The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1871-02-09
Explanation by the State Treasurer.

The clamor raised against Niles G. Parker,
State Treasurer, both in and out of the Lcgis-
lature, for his failure to liquidatc claims under
the free school appropriation, will doubtless
subside, now that this virtuous gentleman has
made an explanation of his official conduct.
Resolutions of inquiry and committees of in
vestigaton were hurled at his devoted head
without any apparent effect, but at last lie has
vouchsafed an explanation, in response to
concurrent resolution. And such an explana-
ton 1t has the ccarness of mud, and seeks
to throw the blame of payment upon Coun-
ty Treasurers, who did not specify on what ac-
count taxes were collected. In this dilemma,
the distinguished iinancier presiding over our
State Treasury consolidated everything under
one general head, and commenced to disbursc (?)
the funds in his keeping. 1t appears, from his
own showing, that this portion of his duties
occasionally exhausted the Treasury, when lie
very properly declined to make any payments,
for it was none of his business to draw upon
those numerous legacies left by deceased rela
tivcs, which have enabled him to live in such
princely style, albeit poor, hard-worked peda
gogues were left out in the cold, minus their
overdue earnings. Wcwould be greatly obliged
for further explanation, as to whether the
Treasury was more frequently in this cxhaus-
ted condition during the late heated campaign
or Just after one of the brilliant transactions
| recorded of the blessed Land Commission?
These are points worthy of consideration. But,
without further suggestion, We will invite our
readers to Investigate" Treasurer Parker's cx-
planation, which is as follows:
In reply to the requirements Of this resolu-
ton, hare the honor to state that, in their let
ters OF advice, accompanying the transmittal of
taxes collected, the County Treasurcrs have not
specified on what special account these taxes
were collected, but embodied them all in one
general itcn of funds collected on account of
taxes for the fiscal year, and no reliable infor-
nation, except in one or two isolated cases, was
received until the expiration of the fiscal year
which would enable me to make certain calcu-
lations as to the actual amount collected on
this account. I would, however, state that,
with one or two exceptions, an excess of the
amount of poll tax collected has been paid for
the support of free schools in the counties from
which such revenue was derived.
In regard to the clause requiring an cxpla-
nation as to the reason why 'thc amount of APP
preparation for the support free schools has not
been held sacred for the purpose for which it
was intended" have the honor to state that
on account of the lack of funds necessary to
meet in full all the demands authorized by the
different appropriations, have made it rule
| to pay all claims when presented, until the APP
preparation to which they belonged was cx-
hausted. This rule have followed out ex-
cept when the condition of the Treasury COM
PEELED me to decline making any payments.
1t would have been utterly impossible for me
to have made a pro rata division of the funds
IN the Treasury, in order to secure each appro-
priation its exact proportion, on account Of the
constant changes occurring and the course
which have pursued was the only one left
open to the.
Other appropriations are equally ir arrears
the necessary consequence of the insnsliciency
of funds to meet thcn