The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-05-12
So Mote IT Re.

language applied by Attorney General
Melton aud Judge Mackey, on the
trial of Treasurer Smith, of Fairfield,
to the condition. Of atfIirs in this State
and to its chief criminals, is really
startling. Il is scathing rebuke Of
the falsehoods of the Whittemoro delo-
cation in Washington, and gives
ground for fresh hope that these out
rages on good government will at last
be put down by the punishment of
their perpetrators. What terrible
force in the words Of the Attorney
General on tho ''era of corruption" >"
and in tho illusions of the Judge TO
''tho chief criminal Of State" who had
eluded his grasp, but whom he hoped
yet to bring to trial. :.
The Attorney. General acknowledged
The force of what had been said. lie
was acquainted with the existence Of
the c1tenuating circumstances, aud
touched upon the willingness whioh
the defendant hnd shown for tho
rough examination, and also on the
fact that he had expressed his desire
that the people of the County should
suffer no loss. But while this was
true, it was very strange that man, rs
Intelligent, as practical, and as we'll
eduoated as the defendant is, should
suffer heavy loss without being able
to give any account OF it. The present
systom of collecting taxes is perfect,
derived from the experience of MI the
States. Before the war, tax collecting
was simple affair. There were no
checks and balances. and yet such was
the innate honesty of the men of those
days, that defalcations were of the
rarest occurrence. But now, in spite
OF tho cordons drawn around the State
Treasury, in spite OF tho bars and
bands and triple locks, in spite Of the
guards who surround it, and of the
lump that never ceases to burn. vast
amounts of money-money wrung
from struggling people-have been
recklessly stolen and sQuandered. leav-
log the whole government clogged AID
her credit destroyed. There now cx-
lists in the State Of South Carolina uu
ern Of corruption such as has never be-
fore Leen witnessed. But this thing
cannot last. It must have an eud.
Initial steps are now being taken to put
IN cad forever to this vile, outrageous
thing. Although Mr.. Smith confessed
his dofalcation voluntarily, he had
been suspected before. The eyes of
the Government had been on him.
The crimes Of others are known also,
and they had better take warning by
the sad example of Smith. and be-
fore the ides of November come, SO
help me God. they will know this to
their sorrow. We bide our time. That
time will come
Mr.. Melton spoke with his usual
eloquence, and his denunciations of
the ring were listened to attcntively
by dense throng of white and colored
citizens. Judge Mackey then snid that
the court recognized, in ali their pro.
per potency, the appeals in behalf OF
tho prisoner. The eXtrome limit oi
the punishment of the offence in ones
ton Is s.. 600 fine and three years inn
prisonmcut. He reviewed the remarks
OF tho Attorney Gencrni, und then re.
marked that the presiding Judge was
profoundly Impressed with the conyic.
ton that, III passing sentence, he was
'Olb 60 |A4cui0 10 VIC CdSCI II
penalty upon pleaded guilt, but was
merely performing duty devolving
on him. Ho firmly believed that he
was performing duty merely techni-
cal aud formal, and that the judgment
itself was merely precursor Of a par
don that would surely follow. The
State House throws shadow deep aud
broad over the very threshold of the
temple OF justice, and in releasing
from confinement those individuals
who have been punished for their mis-
deeds, it strikes deadly blow at pub
lie safety.
The presiding Judge would feel a
sense OF sorrow and oppression. crush
ing, in the midst OF general calamity,
were it not for such utteranoes as havo
been made by the Attorney General,
which indicate that no State is lost
where one solitary son stauds before
the people like faithful sentinel,
Drawing corruption. The Court utters
back the sentiments of the Attorney
General, with sensibilities that every
public officer should feel and every
citizen should chorish.
It has been said by ono, we'll versed
in the springs Of human action, that
that child remem bers its mother with
deepest Affection who knew her when
young and in the bloom of woman.