The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-10-25

except to pay the attorneys for prosecut.
ing q case which he did his best to have
discontinued. Any statement which
have now, or heretofore made, is sus-
ceptible OF proof. 1 would here remark
that no one thing which have said is in
any way intended to reflect upon Messrs.
Pope & Haskell, whose conduct in this
affair has been such as to add much to
their reputation as sound legal advisers
and honorable men; and to them is due
heavy debt of gratitude from the peo-
pie. AS to the men who made me what
the Union terms "iberal offers" will
say that feelings Of personal nature
make me reluctant to point out the men.
1t is sufficient to say that they were
members of the ring, the make up of
which few men in Columbia are unaware
and they acted for the entire party.
This matter is, also. think. susceptible
of proof, for he who is considered the
most cunning among them, was foolish
enough to betray it to another.
Now comes the charge of neglect of
duty. in that did not levy the tax when
the Union says I should have done So
last September. This, will observe, is
not the first time that the editor of the
Union has assumed to be learned in the
law. ("Frdnk, pass The green's. y and it is
also not the first time he has found him
self sup q tree" If he will refer to the
General Statutes of this State, Title 8,
Chapter IL and Section 72, he will there
learn that the State Auditor has until the
18th of November to make the levy; aud
would add, for his further information,
that heretofore the levy has not much
preceded in point of time this one. I
will further say, that the books for the
collection of taxes are not yet all ready
for calculating the tax; but although T
am aware that some of the County Au-
ditors are not remarkable for their com
potency, l am sure that none of them
would be willing to admit that the calcu-
lations could not be mado in time, if the
rate per oentum were given them by the
1st proximo. Such officers certainly
were not contemplated in the Act pro-
viding for the appointment Of County
Auditors. The Union next refers to my
defeat in the recent election. Let me
say. that had I the thing to do over
again, I should infinitely prefer defeat
with the ticket OF which my name formed
part, than success with the one by
which we were defeated. As for martyr
dom, if doing what one considers his
duty deserves such name, then am 1 q
martyr. My education, I am fully aware,
has been neglected; but until now 1 la
bored under the impression that under
stood the meaning of the word martyr;
and the idea never occurred to me that
even the Union would be pleased to place
such significance upon my action.
The confidence of the assumption OF
the Union that there is no question as to
the time of termination of the Office of
State Auditor, is rather amusing, unless
you first admit the doctrine Of infulli-
bility OF judgment. and apply it to the
Union; for men whose business it is to
decide and give advice upon such mat
ters do not see it with 80 much clearness.
In fact. Comptroller Nengle, who has
assumed the duties, attaches to his sig
nature the title of an Office which the
Union says is defupct.
Lastly, while am Republican, am
not 80 much one as to be willing to sacri-
flee every principle of decency to regu-
lar party nominations. My Republican
principles were we'll known in this State
for five years previous to the time when
the editor of the Union put in an ap-
pearance; and, besides. it comes with an
i'll grace from him to hold that the diff
ference between bolter and Demo
crat is 30 slight, when he came 80 near
to being q bolter himself.
EDWIN F. GARY,
Late State Auditor.