Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-02-17


Special to the Cincinnati Commercial.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 14.-The report of
Representative Stevenson from the Sub
Committee on Debts in the rebel States,
makes very startling exhibit of affairs in
the insurrectionary States, notably in South
Carolina. The report begins by stating
that the scommittee has not confined itself
to the answers of State officials, but have
consulted intelligent citizens of all parties,
who have given US directions leading to
official information. The committee has
examined all avenues of information from
the American Almanac to the reports of
the Commissioner of Agriculture, and the
census of 1850 and 1870, and also the rec
ords of the War Department, and indeed
every source of information open TO it."
The report says: estate officials generally
have been courteous and attentive, and
many have rendered us great service, but
our investigation as to some States has been
MADE more difficult by inattentiol and neg
lect of State officers, and in several States
the inquiry ordered by the committee has
been resented as an Infringement of State
rights and official dignity. Ex-Gov. Bullock,
of Georgia, sent letter more remarkable
/ for argument against our proceedings, as a
breach of State rights, than for the facts
furnished, and Gov. Reed, of Florida, de-
clined to answer at all, though he has for.
warded to a member Of the subcommittee
several of his messages. He protested
against the invasion of the rights of the
State of Florida. Generally, where our in
quiry has been resented, ev3ded or ignored,
we have discovered reasons for concealment
which convince US that officials are more
concerned about their own dignity than that
of the State.
'In South Carolina the State Treasurer
has neglected all inquiries. The Governor
has answered promptly, but sent us such
contradictory statements that we can give
little weight to any,"
The worst condition of affairs was found
in South Carolina, and to the finances of
that State the committee deVotes unusual
space, and the most extraordinary evidence
is shown of knavery, corruption and extrav-
agance. After citing portion of the mes
sage of Gov. Scott, of Jan. 9, 1872, Mr..
Stevenson says: "This may explain the in
crease of the debt, and it is probable that
money could not have been otherwise pro-
cured, yet we cannot agree that it was pro-
per to submit to such disastrous and degrad-
ing terms continually for three years. Had
the credit of the State been unsullied I'D to
1868, it might have been eXpedient to make
light loans on almost any conditions, to pre-
serve her good name, or great emergency
might have justified terms merely for limited
amounts, but for State to 90 upon the street
as q mendicant borrower, and remain
there buffeted from broker to broker, for
three years, raising money to pay old and
dishonored debts, at a cost of three dollars
in renewed obligations for every dollar paid, |
seems to us indefeasible. 1t is not justified |
by showing that it was legal, nor by the
fact that the citizens of the State conspired |
to destroy her credit in order to overthrow
the Government. A public officer should
take such a course only on legal compulsion
or to preserve the existence of State, and
there was no such necessity in this case,
which was mainly that of borrowing money
to pay old debts and damaging the credit of
the State, and weakening the Government
by every loan. 1t would have been better
to have levied an increased tax to meet
actual emergencies. But taxation seems to
have been avoided as if to conciliate, and
that levied was hardly sufficient to pay the
ordinary expenses of the State, economical
ly administered"
On the subject of corruption, after stating
the extravaganza of the Legislature, the.
writer makes this extraordinary statement,
theproof of which, however, is contained in
the body of the report:
Gwen the recent investigation by joint
committee of the Legislature to detect cor
ruption is followed by charges, sustained by
proofs, that members of the committee and
men connected with it were more anxious to |
make illegitimate profits to themselves than |
TO perform their duty. 1t is charged, and in |
evidence, that there has been corruption in !
fha Tao in iprr Z aot5
ferring or extending corporate privileges,
and that bribery has prevailed to such an |
extent that legislation has been controlled |
by band composed Of members of both |
political parties and of both colors, COM |
monty called the forty thieves who would |
not permit such measures to pass until they |
were satisfied"
To show that the report is not white |
washing document, as has been reported, it |
is only necessary to insert the follow para
graph:
'SThe worst feature of the corruption in
South Carolina is, that members of both
parties and men of all classes are involved
in it, and that the public adherence of
corruption, which is the safeguard of popu-
lar government, seems wanting or dormant.
Even the old ariStocratic class to whom we
| had been taught to attribute sentiments of
chivalric honor, have not hesitated to bride
officials in the purchase Of the Land Com
missioners. The vendors were old citizens
of the planting class, who held more land
than they could utilize, and the frauds
! committed in the sale Of their lands were
with their consent and to their advantage,
! by bribing officers by the land
| holders. The evidence before the commit
tee shows that Gen. NJ. G. Butler, who was
! the Democratic candidate for Lieutenant
Governor of the State in 1870, and native
of the State, has given some valuable testi-
mony. He was a Maior-General in the
Rebel army, large planter, lawyer, and
! leading citizen of high standing. He stated
under oath, while the committee was sitting
! in South Carolina, that if he had land to
sell he could sell it by buying State Sen
atOr for five hundred dollars, he would do
so. DR.. R. NJ. Smith, of Spartansburg
| county, an old citizens and Democratic
member of the legislature, testified before
| the said subcommittee that he could see no
wrong in bribing public officer. and COM
pared the transaction to the purchase of
mule"
After citing certain testimony to establish
! his statements, Mr.. Stevenson goes on to
say: at is difficult for citizens of other
! States to realize such prevalent corruption,
affecting all classes of society, bringing to
the same level patriot and Rebel, white
and black, the old citizen and the new.
| Probably one cause contributing to produce
! this result is the condition of civil war
which has pervaded in the State, in which
| the power has been almost exclusively in
the hands of one class, and the property in
the hands of the other. While open hostil-
ities have not generally and continually ex-
listed, there has been mutual enmity more
bitter Man usually accompanies fragrant
warfare
"Hence, some of the men in office may
have regarded what was taken from the
Treasury az taken from the prop
erty-holders, enemies of the Govern
ment, and, Therefore, spoils of war. And
on the other hand, some property-holders
have come to consider what they procure
by bribery and corruption as a right of
which they are Wrongfully deprived, and
which they are justified in reprieving by any
means, and the other cause seems to be the
contempt which the old property-holding
| alacc manifest aDd faal for f-aadyoar, aOd