The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-03-17

OuL GD6S 0tdt0f Vnou VIC ~
the General Assembly marks an era i'll
the history of South Carolina mot in
the adjournment itself, but in the atti-
tude of affairs and OF public opinion
upon questions of vital interest to the
common veal, and ut the same time to
the administration of which you IRE the
chief.
It is to speak to you in earnestness
aud candor of this new attitude of af-
fairs that have ventured to address you
herein.
Had the ear OF your Excellency,
should speak 10 you privately instead of
thus publicly; but I am not of the num-
Der of those whom you have recently
honored with your invitation to counsel.
But the assurances that you have given
to some Of our best citizens, and the re-
cent evidences of your sincerity in Civ
ing these assurances, have gone far to
decide me in asking your attention to
what / have to Say. Your Excellency
will herein see that NY end involves fa-
vor to yourself, while its grand motive
is safety to South Carolina.
The new attitude of affairs that T have
referred to is, briefly, this: The public
mind in this State has fixed upon q line,
severely and clearly drawn, between the
State Government in general which you
administer aud certain officers in that
Government. The entire session of the
General Assembly just closed, the re-
ports published as part Of its proceed
lngs, certain facts that have transpired
in it. have oil. taken together, led us to
identify certain men as guilty. That
intelligent public opinion demands one
Of two thiugs-either that these guilty
men be removed or else that they be al-
lowed an opportunity to prove their in
nocence.
I will now show you by example ex-
actly what I mean. Your Excellency
will do me the favor to observe that it
does not matter for the main issue l
make whether this public opinion is
right or wrong. Its existence is the prime
matter.
Our people-and in using this word I
will show you that I mean to make no
distinction of race or of political party
our people believe that Mr.. Parker, the
State Treasurer, is dishonest, and is ma
naging his Office badly and to the detri-
ment of the State finances. Involved
with MIR. Parker, in the same category,
are also Mr.. Neagle, the Comptroller
General, and Mr.. Kimpton, the Finan-
cial Agent of the State in New York.
But, in order to simplify the matter, /
beg leave to take one-Mr. Parker-as
an illustration; and propose to show
your E1cellency some reasons for the
opinion in question. and then to point
out some of the inevitable results. We
are now free from the excitements Incl
dent to an election campaign, and can
discuss these matters, which involve the
safety Of The State itself as we'll as that
of all the political parties. in calmness
and i'll kindness. Let ne repeat that
am perfectly free to accord to your Ex-
cellency sincere desire to have the Go
vernment properly administered, and
especially to have the abuses of our
finances, now notorious, corrected.
Your Excellency will bear with me
while I repeat that I do not propose to
prove that Mr.. Parker is dishonest, or
guilty Of anything wrong; but to show
that such opinion prevails and should
prevail among our people.
l. There is an apparent discrepance
between Mr.. Parker's reports end those
Of both Mr.. Kimpton and Mr.. Neagle;
in the former case discrepance of
$3.50, sos O3.
2. In the reports for May. 1870, an
item of 81, 1909 gold in Mr.. Kimpton's 8
report appears in Mr.. Parker's report as
81, l00.0l currency.
3. Senator Arnlm calls attention to the
fact that the amount returned by the
Comptroller General to the Financial
Agent is $540. 293. 70, while Mr.. Parker
states the same as only $504. .293 70.
4. Senator Arnim further informs us
that. although the Comptroller @ General
includes in his list of creditors of the
State the following items. to wit: Six per
cent. bonds, (18G9) Land Commission,
5000, 600; six per cent. bonds, (187O)
Land Commission, $500 900; yet Mr..
Parker makes no report of any proceeds
of the said bonds having been received
at his Office. but actually charges the
State Treasury rs follows, to wit: Land
Commission. $8S. 1886.
s. Senator Leslie, who is thought to
be in position to know. has repeatedly
thrown out the idea that Mr.. Parker is
dishonest.
6. Senator Nash, during the campaign