The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1875-06-15
JUNE Is, 1876. VOLUME XI-NI1MRER 80

>NNN DNN''iSo ttAl1 uttShuLngnS OF tDQt mr.
rangcment were fully set forth, and by
no one more forcibly or earnestly than
by him. One feature of that plnn wns
to make what is known rs "Construc-
tlon Fund, to be used only to build the
City Hall. The city bonds were to be
placed ut the disposal Of the Carolina
National Bank, and the proceeds thereof
to the amount of S66, 900 were to be used,
as have already said, TO construct the
new City Hall. Now let us look at the
hgures presented by this report, and
accepted by the taxpayers rs being cor
rect. According to this report, we find
the following sums were paid out:
1872-Paid on City Hall, S14, 994. .G6:
paid on new market, s9,7G2.7O. I873N
Paid on City Hall, s12, 900; deposited TO
Construction Fund, 81, $50; paid on new
market, s735. 1874-Paid on City Hall,
33, 534. %; deposited Construction Find.
S14, 245.70. Total, sS7, ,82234.
The report says thnt the use made of
this fund was: On the City Hall.
S61, 428. 81; market-house (blown down
So, ,9O7. .40-S71, 1864; balance used for
other purposes, S6G, ,359.49.
Now, think I have shown from hia
own report, that instead of there having
been but ST., ,336.34 expended for the
purposes for which these bonds were
Sucio were expended up
wards of SIG, 600 more than this report
admits. Nor is this all No man knows
better than the Chairman of that com
mlttee that not less than $780, 900 of the
proceeds of these bonds were used to
pay notes held by the Carolina National
Bank, Gov. R. X. Scott and others for
money loaned to the Council prior to
the one in which had the honor to hold
n seat, to erect o new City Hall. saw
no one knows this fact better than the
author Of this report, for he IVES a party
to one transaction, at least, of just this
character. l myself deposited in the
Carolina National Bank, when that gen.
tleman was cashier, by instruction of
Council, S1OO,OOO in new city bonds.
enough Of which was to liouidate the
debt of the city to the bank for money
loaned to take up the Neagle bonds, and
the balance to be applied to constructing
the City Hall: Before depositing these
bonds In said bank, I consulted the CITY
Attorney, Mr.. Tradewell, and obtained
mn opinion from him that the City
Council would not only be justified in
making such disposition, but that thew
ought to do SO, inasmuch as the notes
then held by the bank were issued for
the purpose of raising money to con-
struct the City Hall. Whether this action
was legal, it is not for me to decide; but
l know full we'll that there was no inten-
tion on the part of any member Of the
Council to divert or misapply single
dollar derived from the sale of cfty
bonds, and the utmost caution was OBJ
served by Council, both in the public
sale and in the management of the funds
afterwnrd, for fear that the spirit of the
law might be violated, and it was
only after legal opinions had been
given that the Council authorized the
bonds to he disposed of in this way.
The bank held notes against the city to
the amount, if mistake not, of s38, 600,
which notes were regarded, not only by
tho City Attorney, Mr.. Tradewell, but
by the banks attorney and the bank
officers, Us FILLING within the provisions
OF OF the law. These notes were paid with
the proceeds of those bonds, and if un-
lawfully. no man is more responsible for
the matter than the author of this very
report. The City Council desired to do
right in the matter OF disposing of these
bonds, and rs but few of them were
versed in the intricacies of the law, they
regarded the safeguards placed, around
these bonds by the Legislature az mean
ing exactly what the language conveyed.
Not step was taken in this matter until
the best legal talent i'll this city had first
Deen consulted, and If any of the pro-
ceeds were diverted it was done unin-
tentionnlly, and with no desire to de-
fraud the city or misspply its revenues.
do not believe II single dollar of these
bonds was diverted from its lawful use;
but do believe that handreds Of dol
lars Of revenue We're used to nav debts
contracted by Democratic councils, the
blame for which is now attempted to be
shifted to Republican shoulders, but the
effort will fail. There are scores of peo-
pie who know full well who has been
instrumental in securing the action of
the Council upon many measures which
now seem to be questionable, and these
men shall not be permitted to escape
their share of the responsibility. 1 see
before me now q gentleman, former
member Of the City Council and Chair
man of the committee appointed by the
Mayor to agree upon the very plan of
which l spoke moment ago, viz: The
plan to dispose of the city bonds and
Crente 4 nCnnStructinn fnndn in tho