The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-05-26
COLUMBIA, s. O., May 25. 1872.

COLUMBIA. s. O., May 25, 1879.
Gen. John II. Dennis-Sm: am com.
PEELED by decent sense Of self-respeot
to notice the imputation cast upon me
in your letter. published in the Union Of
this date. Tho paragraph to which re-
fer is as follows:
''The State Lunatic Asylum is atrug-
Cling along from hand to mouth, not
knowing from day to day what they will
do on the morrow, although one OF our
State officers and one of our County
Treasurers have generously offered, in
| their great desire to see our humane in
stitutions perpetuated, to buy the war.
rants OF the Comptroller General upon
the appropriation made by the Legisla-
ture for its support, and pay for them
the sum of fifty cents on the dollar.
Was ever such magnanimity known in
officers before? DIR. Ensor repeatedly
informed the Legislature that the ipsti-
tuition could not be maintained for less
SUM than that appropriated, viz: $50, 900;
and now must he be compelled to sell
the regular warrant OF the Comptroller
upon that fund for fifty cents on the
dollar?"
As I am known to be the County Trea-
surer to whom you refer, hereby pro-
nounce your statement base and mali
oious falsehood, and in proof of this de-
claration, present to the public the
facts in the premises.
The Stnto Treasurer having informed
the Superintendent of the Lunatio Asy-
lum that there were no funds in the
Treasury to meet the warrants drawn on
the appropriation for that institution, it
became necessary either to obtain money
on private credit to maintain it, or turn
out its unfortunate inmates upon the
community, without food or shelter. In
this emergency, DR.. Ensor, the Superin-
tendent, sought to raise the funds ne
cessary to support the Asylum until suf-
ficient taxes are collected, by hypothe-
eating the warrants drawn on the Trcn-
surer by the Comptroller General. In
this he very naturally failed.
at this juncture, and to prevent re-
suit abhorrent to the civilization of the
age, Gov. Scott offered to endorse the
notes of the Superintendent for the
amounts required; warrants of the
Comptroller-Gensral being deposited by
the Superintendent in the Carolina Ma
tional Bank, of this city, as collaterals in
the transaction, and [ agreeing, by au-
thority Of the State Treasurer, 10 lioni-
date these notes out of the first money
paid into the County Treasury for Stute
taxes, taking up the warrants and turn
ing them into tho State Treasury rs cash
to the extent OF tho amount of money
advanced upon the same, with accrued
interest. This is plain statement of
the facts, that are all we'll known to
several Of the banks in Columbia. The
warrants of the Comptroller General
were not sold, nor did I or any one else,
to my knowledge. offer to buy them, as
you have falsely alleged. Messrs. Agnew
Son, OF this city, one of the most reli-
able and solid business houses in the
State. a"e now supplying the Asylum
with provisions under the arrangement
effected. They felt constrained, as pru-
dent merchants, to refuse to furnish any
supplies u N the faith of any number
OF war ) drawn upon the State Trea-
SUI :. declared themselves ready to
the credit asked, on the personal
endorsement of Gov. Scott, which has
been given, as above stated. That en-
dorsement is the chief guaranty Of pay
ment In the premises, rs the warrants
have no determinnble value in the money
market. and will have none while such
as you are remain in the General Assem-
bly,. and continue to grow richor as the
State grows poorer. | have neither
profit nor advantage in the negotiation
referred to, nor can Gov. Scott possibly
derive any pecuniary benefit from it.,
while his risk is certain.
II sufficient money to satisfy the notes
comes into the Treasury, I will pay it
over as agreed. If they are not paid
from taxes within the time stipulated,
the warrants hypothecated at fifty oents
on the dollar may be sold for what they
will bring in the market, and Gov. Scott
will be liable for the deficit; while, on
the other hand, any excess remaining
after satisfying the notes. must be paid
over to the Superintendent OF the Asy-
lum.
I will not remark upon the gushing
honesty that you display in your refusal
to unite in the proposed call for On extra
session OF the Legislature. In this you
practice very safe and cheap patriot
ism. for you have delayed your protest
until the scheme WAS notoriouely dead
and buried, beyond the hope of resur-