Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1874-07-02

character did not limit the amount, but made
it entirely dependent upon the will of the Off
Ger who was authorized to audit the claims.
The gentleman who was then State Treasurer
always preferred to pay the general appropri-
ations when he and the officers who audited
the claim were on good terms. Mr.. Cardozo
states that no general appropriations have
been made within the past two years, as ne
informed the Legislature that he would only
pay those Of specific character.
REFORM IN THE LEGISLATURE.
In the legislative department the most i'm.
portant act of reform which has been passed
was that which provided for a specific tax
levy, giving the several objects ofexpenditure
their proportionate share Of the money re-
ceived Formerly certain objects, and those
generally least deserving, were treated as pre-
ferred claims, and paid in full, while others
more deserving received but little or none of
the money collected An act scarcely less
important was that which had recently been
passed ito regulate the disbursement of pub
lie funds" The officers who formerly had
charge of these funds would often spend the
funds belonging to one fiscal year to pay the
claims of previous years, and such claims
were often greatly in excess of the amounts
authorized by law. 1t had now been made
felony to issue claims in excess Of the amount
authorized, or to pay those of one year with
the funds belonging to another. The Act ito
regulate the public printing" was another step
which had been taken in the right direction.
- c. If
printing is hereafter to be $50, 1000, and tax
will be levied for the purpose corresponding
to the amount. Another good Act recently
passed was that which regulated the number
of the employees of the Legislature, and fixed
the amount Of their remuneration. This was
absolutely essential to a proper adminlstra-
ton of the Government. The four Acts
above mentioned were of great value, and, if
properly executed, could not fail to result in
great good. -.
That these reforms had been made could
not be denied, even by the Democrats, who
believed that the Republican party would long
since have broken down of its own weight.
They had not only been mistaken in this, but
they had observed, with growing alarm that
their rivals were redeeming their errors and
thus showing sufficient vitality to retrieve
their mistakes. They had, therefore, charged
the Republicans now in office with the COM
mission of wrongs which really dated back
six wears, and which the Republicans them
selves had admitted to be grave errors, to say
the least, for which party leaders had long
ago been punished. 1t had been said, and
Mr.. Cardozo believed with great deal OF
truth, that in addition to this attempt to make
the Republican party of the State odious in
the eyes of the North, the object of the Dem
ocrats was to createsuch sympathy for them
selves as would excuse any violent measures
they might resort to for the triumph OF their
party. The Democrats of South Carolina
protessed to be friendly to the colored men,
and desirous of securing to them the enjoy
ment of their civil and political rights. The
colored men had no confidence in these pro-
fessions. Not that they believed there is a
deliberate purpose to deceive them, but that
the Democrats, should they have the power,
would assume to be the judges of what their
rights were, or should be, and would soon re-
mand the negro to a condition of subsection
and dependence that would be substantially
slavery, though under another name and
form. The men who believed that slavery
was divine institution, and inaugurated
bloody civil war because this was denied by
the merciful people of the North, could not
in so short time have entirely changed their
opinions. They still desired the labor of the
blacks, and would 60 to any length to control
it. The crimes and mistakes committed by
the Republicans of South Carolina had been
very serious ones, but the Democracy, instead
of trying to correct, had done everything to
augment and increase them. Mr. Cardozo
believed that the masses of the Democratic
party in the particularly the young
men-had but little sympathy with those who
controlled them politically but so powerful
was the influence ola few leading spirits that
they dominated over the others, who had not
the moral courage to resist them. The color
ed race greatly deplored this unfortunate po.
litcal antagonism, but they could not and
would not take any step toward the establish
ment of concord and harmony, if concord and
harmony meant the sacrifice of their political
and civil rights.
In reply to the statements made by the
correspondent of the Times, Governor Moses
publishes the following in the Columbia
Union-Herald:
"For the last two years have been quietly
devoting myself to the discharge of the varied
duties Of my office amid the most reckless and
extravagant attacks directed against my per-
sonal and official character.
have been silent, because, up to this time,
the charges and accusations against me have
referred to acts done or omitted to be done
by me, and because I believe that the accusa-
tions themselves would fail in the accomplish
ment Of their purpose-6rst, by reason of
their own improbability and recklessness,
and, secondly, because the mass of the people
of South Carolina are sufficiently just and
generous not to believe in the statements of
political or personal enemies unless they are
supported by the plainest and most indubita-
BILE proof.
Now. however, sense of official propriety