the vocative large amount in
somebody's pockets not likely to be
sounded by any plumb line dropped by
Judge or jury during the preseut admin
istrntion of the State Government.
These checks are scattered over the
town. The two banks here are said to
own u goodly number. purchased of
course, ut a Living" discount; but in
vain have tho officers applied to the
Governor for his countersign. This is
! one cause Of bitterness between some of
the members and the Executive Com
ment on this condition of affairs is unne-
cessary. The facts speak for themselves.
| CoNCEALMENT. is this virtue? Cau-
sists are not able to answer the question,
though logic supply them with many
arguments. Not belonging to any school
OF philosophy Egyptian, Grecinn, Ro-
man, British or Grecian-we are not
perplexed with the doubts that embar-
rass their disciples. Truth rnreIy, if
ever, needs concenlmcnt. If veil be
cast over it's revealings by stratcgcm,
Time, the great exponent Of life and
futurity, ultimately lifts it, rights all
wrongs, and sets error and pcrvcrsity at
defiance. by one who is himself des-
tined to live for centuries, he is styled
1.-THE Avcngcr." Nemesis attends his
call, and Retribution awaits his sum-
mons. Present policy cannot intimidate
him. What to him are the roses of
youth? What political cant? What
scholastic artifce? On roll the years,
and gray old Time, intrepid as vencra-
bic, reveals all things-the ccwardly
concession, the wayward design, the
trucking scheme, stand bare in his sift-
ing hands.
Concealment may avail for a brief
period, but when that space is passed,
when the interest Of the transient pre-
sent has entirely subsidized. there and
then appears inexorable Time, dial in
hand, Truth establishing his awards.
All! Time is omnipotent when Truth
claims her rights.
"Wait and See" is the title of mo-
dern romance which we have never read,
yet if the suggestiveness of its motto
affected the writer properly, u wide field
was certainly laid open to inspection.
There is nothing SO dark and ominons in
the character of the young, especially,
as this same habit of concealment Cir
cnmstances may possibly justify soli-
tary instance of it; but, after all, sinceri-
ty is one of the most lovely attributes of
human character. Satan, "the father
OF lies, can alone claim the authorship
of deceit and of double dealing, it's se-
cond phase. Wicked men love darkness
because their deeds are evil; but truth
courts investigation, and the stronger
the light the clearer will it shine. Poll
cy shields itself under the light garb of