The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-02-12
It will at once be seer that the power

SSAoASSAn3 Va eAo NoScEGOIs SOnpsEOaseE-
General aud State Treasurer. anv two oil
whom being sufficient to designate such
bank or banks. It will also be seen
that it will be required, as condition
precedent, that the bank shall be secure
aud pay the highest rate of interest.
BY virtue Of the authority given in this
section, the South Carolina Bank audI
Trust Company was chosen and desie.
nated as the sole depository for State
funds.
| BY reference to the said comm unica-
tions from the Comptroller. General, i'll
will be seen that that officer has as
sumed tho right to regulate the duties
of the Treasurer, and to prescribe the
manner in which his books shall be,
kept, ciuiming authority for suoh notion
under Chapter II OF the Revised Sta.
tu,es. By Section Of said oLapter, heI
is authorized to inspect and estimate the
Treasurer's 3 books Section 4 requires
his personal superintendent of the
transfer Of the money and papers from
tho otlico Of the Treasurer to his success.
sor. Section declares under what cir
cumstanccs the Comptroller General
shall draw his warrant on the Ire asurcr,
and the manner in which such warrants
may be drawn. Section requires tha,
the Comptroller. General shall keep q.
set Of books constituting ~ complete
check upon that Office; and shall nuke
Il report to the General Assembly. These
arc the only duties having reference to
the treasury that are imposed on the
ComptrOlier-Genera The powers and
authority mentioned i'll the above sec.
tlons are the ouly powers delegated to
him III this respect. Nowhere in the
Ia w.
nowhere III any law Of the State, is any
authority to be found for tho regulation
by the Comptroller General OF the keep
iug Of the records by the State Trea.
snrer. To clotho the Comptroller Gene
sai With tho power now claimed By hira,
will be to vitlate tho object held in view
by the Legislature in providing foc the
keeping Of separate sets of books by
these two officers. To grant this power
vii! be to make the State Treasurer the
mere clerk OF tho Comptroller G. eneral
Tho accord Of such authority would be
extremely unwise and mischievons
The duties of the Treasurer in rein-
ton to the keeping of tho books and
the drawing Of tho checks are equally
we'll defined. Section 81 OF the same
chapter declares that sit shall be the
duty Of tho Treasurer to keep oil the
records, books and papers heretofore
belongiug to the Treasurer of the Upper
Division and to tho Treasurer OF the
Lower Division, in his Office at Colum-
bia." Section 33, already quoted, di-
reefs him to make monthly statements
to the Comptroller-G General Section 81
directs that when required thereto, he
shall produce TO the Comptroller Gene.
raj satisfactory statements of the cash in
hand. and furnish him promptly with
information as to the revenue aud
finance Of the State. Such are the
plain provisions Of tho law as to these
two officers in relation to the keeping
of the records of the treasury. l still
fail to find any authority for the e1er-
else of the power assumed by the Comp.
troller General. I have also inquired
from what source springs the right of
the ComptrollerG General to interrupt
the nj monetary transactions of the govern
@e::. c:-cc:::S :ac EE:-cc::::.::::: c: :.c
!. South Carolina Bank aud Trust Com
pany to refuse the payment of checks
drawn by the Treasurer. unless drawn
In compliance with directions, ns laid
down III his letter of instructions. The
only power ho legally possesses over the
bunk na the depository of the State is
found in Chapter XVII, Section 81,
, which reads as follows:
1.-The said banks shall respectively
, transmit to the Governor and Comptrol.
er-General monthly statements Of the
moneys which shall be received and
: paid by them on account OF tho trea
sury."
!, All tho power he has is to demand,
and, il necessary, to compel the trans
initial of ouch statement. To assume
to do moro is to usurp authority
not delegated to him. But tho object,
the full scope and meaning OF the tore.
, going section is clear when Section
: 53 is read. It is as follows:
, ''Ihe Treasurer shall exhibit bis bank
book to the Comptroller-G General and
Governor for their examination on the
, first tuesday in every month, and
oftener if required"
Can any ono fail to understand the
purpose of the sections? Do We not
comprehend ut glance that the object
is to furnish tho Governor and Comp.
troller- General with the means OF veri
; flying the bank account of the Treasurer,
! and ascertaining from time to time the
i. actual condition of the funds? Certain
: ~ it will not be seriously contended
that any such power as that exercised