The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1872-08-21
..~ ABBEVILIE S. G.. WEDNESDAY. AUGUST q, 1872

I 7EDNESDAY. AUGUST
- -: = z. = 2
|I70o1 dollars. In the name Of heay-
] en-; why. is this Z? Has he converted
\ the stock and bonds of the State to
!; this amount? No. by his own
official reports: to the General As
.sembly he shows that he has con
verted less than two millions Of the
stocks and bonds of the State under
the provisions Of this Act.
~ THE LAND COMMISSION.
InMarch, 1869, the Legislature
passed an Act to provide for the
appointment of a Land Commits
sioner, and to define his powers
and duties. The Act provided that
the Governor, Comptroller Gen.
eral, State Treasurer, Secretary OF
State and Attorney General should
constitute an Advisory Board, and
that they should appoint a suitable
person to be known as the Land
Commissioner Of the State Of South
Carolina. This Land Commission
er was to hold his Office at the
/ pleasure of the Board. It was
made the duty Of the Land Com
missioner to purchase any lands in
any portion of the State, at such
prices as the Advisory Board should
determine, not to exceed in amount,
however, the par value Of the stock
| provided by the General Assembly
for that purpose. The Act pro-
vided for the issue Of 100000 in
coupon bonds, if, in the opinion Of
the Advisory Board, SO much should
be necessary. Now, it appears
from. reading the Act, that the
object Of the Legislature was to
purchase lands as they might be
offered for sale, and to sell them
out in small lots to the poor people
Of this State. At a subsequent ses-
sion Of the Legislature, in March,
1870, the Legislature passed an.Act
authorizing an additional issue of
bonds in the sum Of $50Q,0OO,: # #, II, II
the opinion Of the ADVISOR Board, 8
! SO ,G.as;aicn Ga;ai be necessary, for the pur-
poses of the Land Commission.
Now, you will notice that the
Land Commissioner, in both Of
these Acts, is made the simple ser
want and agent of the Advisory
Board. He could not make .pur-
chase without II their approval, and
not dollar Of bonds for the pur-I
pose gould BE issued or used unless,
in their judgment they were neces-
sary. Now, what has been. done
by he3TLand Commissioner and
Advisory Board?F By the report of
Hon. III. +. Hayne, Land Commits
sioner, dated November 10, 1877,
we have some information. Here
let me say that this is the first, last
and only report that has ever been
given, although the law requires
that there should be an annual
report made to. the Legislature.
The truth is that the transactions
Of the Land Commissioner and the
Advisory Board were SO infamous
that they would not make them
public, although great efforts were
made in both Houses Of the Gen
eral Assembly to obtain a report.
Mr.. lHayne was appointed Land
Commissioner in March, 1871, and
was unable to get possession Of the
records, and enter upon the duties
of his Office, until four or five
months after. By very diligent
and earnest effort he was able to
ascertain something Of the doings
of the Board and his predecessors
i'm office. From his report it ap-
pears that about $50O,0OO in cash
have been expended in the purchase
of lands, and no more. l mean by
this that it appears that the whole
aggregate of money paid for the
several tracts Of land purchased, as
shown by the deeds Of purchase,
amount to this sum. Now, if you
look into Treasurer Parker's report
of the moneys paid out on behalf
Of the Land Commission, you will
find that he charges to the State
about s75O,000 in cash. Thus, you
perceive, upon their own showing,
admitting all the transactions of the
Land Commissioner to have been
fair and just, here is quarter OF a
million Of dollars unaccounted tor.
Now, citizens, what have we
to say to- such public servants?
Cries of s'put them out; put them
out !"1 I am unable to 60 into the
details of the transaction Of the
Land Commissioner or the Advi-
sorry Board. It would be too tedi-
ous to you for me to undertake it
I'on this occasion. Cries of ''tell
it!" ssgo on!" "tell it all!"l But
I should say to you, to show how
little confidence can be placed in
the honesty of any Of their transac-
ttons, that there was a single pur-
chase in Charleston County, which,
probably, fairly illustrates them.
On or near the Santee River, in
Charleston County, arc some wild,