Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-12-22

RADICAIIsM In SOUTH CAROLINA.
sThe way of the transgressor is hard"
and whether he be the obscure robber of a
hen-roost or the common Radical pilferer
of State, the thief eventually comes be-
fore the bar of justice, and receives his mer-
tied punishment. Such has been the rule
in the past, and though the corrupt admin
istration has sought to make dishonesty re-
spectacle, the rule continues TO hold good to
the present day. South Carolins, like her sis
ter States Of the South, passed under Radical
rule about three and a-half years ago. Al
though sadly crippled In her resources by
the desperate four years conflict, her credit
was not utterly ruined, her State debt was
not excessive and the taxation on her peo-
pie was not ruinous. The whole amount
of the bonded debt Of the State, as shown
by the Comptroller General on the Slst Oc-
tober, 1858, was $5,407, 306.27, ex-
elusive of the war debt. This debt
had been increased by the
issue of bonds to redeem the bills Of the
State Bank, pay interest on the public
debt, ETC., to $7,665, S56.22 on the Sd Oc-
tober, ls70--a little more than a year ago.
There wa, on the 3lst October in the same
year, in the hands Of the financial agent of
the State an amount of bonds for the re-
lief of the treasury and for paying interest
on the public debt, and also land COM
mission bonds, sufficient to swell the debt
of the State to a grand Of
81, 665, S56.27, showing a new issue
of bonds to the amount Of 1920, 600 up to
that date. A committee appointed by the
State Legislature to investigate into the
issuance Of bonds during the last year, re-
ported as follows:
According to the sworn statement Of the
State Treasurer there are now signed and
outstanding $9,514,000 of the new State
bonds. Deduct from this amount the
s.. 2OO. 900 that were out on the 31st OF DC
tober. 1870, and we find that $6,3l4,OO0
have been signed and put upon the market,
which, in the opinion of your Committee,
is an over issue,
..The law requires the State Treasurer to
report to the Comptroller General at the end
of every month the financial condition Of
the State, and it was In pursuance Of this
law, your Committee presumes that he
made the report on the S1st OF October,
1870, fixing the amount of new bonds then
out at S3,200,000. The testimony
of the Comptroller General taken
by the Committee, shows that although the
Treasurer has made report to him at the
end of every month since the above date up
to September, 1871, yet he has failed in all
these reports to give any account OF furth-
er issue of bonds, and there is no informa-
| ton in the Comptroller Generals office, ac-
cording to his sworn testimony that the
| State debt has been increased.
"Your committee having reported the
facts and the law under which the bonds
have been issued, and feeling satisfied that
the State has been defrauded by an over
issue of S6,314,OC0, would therefore re-
| specially recommend that this House take
| the necessary steps to hold accountable
| those persons who have violated the laws
and ruined the credit Of the State"
This report exposes the fact that
the debt of the people of South
Carolina has been increased at the rate of
50 per head for every man. woman and
child, white, black and mulatto in the State,
during the past twelve months. When
the Radical party assumed control of the
State three and a-half years ago,
they found the debt less than six
millions of dollars-under their mis-
rule it has, in the short period which
has ELAPSED since then, been more than
trebled. The Camden Journal, comment
inc on the financial condition of the State,
says that Gov. Scott, since usurping
the Gubernatorial chair, has made six diff
ferent statements of the debt, and unblush-
pgly and knowingly falsifed every one Of
| them. "The taxes OF the State have been
quadrupled during the three years, and
poor people, as we all, white and colored,
are, we cannot, do what we will, pay them
and prosper. 1t is impossible. The num-
Der of salaried offices has been quadrupled,
and in addition 10 paying for an ex-
travagaGt and expensive State Gov
eminent, we are lie to
sustain an equally extravagant and
expensive, proportionately, County Govern
ment. Every prominent official in the
State, connected with the financial opera
lions of the Government, is stepped in the
frauds that have been perpetEated. The
gravest charges against them have been met
by silence. Very feeble attempts have been
made to throw the burden Of guilt upon
the hirelings ready to do the bidding of
their masters, and the most outrageous
frauds have become SC common that people
have almost ceased to be interested in their
recital"
Since the publication Of the report Of the
Committee, a cry has ceme up from the tax
ridden people of the State for the ,impeach-
ment and summary punishment Of the
horde of official robbers who have been so
efectually endeavoring to scuttle the ship Of
State. The next elections in South Carroll
ma will inseribe another victory on the ban
ner Of the Democracy. Even Grants bay
onets with Casey's Calling guns, and Pie
gan Pills cavalry to back them, cannot
save the State to the Radicals. They have
been weighed in the balance and found
wanting in everything that constitutes
honest and efficient rulers; and their fate
is already fixed.
THERE is certainly need for the suspen-
sion of the writ Of habeas corpus in Chi
cot county, Arkansas, and the presence Of
Federal troops to teach the Ku-Klux ras-