The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1875-03-05

F!.s..=.:s u
Ths ssass Tssesartr,s rytaalessseR.
We are compelled %. take isaus With
the News and Cosrisrlsss 10 ,the SUN.
cheney OF shs plta Of confession ana
avoidance put In by the State TrSA-
surer; and while we are equally apx:
ious. with our Charleston oontsmpo.
rsry to chronicle the ''peaeefal CLOSE
Of controversy which BODIES serious
troubles TO che State" We confess our
inability to see how the controversy
can be brought to close by the rrea-
surer's reply. and We are not willing
that the controversy should be brought
to close at the expense Of tue tax
ridden people of the State. To say
that public officer who confesses that
he has funded over $500. 600 Of fraud
nlent coupons. some of which he ac-
knowledges were called to his atten.
ton, has vindicated himself by aby
such statement a. that made by the
Treasurer. is to say that man who
wrongfully takss the money of another
is not guilty Of laceny. because he did
not know whose money he was taking.
This may seen TO be putting the case
too strongly; bat let us for a moment
look at the facts aud figures. By the
official statements Of the Com ptroller-
General and State Treasurer. it ap-
pears that from Jalyi1. 1861. 80 ,Q,to.
Der 81, 1s7l. the interest due. Upon the
public dabi amounted to 81, $50, SD. .l6>
aud by tho same reports. it appears
that there was paid ont for interest
81, 600. .2l4 o., showing that the inte.
rest account was actually overpaid by
$14,64l.88. Mr.. Oardozo must have
had accesa to these reports. and II he
has made the finances of the State q
study. as he iays hs has. he must have
known that the coupons presented to
him by 3 State Senator we're ftaddul
lent. Had he been animated by de.
sire to foster aud protect the Fnnding
Act. it seems to US very strange that
he should have allowed these fraudu-
lent coupons to have been funded.
At any rate, the matter WAS sufficiently
suspicious to warrant the exercise of q
little Of that extreme vigilance to
which he lays claim. But this is not
all. It is IN evidence. aud the .Trea-
surer does not deny it, that the cou-
pons of the $l0l. 900 of unused relief
OF the treasury bonds we're. also
funded; that in the early. operations
under the Fouding Act. 81, 400 of
these coupons had been presented to
be funded; that Captain Little. ths,
clerk. in the Comptroller. G. erai,S,
Office, detected them and called .ths
attention of the treasurer to the fact,
aud that the coupons toere then rejected,
because they had been unlawfully
taken from the possession of tho State,
to whom they lawfully belonged. And
in the face Of this. over 80, 900 Of these
coupons were subsequently funded
coupons detached from bonds which
have never for single instant bsen out
Of the possessios' of the. State, which
were the properly of the State until
stolen from. tho treasury vaults, and to
fluid which was palpabls fraud upon
tho State Of the grossest kind. II The
State Treasurer did not know that the
entire amoups OF interest acoruing DIP
to October 81. 1871. had been paid. be
not only cannot have made the study
of the fiosnces the one engrossing sub.
ject Of his official career. but he is also
grossly ignorant of the duties of his
Office. If he did know the fact. he has
been party to great wrong. and in
either event. has proven that the trsa.
sury Is not safe in his hands. OF his
diversion OF the interest fund. we have
already spoken. He does not deny it,
but attempts to step aside from the
matter under consideration to besmirch
q respectable merchant and banker Of
this oity. We have nothing whatever
to do with his quarrel with Mr.. Solo.