The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1871-02-16
The Cost Of a Committee.


In March, 1869, the General Assem-
bly, appointed a special committee to
investigate the disordered state of af.
fairs in the Third Congressional Dis.
trict, and the causes of the "intimida.
tiou, outrages and murders" perpetra-
ted during the preceding general elec-
ton. The committee consisted of Joseph
Crews, chairman, Messrs. Wright,
(colored,) Elliott, (colored,) Bryant,
(white,) Smalls, (colorec, and Mc1n-
tyre, (whiIe.) They went to work in
May, and presented the result Of their
labors, last session, in a work Of nearly
800 pages, printed at the expense of
the State. According to this report,
the last meeting of the committee, to
take evidence, was held in September,
1869.
During the year ending October 81 !,
1869, there was paid to the committee,
tor expenses, $l0,2S1 80. and in the
following year Sl7,533 65 additional,
making total of s27, SIS As. The last
item Of Sl7,523 IS, as reported by. the
Comptroller General, caused q mild
astonishment in the Legislature, and
several attempts were made to find out
how the money was spent aud where it
had gone to. A special committee was
appointed to investigate the matter,
and it was ascertained that, according
to the vouchers, the following amounts
had been drawn by Mr.. +. A. Dunbar,
for services as attorney and clerk, viz !:
March 2, $1,000; April 10, $500; May
{, $500; September %. S2500-total
$500. The committee transmitted
with their report afidarits from meu-
bers Of the Third Congressional District
Investigating Committee, in which they
deny having employed Mr.. Dunbar 10
either cHpacity, aud the committee,
therefore, in conclusion, recommended
that the encouragement (Mr. Dunbar's
professional partncr) be instructed to
institute legal proceedings against Mr..
Dunbar, for the recovery of the money
fraudulcnily obtained. A stranger fact
remains behind. Dir. Dunbar sWears
that he did not receive this money
There stand his warrants. Are the
warrants furgclies, or did Mr.. Dunbar
sign the papers and allow some one else
draw the money?
The next step was to put Mr.. Crews,
the chairman OF the committee, on the
stand. MIR. Crews declined to make a
written statement, but said he would
answer all questions that would not
criminate him. TO the question whether
he had retained Dunbar as attorney,
he said he had. The questions whether
Dunbar or himself had drawn the $500
he declined to answer. He, also, de.
cined 10 say whether the warrant drawn
to the order of Mr.. Dunbar was paid to
him. In answer to another question,
Mr.. Crews expressed the opinion that
the Third Congressional District In.
vcstigating Committee had not been
properly discharged up to this time, and
had a perfect right to draw on the
treasury until properly discharged.
This is how the case stands. A sum
of ST, ,Sl5 IS has been spent, of which
$500 is charged to MIR. Dunbar. This
sum, at all events, lies between Mr..
Crews and Mr.. Dunbar, and if the Gen.
eral Assembly has shadow of regard
for dccency, it will push the invcstiga.
ton. We should like to know whether
the Attorney. General cannot act in this
matter. We do not believe that Mr..
Dunbar received the money. A judi.
cial investigation will show who did.
But the work accomplished and Mr..
Crews hastcns to Washington, breath
ing forth "lhreatenings and slaughter"
The State of South Carolina is in a
state of insurrection. He gains the
ear of President Grant. He is listen
ed to with ready compliance. The
troops of the United States are ordrcd
to Laurens, to find everything quiet
and peaceful, and, like King Georges
army, to march up the hill and then
down again. Against these &c parte
statements against the South VIC have
again and again entered our solemn
and earnest protest. What the South
wants is peace and good government.
And these surely are not unreasonable
requests. On the motion, we believe,
also, of Mr.. Crews, committee was
appointed to investigate the political
affairs of the Third Congressional
District. This was evidently intended
to make up political case. Of this
committee Mr.. Crews was chairman.
There is not much room for doubt.
The State Treasurer shows that $500
was paid to the order Of Mr.. Dunbar.
This gentleman makes affidavit that he
"never received a "dollar." J. j.
Wright, Of the committee, says that no
attorney was employed, and Messrs.
Mcintyre, Smalls, and Elliott confirm
the statement. We are not aware that
Mr.. Bryant has spoken, but Crews de-