The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-10-26
S. G,
Thursday Morning, October 26. 1871.


Municipal oorrection---r.Sv Yorks.-Co.
lumbia. ,...3 !, j. '1t
Our readers are aware, we presume; of
the general character Of tho proceedings
in New York against the city plunderers
and swindlers. Municipal corruptiou,
had proceeded TO such an extent that ut:
last it was held by good citizens that the
evil must no longer be endured. Men-
law.a6iding citizens Of, New York went
so far as to talk Of summary VIOLENCE
upon tile persons OF their Tweeds, their
Sweeneys and their Connollys. Even
the great lawyer, Mr.. Evarts threw out
the idea that, after exhausting legal re-
medies to meet the case of plundering
officials, it would bein order to Ku Klux
them-f0r, said he, there is certainly q
limit to endurance. The fact Of the
matter. is,. the common talk in New York
as to thieving public officers shows that
the spirit- OF Ku KIuxism is about as
strong in New York as it was in burning
Chicago. Dlt, to resume. One Mr..
Foley.-a citizen of New York-moved
in behalf Of the taxpayers. Judge
Barnard was equal to the emergency. and
the grand inquisition began. Tie tax
payers meet and O committee Of seventy
is appointed to give direction to the pro-
ceedings against the corrupt ring that
had fastened upon the rich body Of New
York. Finally, we find that the case
against the defrauders of the. oity tex-
payers reaches Gov. Hoffman, the enar-
getic and upright chief magistrate of
New, York. !, He puts tho case of the citi-,
zens In the hands OF the State Attorney
General and authorizes him toIemploy
and bring to his aid eminent counsel.
he selects four legal gentlemen-two
Democrats and two Republicans. These
gentlemen, we observe, have established
their Office in New York and gone to
work. The Bureau o. Municipal Cor
rection" has been established, and Messrs.
Charles O'Oonor, w. H. Peokham, ".
M.Evartand ex-J Judge Emoit, constitute
the counsel for the people in the coming
suit against the alleged defrauders of the
city taxpayers. Thus the preparations
for calling the city planderers to account
are going brayely on. All We have to
add, is to express the hope TINT the cause
OF the plundered people may prevail:
Now we have somewhat similar case
on the tapis here. The case in New
York involves millions. Our case in
wolves only thousands. But New York
Can stand q loss of millions better than
Columbia loss OF thousands What is
the case hero? Simply this: l. The il
legal and secret issue OF city bonds, and
the outrageous arrangement made by
Alderman Wigg with, DR.. Neagle. 2 The
alleged fraud and collusion in conuec-
ton with the City Hall and the market
building, whereby it is thought that the
city has been ewindled out of over
$780, 600. These matters were brought
out, and an investigation demanded by
this journal. First. we called upon the
acting Mayor, Alderman Wallace. He
was silent. Next, We called upon the
Mayor and Council. They were silent.
They have absolutely done nothing.
!. One would suppose that this body would
deem it doe to itself. if not to the pub
lie, to examine into alleged plundering
But they have kept silent In the mean
time, the Board of Trade appointed a
committee OF investigation. to act in be-
half of the Taxpayers. This committee
now consists OF Messrs. z. Hope, r. g.
SILVER and John @. Seegers. These
gentlemen have, we learn, engaged as
counsel Messrs. McMaster and Bachman
S Waties. These legal gentlemen, we
suppose, will proceed to care for and de-
fend the public interents Let us also
have our "Bureau Of Municipal Correc-
ton" Let our local abuses be probed.
The future prosperity and development
OF Columbia hinge upon the exposure
OF any fraud and corruption that may
be found to exist. Let all good and