The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-03-14
ENe Agricultural Land Scrip.

oiary aud Agriculture. to whom were
referred the "report of special join,
committee relative to agricultural land
scrip bonds." submitted report on the
18th. that they found on Act of the lie.
gislature, approved July %, 1868. styled
:An Act accepting the benefits of aD
Act donating public lands to the severai
States and Territories which may pro
vido colleges for the benefit of agricul-
turo and the mechanic arts. passed by
the Congress of the United States, mp
proved July Q, 1862" This Act was
intended to secure the donation thus
made by Congress, but it was not ao
ceptable to that body, and another Ac' ,
styled "An Act accepting the donation
of lands to the State of South Carolina
for tho endowment of agricultural col
legcs." was passed., aud approved D.
combar 1G, 1868. Mr.. e. u. K:mptor,
the Financial Agent Of this State in New
York, was entirely conversant with the
laws upon the subject.
Under the Act Of Congress, which was
accepted by this. State, she received
scrip for $50, 900 acres of land; aud, b,
inetrnctions of Governor Scott, Mr..
Oardozo, Secretary of State, and Mr..
Chamberlain, the board authorized by
law to act in this matter, Mr.. Kimpton
sold his scrip at 72lS csnts per ncre in
cash, and invested tho pro seeds,
amounting to $l3O, 500, in bonds of this
State. This snle was probably made in
September or October, 1870 Mr.
kimpton says that, after this investment
was made, (he does not fix the time, J
there was pressing demand in New
York for money to meet the liabilities OF
bility, after consulting counsel, he hypo.
thecated these bonds for loan o!
S57, $40, and applied tho proceeds to
the indebtedness Of tho State, and that
these bonds may still be redeemed by
the payment of this sum. with interest
from October /, 1872, at ssvon per cent.
He says that he communicated to the
Financial Board Of this State his actions
in this matter.
In Mr.. Kimpton's examination before
the special joint committee. he refers all
the way through to the Financial Bourd
of the State, and seems desirous to
throw all the responsibility upon them
Of the whole transaction. This attempt
to relieve himself is entirely too thin.
The Financial Board. as such, had no
control over these bonds, and had no
to sell them or to dispose Of
them in any manner whatsoever.
The Act Of tho Legislature created
special board to manage this matter,
and that board was confined within GER
tain limits-they could sell or have sold
the scrip, and the proceeds were to be
invested in bonds of the United States
or the State of South Carolina, and
these were to be held forever sncred for
the purposes expressed in the Act Of
Congress. Any deviation from this
line of conduct would have been, in the
opinion of the committees, breac! of
trust on the part of tho board.
Ia the opinion Of the committee, there
is no excuse for the conduct of Mr..
Kimpton; he is clearly guilty of breach
of trust, and knowingly, too. They,
therefore, recommend that tho Attorney
General of this State DO directed at
ouce to proceed criminally against Mr..
Kimpton, and also civiliy, If, in his
Indictment. nnv means can he had of him
sufficient to warrant it. The report is
signed by Henry a. Meetze. Chairman
:Iom m.tt.e CT Inc Indicary; james
nuSN'oilouSus OiulA ulutl SOmCiltLeS Oh
A SAD PICTURE--LooK AT IT, CENT
Hon. II. NJ. Il. Hunter
has written letter to United States
Senator Stevenson. of Kentucky, upon
the condition Of the country. in Which
occurs the following brief aud vigorous
sum mary OF the great evil which aflllcts
tho nation:
"When q whole social system las been
paralyzed 10 its lower eztrcmities, the
work of cure is tedious aud difficult.
The head and arms ere loft, but its
means of motion are sadly impaired.
Ii tue South was worth to tho Uuion III!
tue mouey and blood which it cost to re.
tain it, then ono would have supposed
that it was un object of interest to re-
store it's c0iclcy, moral and physical,
aud tins secure lis value. II it was
deemed necessary to alter its social sys.
tenn and the relations Of its elements, it
might have been expected that this dis
turbance wonld have satisfied those who
had tho management of affairs. II they
could havo devised any relief frou tllr
els meaicufri.c '.Hnrte. why not allow
them that resource? It would have been
e great relief to them if they lad bcon
to place their own governments
III the hands Of the bes. aud strongest
of society, and not the weakest