Beaufort Republican. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1871-1873, 1873-07-24
Face the Music.
CFrom the ChlrlestOn Ncws.)

The Greenville Republican, which ap-
pears to have been promoted to the hon.
orable post of Eulogist-in-chief and
Whitcwasher-in Ordinary in the house
hold of Mr.. Attorney general Melton,
offers this advice to the citizens who have
made an attack upon the fraudulent state
bonds:
lfthe taxpayers and bondholdefs" .
who are so anxious about the payment OF
interest on fraudulent bonds are really in
earnest, VIC would suggest to them way
by which they can do something which
would result in more than mere talk, and
that is cause the prosecution OF the men
who have issued the fraudulent bonds.
if there are any such. This would
not be difficult task, and We should
then see whether the state has been
swindlcd by its own officers. The prose-
cution and conviction Of one person con-
ccrncd in the issue of fraudulent bonds
would be worth more to the state and to
the taxpayers, as well as the holders Of
bonds untainted with fraud, than all the
speeches OF no matter how eminent law
years to a court from which they ask
nothing. Have they the desire or the
spirit or the. public spirit, to undertake
such a ia k?
We concur with the Republican in say
ing that 'the prosecution and conviction
of one person concerned in the issue OF
fraudulent bonds" would be worth more
than any number of speeches. The "taX-
payers and bvndholdcrs,' about whom
our contemporary is so anxious, do mean
something more than mere talk" as is
proved by their prompt application for
an injunction to restrain the payment OF
interest upon the so-called conversion
bonds. Their first independent step was
to set about proving that those bonds
were issued in violation of law.
When that is accomplished, they OF
the plundered bondholdcrs can pursue
the officials who are shown to have con-
trived and completed the swindle. II
would answer as we'll to begin by pro.
scouting the officials, instead of by i'm.
pugnng the validity Of the bonds, but
the only person who can effectually dc
that is Mr.. Attorney General Meltor
himself -~.EThat official hmo'cs that thu
Conversion bonds, to the extent o
81, 7,l9l, 700, are fraudulent, because tha
fact is formally alleged by him, as counsc
for Comptroller Hoge, in the answer t.
the petition in Mandamus of Morton
Bliss &Co. And he kuocs who are th'
persons who are responsible for whate:e
frauds have been committed. They ar,
Ex-Governor Scott, cx-Treasurer Park II
ex-Comptrollcr Neagle, ard his own law
partner, ex-Attorney General Chamber
lain. Mr.. Melton is the only prominen
Radical connected with tho present ad
ministration who is not suspected O
having had finger in the bond frauds
The information upon which to found /;
prosecution is in his possession. W.
are assured by the Republican that, il
the whole affair of the bonds, he ha
shown "a pluck and "solfrespect y \
which are crcditablc to him, "and ma,
be useful to political opponents ''here
aftcr.' The people Of the State know
that it is his duty, his plain sworn duty
to prosecute officials whom he believe
to have violated the law. In his case j
is not needful to speak of "public spirit
He is bound. by his oath of office, to d
what taxpayers and bondnoldcrs" can
not as thoroughly and promptly do. TIN
Repubhcan assure. JUS that it would no
be "a difficult task to see whether th,
State has been swindled bv its owl
officers, and one conviction would d
more to cleanse the Radical party an,
keep it clean, than even the precept ant
example of the Attorney Genera, 'Sist
ed and sustained by the immaculate
reputation of the Treasurer and Comp
troiler and thc Governor & Of the State.
The Republicans final question We
answer by asking one: Has it the desire
or public spirit to call upon Mr.. Mcltor
to do his duty; or does it rely, for tn,
pursuit and conviction Of criminals, upor
the associated "bondho!ders and taxpay
ers" of the state?