The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-07-22
Speech of Ex-Governor Scott.


JeahinsoiAe. FairSsld County, s. c.,
July 4. 1874. .a III
FELLOW CITIZENS: am present ut.
your meeting to-day at the request of
some of the people of your neighbor-
hood. Although it is the Fourth sof
July, the anniversary of our national
independence, it is not my intention
to deliver to you any of the old stereo-
typed Fourth of July orations that huve
had an annual repetition for nearly
one hundred years.. Intend TO talk to
you, az colored men, of tho errors of
tho past, and to'admonish you of tho
dangers 0f the future Whatever ,e1-
tcnuation may be. made for tho past
four years of profigate and reckless
legislation, the. majority of the voting
element OF this State cannot get rid Of
the responsibility, when oolored mon,
HI their representatives, constitute
three-fourths of the elaw.making branch
of the governments. I must. However.
say, to the credit of the frat, General
Assembly elected under the Recon-
Struction Acts of Congress-, that they
we're prudent and careful body of
men. Both their general Acts and
their appropriations of public moneys
were marked by care and considera-
ton for the public interests that COM
pare favorably with the best days of
South Carolina. My intention is to
make very brief review of the action
of the government while I was in
office, and to fix the responsibility of
each branch Of the government for
what was done, as we'll as to show that
no individual member of the govern
ment can be held accountable for more
than his own acts. Each individual
member OF the government is elected
by the people, and his duties are de-
fined by the Constitution and laws of
the State. It necessarily follows,
therefore, that each individual mem.
ber Of it can be held accountable. for
his own acts only. Without any dis
position to cast the responsibility
where it does not belong, will, in the
briefest and plainast manner possiblej
give you history of the causes thut
have brought the Republican party
into disgrace, and will, if not correct.
cd. justly doom it to destruction. a..
see, by the papers, that many of
the leading politicians are crying for
reform. No man is more gratified a,
this cry than myself; but can scarcely
feel hops "t7rat all Of them arc in
earnest in making it. when I look back
over the past four years and remember
that most of them have been either
principals or accessories to all tho bad
and destructive legislation of that
period, and have been parties to. all
the schemes whereby the moneys of
the State have been squsndered and
its resources crippled for years, to
come. say, frankly, that l have no
confidence in the honesty of the pro-
fessions of these men; nor can the peo-
pie hope for any genuine reform from
such a class Of political demagogues,
who arc, in my judgment, only sock.
ing for new fields of public plunder.
also see, by the papers. that certain
parties are exceedingly careful to state
that the Legislature was bribed and
corrupt schemes of legislation effected
under Governor Scott's administr ra-
tion; but they are equally careful in
forgetting to state thut they themselv yes
urged forward those sohcmes and were
tho principal participators in tue pro
fits derived from their adoption. while
Governor Scott was the only one in his
administration who made any deter.
mined opposition TO them. / can
scarcely hope, however, 10 relieve
myself from the odium that is thus
CAST npon me by insinuation and fnlse
hood, when remember the nbserva.
ton of Cardinal Lorraine, that "a lie
told for hut on honr affects the dcsti
nieH OF "a nation for seven years"
In 1868, when 1 was inuugnfa.e,i
Governor aud the other State officer
assumed the duties of the Offices 10
which they had been elected, rs is we'll
known to yod, the State had neither
money Eor credit. and M entire year
intcrvened before any money could b.,
collected from taxes. Tbe Legisa-
ture di; not aern it proper nr prncti-
cable T." levy taxes imueiiatc!y upon n
p,oPie ~h" had just appealed 10 ,hc
l'"l".nl tf; vrrnmeut for the Mei.ns 10
&c: bread. The only prudent nioGa OF
oot"inlns tho lunds necessary to mrn.
the current expenses was by the us, OF
State bonds. The Legislature, accord.
inR'y. authorized loans to the amount
of 81, 800, 900. OF this amount, $500.
900 was to redeem an issue of bills
receivable which had been made during
the year 1867; $1,000. 900 was to pay
the interest already due on the public
debt. and 81, ,0O0,O 600 was to relieve the
Treasury, that is. to pay the current
expenses Tor the year that iutoryened