The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-01-11
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-, u uExseex.s on South tCexaaias. -.s,
Conu1B1A, s. c.. December "a, 1872.
I called upon ex.Gov. SCOTT, yesterday,
Htt his, residence. Having retired from
pnblio life,S he keeps pretty close 20 his
house, and gives more attention 10 pri-
vate than to public affairs. sHe i'd inte:
rested in banking house here. and
owns some property, but no very large
amount, Wehad long talk about the
late senatorial contest. he going into de-
tails pretty freely, but the information
he gave me am not at liberty, at pre-
sent, to make public. A portion OF it,
however, has been embodied in private
letter, ~
--As<rto the general condition of tho
State, he said: II cannot say that see
much hope for South Carolina in the
near future. The outlook is rather
gloomy. The finances are in q wretched
condtion. The public printing account
this year will amount to about $40O, COO.
The Legislature has been utterly reck-
less. They authorize printing to be
done that is perfectly absurd and nse-
less. Each of the daily papers in the
State received from the Treasury for
printing laws, which nobudy reads,
about 100000. The waekles get from
So, 900 to SIS, ,000-maoy of them much
more. It is foolish, wicked, criminal
waste of money. For instance, some
young chaps apply for the incorporation
Of the Bugtown Debating Society: No
body cares anything about it but the
parties directly Interested, and they not
much, yet the Act ia published in every
paper in the State, at an expense of
thousands and thousands of dollars. In
this way the money was drained from the
Treasury that should hnve gone for bet
ter aud more worthy purposes. While
poor lunatics in the asylum are half
starved for want Of money in the State
Treasury, country papers without read
ers are publishing the laws which nobody
reads"
"How will the present Legislature
compare with the Inst one?" asked.
''It is worse than tho old one, and the
old ono was bad enough. The truth is,
each succeeding Legislature is more
worthless and corrupt than the previous
one. We seem to be drifting down
stream all the time"
"How about the reformers that were
elected at tho last election?"
"Oh, they are q worse set than the fel
|
bic to improve on anything down here. u
mentp' I asked.
unless there is." replied the e1,Go,
vernon, 'the finances of the State viii
Legislature will be brought to stand
still from nero inability to go further"
''Is there no chance for the ta:: payers
| ~ ir,fO
spectacle voice in the administration o.
State affairs?"
"Not as they have been previously
dation will not do. It has made matters
win over enough blacks by kindness te
into the Republican party and rule
through that medium"
"You have, no doubt, seen it report
ed" continued the Governor, branching
off on to another subject, "that hav.
made 81, 100000 while in South Caro-
lina2 There never was more infamous
lie circulated. Before I became Go
vercor had some money. This I in
vested in State bonds, as they we're very
low, and felt certain they were bound
to rise. They did rise. Any one els,
could have done the same thing, with The
same effect. After becoming Governor
I bought $40, QUO more in bonds. going
into the market and buying them th(
same as any other person would who
wanted them; this is all. It has beer
charged that would, as Governor, de
press bonds as low as possible, buy them
and then. through vigorous recommenda
tions to the Legislature, cause them te
be enhanced in value. The charge i.
false. have made little in Stat.
bonds in perfectly legitimate way, bu
nothing beyond what any one should
who chooses to invest his money and
risk the consequences. What little ]
have did not make here. I have, from
time to time, brought over $6O, 600 into
the State"
"You intend to live hero, supposo?'
II do" replied the Ex-Governor, with
emphasis. II cannot be driven, ooaxed
or frightened away. I own property
here, and intend to make my homo here.
ehall stick it out, reports to the con.
trary Notwithstanding. Those who have
been predicting that I would act Bullock
over again will be disappointed. This
house where now live belongs to the