Tri-weekly phoenix. [volume] ([Columbia, S.C.]) 1865-1875, 1871-12-09

=. =, And TO it's stan, from which once hung
These glories all together blended,
Awrit whose pinise the poets sung,
9 Called hdoeas corpus, is Suspended.
! Poor Freedom, sioker than before.
Awoko,. 40 one who long / ad slept, ft
And, sitting at the White House door,
Twas thus sho sung, and wept:
Flag Of the free hearts hope and home!r
GFree!heart ant inrsho's Just stepped ontl1
"Ihy stars have lit the welkin oi6me!" NC
Before the stars fell, then, no doubl!]
"Eore1er ahat that standard sheeti"
lPoor sheet, you're very badly slii!l
with freedoms soil beneath our feet!'
ftdont believe it-not a bit!l
THE FINANCES OF SoUTu CARoLINA.-
The New York Daily BuNetin-a com.
mercial journal of high standing-in
publishing the report of the committee
of citizens. who recently ''examinsd the
Dopks OF the State Treasurer, ct Colum-
bia, ss fur as practicable, says:
we shall not venture to prejudge the
naccpupts of the Financial Agent; but
that he should control such an enormous
), amount of bonds, and that nothing
should be known at the State Treasury
respecting the nature of his operations.
the condition of his accounts, or the ex
tent to. which Le has involved the credit
pf the State, is u matter which, to say
the least, demands the promptes5 reno
dy. Mr.. kimpton's promised statement
stshould not be delayed one day; nor do
We see why it need be; and it is due to
himself that he should invite, at once. a
full examination Of lis accounts by par.
ties who would command public conf.
dance.
The public very properly ask, how is
lit that the State authorities know. or
81 profess to know, 60 little of the opera
tions of the New York agency, when all
the debt operations have been conducted
through it? There is either gross ne.
glect or, something worse in this appa.
rent Ignorance; and the public can only
be expected to discredit the State
officials until the mystery is cleared up
and everything told. If people distrust
the Government, and, rs Governor Scott
complains, tho press has protested and
the people have begun to mutter the
foul word "repudiation," what wonder.
:; when the most extraordinary Irregular.
ties are wrapt up in profound sccrecyf
Until the Governor gives the public a
full and fair statement of everything, he
can only expect to he distrusted, and all
who hold positions Of financial trus,
under him.
1t appears, from the report of the com.
, imnittee, that the Financial Agent has
hypothecated S3.773,00O of bonds,
against advances amounting to something
over $500, QUO; but, on what account this
money was borrowed, they fail to show.
Their report states. relating to a summa.
ry OF the debt, which we give below:
a"ln the above statement it will be OBJ.
served that the sum of. $2O3, 900, already
referred to, has been deducted from th.
estimated debt of 1869; whether il
should be SO deducted must necessaril,
depend upon the report of the Financial
Agent. It is admitted that this amount
Of the debt has been redeemed, but its
finnl position in the account cannot now
be ascertained with certainty"
- We. understand this to imply that the
potnWittee was unable to satisfy itself OF
tue incorrectness Of a report current
here that bonds received for redemption.
or in tue way of conversions, have been
used as collateral for loans. Respecting
the $500, 900 held in the sinking fund.
also deducted from said sta:cnien. g!
debit the report makes the larkIy sng
.gestiYo remark:
-. "Ihis sum purports to he on hand for
the retirement Of that amount of the ex.
istlng debt. If the whole OF it or any
portion has been used, (which can only
appear by the report of the Financial
Agent, tho nmount so used becomes O
portion of the hoating debt" i'
Thus, tho committee suggest u eraye
donbt thht not only has the sinking fund
been diverted from its proper use, but
that retired bonds have been re.iss,,..,,
WHAT have the State officials to say to
these ilhpptntions9 How long do thew
suppose the bond-holders and tax-pay.
ers will keep their patience under the
dark suspicious thus inevitably sup.
gested? Their reticence is naturally
construed as nm evidence Of guilt: md
0et Governor Scott, in ali official bullc
tn. assumes an air of injured virtue!
The committee deserve thanks fo,
what they have done; but some explana
ton is required of the reasons Which
prevented them from extending their ex.
aminations to the Office of the Financial
Agent. where only they could expect tt
fiud the Information about which the
y public are most concerned
~ tEil4ssi -t7-----< S------
The Bey of Tunis recently sent Gen
Grant ''his cordial and friendly greet
ings.' When informed of it, h. imine.
diately rang for the White House stew
ard. Upon the appearance of thnl
functlonhry, Gep. Grant drew him asi de
and neryously asked if he had received
that cordinl, how many cases thers were
and where he slowed it. A tap on the
Chief Executives shoulder by Gen
Horace Porter, who was present. how
aver apan6ilu rnI;ovo,1 ~, !.