The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-06-04
COLUMBIA, S. G.
Thursday Morning. June 4. 1874.
Gull. Black-Ballipg Innocence.


Guilt Black-BallipE Innocence.
We are obliged to correspondent
who writes to express his satisfaction
with outoomments upon public affaire.
and more particularly with the direct-
ness and force OF the blows which nail
our troubles to the door Of the domi-
aant party in the State. He thinks,
however, that there Is one point which
has Dot been sufficiently touched upon,
one piece Of effrontery not rebuked
with deserved severity. It is the dis
position to charge the Taxpayers with
n share OF the responsibility for the
frauds which have been committed on
the people, such as those OF the Land
Commission, Sinking Fund, Financial
Board. Go. This he regards as unjust
as it is brazen. Had pressed as the
spologists for this poor mookery of a
government are. they think they make
q speoious defence of its short-com
ings. its crimes and oorruptions, if
they can gather from dim tradition, or
rake out OF the ashes of Pickering
past. some semblance of neglect, some
departure from an exact course, some
fanoied irregularity on the part of the
officials OF those days. This sort Of
defence is admission of guilt and an
endeavor to make it exousable by find-
ing for it respectable company. But
the parallel can never be made out.
the association cannot be established.
And If it could be made out. it would
avail nothing. It would not relieve
tho present blackness. to show that
some other period had not been con-
spioaously bright. The band of mag
nifacent villains who have used their
influence, talents apd public position
to awindle the country, to take bread
from the mouths of the poor, to stain
the annals of the State, to draw down
npon it the indignation and contempt
OF mankind. are no lesx viIluins. be-
es1sassams small rascal, fifty or hun.
dred ears ago. fouled the little stream
of his short official career.
Our correspondent draws clear
distinction betwixt the degrees OF re-
sponsibility of those who hold office
and OF those who do not. No man, he
says, who does not hold Office, can be
charged with the betrayal Of Co
vernment trust. Only those who hold
ahs reins are responsible for the driv.
ing. There is great difference be.
tween the official who, for reasons of
his own. has aided to put out. say.
fraudulent certificates, and the citizen
Who knows nothing of them but what
their face tells him. Private indi.
viduals should feel that when suoh
paper. pay certificate or State bond, is
offered on the market. they have
right to buy at as low price as they
can get it. and that they will be safe in
doing so. No bond of trust holds the
private citizen to the duty of financial
state policeman. As no one ia bound
to be on guard against the govern.
ment which ia over him, it 10 not bis
fault bat his misioylare. if he should
be drawn into questionable transao-
tions. The blame ID mot his, but be-
longs exclusively to those who have
set tho trap in which he has been
caught. Blame ia too soft word for
them. It :. INDUSTRIOUS in q govern.
nent to become swindling agency.
It is double swindIe, a monstrosity
unheard OF, for its officials and sup
porters, while they solicit and impor-
tune the people not to withdraw their
confidence from it, to charge this con-
fidenee. when innocently or ignorantIy
extended, as completely ia wrong and
crime. Such charges are like those
made by Potiphar's wife. Our cores
poudent puts it foicibiy thus: 1--WE
are asked to give our support to this
republican government by the very
people who charge US With fraud when
we have financial transaction with
tho Government, although we hold no