The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-09-13
The CHARGES AGAINST Mr.. ToML1N-

The CHARGES AGAINST Mr.. ToML1N-
soN.-It is urged by the newspaper press
opposed to the election of Mr.. TomIin-
son, that his resigning the position Of
State Auditor, without proclaiming to
the world the fact that he was powerless
to arrest the tide of corruption flowing
through the State Government, il an
evidence that he was pdrticeps criminiS
with the plunderers of the State Treasu-
ry. To this objection it is an all-sufi-
cient answer 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 inca
pable of discovery.
When the Ta1-Payers' Convention met
in Columbia, who does not remember
how they were deceived by the fine words
of the State officials, and in effect pro-
debt was not 80 big as they thought it
might be? Then, who that was at all
desirous for information last year, as to
this important matter. does not remem-
Der how Mr.. Treasurer Parker comforted
him by his handsomely printed state
ment, showing that the State debt was
but little over Sc, 100000?
It 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 Govern
ment had deceived the public. TO be
sure, there we're people who made what
seemed extravagant statements on this
subject, but they derived their informa-
tion more from their own imagination,
or from surreptitious perusals of the
Financial Committees exhibits, than
from known facts. Therefore, We are
safe in saying that Mr.. Tomlinson's 8
knowledge, or, more properly, belief, of
the frauds in the issue of bonds was the
same as that of any other intelligent
man not connected with the State Go
vernment-no less and no more. He
could not have made his belief serve the
purposes Of proof in judicial investiga-
ton, for he had no means of establish
ing the facts on which his belief was
grounded. He was not O member of the
Financial Board, nor of the Land Com
mission, nor of the Sinking Fund Com
mission, nor did his position as State
Auditor give him any access to the
books aud records of the Treasury.
Neither was he like the present Secretary
of State and candidate for State Trca-
surer, charged with the duty of sealing
the bonds which we're issued by direc-
tion of the Financial Doard.
His belief was the result of moral
rather thnn legal conviction, and was
based upon his knowledge of the cha
racter of the officers of the State Go
vernment and their general purposes.
This knowledge, though sufficient to
satisfy his own mind, would have been
of no weight as statement of facts sus-
ceptible of legal proof. Other people
knew Gov. Scott. and the members of
the Financial Board as well Us he; other
people knew their general determination
to take care Of themselves, at whatever
cost to the State, rs we'll as he. Yet none
had the means of ascertaining how far
they had abused their powers and op-
portunit!es, until the report of the FL
nancial Investigating Committee was
published, months after Mr.. Tomlinson
had resigned 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 q
controversy in which his belief aud as
sertion 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.. Tom
linson nor any other person, except such
an one as the law permitted, had access.
That the objection which we have en-
deavorcd to meet should be seriously
urged against Mr.. Tomlinson, is one of
the bes. evidences of how slight is the
foundation Of the charges against him.
Charleston Republican.
JCDIcIAI ROBE KY.--Georgo Lee,
Judge Of the Inferior Court of this
Counfx- 1,r, ,>fl, IoFL MI. .Io,tDo e.,