The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-12-05
COLUMBIA. s. C.
Tuesday Morning. December S. 1871.

Tuesday MorninR. December 8. 1871.
The Now gtatement OF the Public Debt
OF tho State.
The Charleston Courier is correct in
stating that the Joint Special Investigat-
ing Committee will report the outstand-
lug debt of the State at $2O, ,955, 900. III
rouud'numbers. Such is also our infor-
mati6n. This statement is exclusive Of
the So. 600. 900 sterling loan bonds in the
hands Of the American Bank Note Com
pany. That the Scott Parker -Kimpton
tool and organ-the Columbia Union-
should assail this report in advance, is
not to be wondered at. To uphold the
ring-that is ito business.
AS was to be expected, the report of
the committee. consisting of Messrs
Orr, Pope. Baxter and Brenizer, is
brought forward to bolster up the Scott.
ker-Kimpton statement. No doubt
this committee will regret the use made
OF their report. AS we have already
said, this report amounts to nothing
valuable, except as confession of the
fraudulent and illegal issue of State
bonds. Bnsed upon the data contained
in Treasurer Parker's Office, and bypo.
thetioal from beginning to end, it must
fall with the pyramid Of fraud reared by
Scott. Parkerand Kimpton. Nor 10 we
think. from what We know of this oom.
mittee, that they will quietly allow, their
names to be used by corrupt and swim
ding ring, to shield them and their
crimes. Nor do we think that this com-
mittee will take issue with us, in stating
that their report amounts to nothing to
the advantage of the ring, except, the
capital that they have made or may
make ont of it. Speaking Of the result
arrived at, the committee say:
''This is obviously the result, from the
data furnished by the Treasurer. It is
scarcely necessary to remark, that with
out full examination OF the books,
vouchers aud accounts of the Financial
Agent in New York, nothing accurate
Can be obtained whereby the whole
amount OF the public debt can be dea-
nitely ascertained. How the bonds in
the Financial Agents hands have been
disposed Of. does not and cannot appear
without full accounting on his part. {"
This is all very true. And yet this oom.
mittee, consisting of Messrs. Orr, Pope,
Baxter and Brenizer, are used by the
Union to help the rings cause.
Again. The onion suggests that the
Joint Investigating Committee-all Ra-
dicals, consisting of Messrs. Whittemore
and Swails. colored, of the Senate. and
Messrs. Dennis, Hurley and Gardner, of
the .House-took long time to find.the
''mare's nest" According to tho show
ing that they propose to make, 1t would
seem that they have done very we'll. Did
they not unearth that $22, $40, 600 stocks
and bonds printed by theAmerican Bank
Note Company? Did they not constrain
the ring to admit that the State debt was
$4.00O.000 greater than previously re.
ported2 That is doing pretty good work.
Let us have the truth.
That Bond Issue-Municipnl Matters
In the proceedings OF the City Coun
oil, at their last meeting, We notice tha,
Alderman Wallace submitted draft of q
bill relatiue to bonds and stocks Of the cit,
of Columbia. prepared, he said, by @. D
Melton, Esq, and which is to be sub
mitted to the Legislature. On motor
of Alderman Wigg. the bill was referred
back to the special committee, with in
stractions to prepare memorial to tn,
Legislature, and that the Mayor ant
City Attorney be added to the specia
committee. we would like very mucf
to see said draft of this bill. The citi
zens Of this city are entitled to see i
even before it goes to the Legislature
This we have to sny: That if said draf
is intended to cover up and legalize Ma
secret and illegal issue of $3.50, 600 seoe,
per cent. city bonds, pledged to DR.
Neagle for the loan to the city O
S75, 900, ut the rate of fifteen per cent
per annum, We intend that this devic,
shall be exposed to the public and th,
General Assembly. Nor, let us say ts
the City Council, do we intend to le
them hide behind the legal person OF O
ID: Melton. Esq. or any other man, how
ever much we may respect his lega
attainments and his honesty of purpose
In the discharge of our duty. We shal
not allow any personal considerations t,
influence our duty to the public. Wher
we see the bill, alluded TO in such gene
raj terms. we shall have something NOR
to- say. The legal attainments of Majo
Melton, fairly and duly applied, is on
thing. The use that the Council ma,