The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-03-06
COLUMBIA, s. C.
Friday Morning. March 8, 1874.
Bo Fair and Liboral.

Bo Fair and Liberal.
The difficulty of injecting or insinuat.
ing anything like reform in the body of
the managers of the present dynasty in
South Carolina. may be illustrated by
brief reference to some recent proceed
ings in. the Legislature. They also show
the readiness to prevarioate and tamper
with truth. The newly elected Regents
Of the Lunatio Asylum, upon ascertain
ing the amount necessary to conduct it
on an economical plan. and OF its past
due Indebtedness, and the ciroum-
stances under which it was contracted,
asked that provision should be made TO
keep it going and to.discharge its liabili-
ties Mr.. Robertson, Of Beaufort, who
is notorious for advocating. but never
praoticing retrenchment, made point
Of straininG this sensible request into q
demand for high taxation and heavy
appropriation. He charged it as an ex-
travagance, due to the election OF one
Of the Regents from "the opposition. +"
Thus spoke the man who boasts as we'll
as exhibits the peculiar traits and trans
oendant qualities OF the genus carpet
bagger. This blast from the 'icy
mountains" was echoed by Mr.. Keith,
colored native from Darlington. He
Was pleased to say that the recommends
ton Of the new board showed that "the
Democrats could milk the public COW as
we'll as Republicans.
What shameful perversion this is of
the truth Of the case, those may under
stand who will call to mind the facts
published frequently by us OF the trou-
bles in'the nanagement Of the Asylum.
It has been supported for the last year
almost entirely by the merchants of Co.
lumbia, who have furnished the sup
plies, q largo amount being also due for
salaries and wages and borrowed money.
AS soon as proposition is made to
sbate this nuisance and wipe out this
radical infamy, by iiquidating these
claims. so necessary to the credit and
interest of the Asylum and the State.
hue and cry is raised. and such false
hoods propagated as disgrace hu-
manity itself. The colored people, who
are the victims of this stupen dous sys-
tenn of lies and corruption upon which
the State Govern ment rests, surely can
see it plainly iu this instance. Are they
to be forever hoodwinked by such men
as Robertson?
Another thing we may notice here.
On Wednesday night, the clause to ap-
propriate $25, 900 for publication of the
Acts in the newspapers was struck out
Of the appropriation bill in the Senate.
It WINS restored yesterday, but that does
not effect our argument. We remember
when the publication of the Acts was
made part of the duty of the public
printer. He was required to have them
all out IN his newspaper. within SIX
weeks after they were enacted. They
did nos COG. .hs Stats GIG osas Tbs
abuse of paying huge prices to print
ShoA> ~ ho"oP"PSAo GA oSOA shO ot0tOs
some Of which had no circulation and
no other business or means of support,
is comparatively new thing, and We
are not sorry to see it partially abated.
It would be we'll. it is true. to have some
Of the Acts inserted in the public Jour-
nails which have circulation. The object
should be. not to pamper them, but to
afford the people the opportunity to
learn the laws. But the bulk of them
are not worth anything. and the e1-
pense of their publication is not justi-
fed by any public advantage. The
grounds upon which the Senate seems
to hsve proceeded, however. in striking
out the appropriation, point in the di.
rection of fragrant abuse. Nash was
willing to pay an "out-and out" Repub-
lican newspaper, but, forsoothi some of
those called by this name were too much
milk and water.
a newspaper, then, must succumb to
party, must uphold tho powers that be
in all thinU9 howavar corru,t or v>roQ;