The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1872-09-19
The Charges Aginst MIR. Tomlinson.

1t is urged by the newspaper press opposed
TO the election of MIR. Tomlinson, that his re-
signing the position of State Auditor, without
proclaiming to the world the fact that he was
powerless to arrest the tide of corruption flow
ing through the State Government is an evil
dence that he was particeps criminis with the
plunderers of the State Treasury.
To this objection it is an all-suficient an
swer to say, that to this day it is exceedingly
doubtful if there is any man in the State OF
South Carolina, be he in office or out OF office,
who can tell how much is the State debt and
therefore Mr.. Tomlinson, when he resigned his
position as State Auditor, certainly could not
know what, thus far, has been incapable of dis
covery.
When the Taxpayers Convention met in
Columbia. who does not remember how they
were deceived by the fine words of State otti-
cials, and in effect proclaimed abroad that af-
ter all, the State debt was not so big as they
thought it might be?
Then, who that was at all desirous for infor-
nation last year as to this important matter,
does not remember how Mr.. Treasurer Parker
comforted him by his handsomely printed
statement, showing that the State debt was but
little over six millions?
1t was only when the report of the Financial
Committee first saw the light that we had an
official exhibit, which showed how grossly the
State Government had deceived the public. 10
be sure, there were people who made what
seemed extravagant statements on this subject,
but they derived their information more from
their own imaginations, or from surfeptltlous
perusals of the Financial Committees exhibits
than from known facts.
Therefore, we are safe in saying that MIR.
Tomlinson's knowledge, or, more properly, be-
lief, of the frauds in the issue of bonds was the
same as that of any other intelligent man not
connected with the State Government less
and no more.
He could not have made his belief serve the
purposes of proof in judicial investigation,
for he bad no means of establishing the facts
on which his belief was grounded. BE was
not member of the Financial Board, nor OF
the Land Commission, nor of the Sinking Fund
Commission, nor did his position as State Au-
ditor give him any access to the books and
records of the Treasury Neither was he like
the present Secretary of State and candidate
for State Treasurer, charged with the duty OF
sealing the bonds which were issued by direc-
tion Of the Financial Board.
His belief was the result of moral rather
than legal conviction, and was based upon his
knowledge of the character of the officers OF
the State Government and their general pur-
poses. This knowledge, though sufficient to
satisfy his own mind would have been of no
weight as a statement of facts susceptible OF
legal proof.
Other people knew Governor Scott and the
members of the Financial Board as well as he /;
other people knew their general determination
to take care of themselves, at whatever cost to
the State, as we'll as he. Yet none had the
means of ascertaining how far they had abused
their powers and opportunities, until the report
of the Financial Investigating Committee was
published, months after Mr.. Tomlinson had re-
signed his office as State Auditor.
Mr.. Tomlinson, as an honest man should do,
made no charges against the State Government
when he resigned, because he had no means OF
proving them. As wise and prudent man,
he avoided controversy in which his belief
and assertion would have been met by the
plausible, though false, statements Of the State
Treasurer, taken from the records of his office,
to which neither Mr.. Tomlinson nor any other
person, except such an one as the law permit
ted, had access.
That the objection which we have endeavered
to meet should be seriously urged against Mr..
Tomlinson, is one of the best evidences of how
slight is the foundation of the charges against
him.-Charlcston Republican.