The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-03-05
,..tN WHAT Treasurer Parker says. -s-s
The following letter from Treasurer
Parker appeared in the Washington
Chronicle, OF the 24th nltimo:
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
STAtrp Tnrasupv Orurou


TO THE EDITOR OF THE CHRONICLES: T.
observe that the minority report Of the
| Committee to Inquire into th5 Condi-
ton OF the late Insurrectionary States"
contains the extraordinary statement that
81 ,208. SIT 81 had been paid out of the
State Treasury of South Carolina, for
which there were no vouchers. As this
statement is being extensively copied by
the newspapers throughout the country,
I deem it time that it should no longer
be allowed to 60 unoontradicted.
The following extracts from reports of
the various legislative committees that
have, at different times, examined my
books and vouchers, will show tho falsity
of the statement:
Report of committee appointed at
speoinl session Of 1868:
The committee appointed at the spe.
DIAL session OF the General Assembly,
under the provisions of an Act entitled
can Act to regulate the manner OF keep
ing and disbursiDg funds by certain
officers. beg leave. respectfully, to sub.
NIT the following report:
| "That in accordance with the require
ments OF the Act above mentioned, they
have examined the books, vouchers and
recsipts Of the State Treasurer, and fnd
the books kept, the vouchers, drafts aud
checks drawn, and all moneys deposited
in strict accordance with law, and the
general business connected with the
uffice transacted in u manner alike Gre
dltable to the Treasurer and his clerk"
Repart of committee appointed at
regular session. 1S69-70:
| The joint committee appointed ut the
regulir sossion of l863-70, by virtue of
a concurrent resolution of February %,
1870. and III accordance with Act of Au-
gust, 1868, entitled IAN Act to regulate
the manner of keeping and disbnrsing
funds by certain officers" respectfully
beg leave to submit the following report:
| Your committee would state that they
have made II critical examination Of all
thu books, orders and receipts of the
State Treasurer, and find thom correct
In every particular. The manner OF
keeping the various sets Of books,
checks, and all receipts of moneys and
dlsburse sements OF tue same. drafts and
deposits, has been in accordance with
the requirements of law"
Tue Joint Special Financial Investi-
gazing Committee. in the first copies of
their printed report, in the tabular state
ments of tho disbursements of the Trea-
sury Office. put down in each month
amounts as mot vouched for" From
this time, the hue and cry has been
raised IN reference to payments for
which there were no vouchers.
This the committee allowed to 90 for
some time, giving tho impression that
there were no warrants; afterward, their
sense of justice prompted them to have
the following printed, which they at
tached to all the reports they had in
their possession:
GENERAL NOTE. 1t will be observed,
in looking over the disbursements Of the
State Treasurer, as we'll as the vouchers
for tho same, in the tabular exhibits
from page 5S to los, inclusive, that there
are frequent excesses Of disbursement
over the vouchers for the same. It is
bat justice to the Treasurer to cay
whose books and papers are we'll and
akilifully kept, 80 far as the cash receipts
and expenditures Of his Office arc oon-
oerned-that s0ch cxcesses occur from
the transactions of tho Treasury in the
redemption Of bills receivable, payment
of interest OH the public debt, and re-
mittancss to 81. q. Kimpton; and as the
bills receivable. interest coupons or the
Financial Agent's books were not before
the committee when the vouchers were
under examination. they were obliged to
make the tables as they appear. But
subsequent examination of cancelled
coupons and the Financial Agents books
warrants the committee in saying-so
far as these specified disburs, ments are
conoerned-they are fully vouched for. I"
The committee appointed to examine
the transactions of my office for the fis-
cal year ending October 81, 1871, made
tho following report:
"They first visited the Treasurer's
office, and with the facilities afforded by
that officer and his efficient clerks,
Messrs. Little and Tappap. rigid e1.
animation WAS entered into.
"H's receipt book, together with his
Journal, was compared with his orders,
(hls vonchers,) upon which was drawn
all money payable mt the Treasury, and
Eas found to correspond in every par
ticnlnr. The orders were drawn in &C.
cord1nce with law"
This was the last committee that ex
amined my books. All the above facts
are matters of record, anil should have
some weight against the false and mali
Ciuus statement.
That the Democratic papers that have
copied tho statement will give place to
this denial. is not to be expected, as it
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