The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1875-02-26
COLUM!,Bs N, : LAS. I.14 C.
Friiay- Morning. February 20. 1876.

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The .vAlldaeins" Dodge IMPOSED.
Governor Chamberlain gives the
country. fresh cause Of congratulation
In his veto message Of an ACT just
passed in the Senate, to amend an Act
to validate payments made by the
County Treasurer OF Edgefeld County.
pursuant TO- tho joint resolution OF
December 20, 1873, authorizing the
County Commissioners Of that County
to levy special tax OF three mills for the
year ending October 81, 1874. and to
continue the collection OF the same tax
each succeeding year until the past in
debtedness OF the County should be
folly paid. Under the ACT. rs inter-
preted by the joint resolution. and
under the Interpretation OF the mean
ing 1.-the joint resolution, whatever
payments were made by the County
Treasurer were validated and declared
to have been duly and lawfully made.
and ell past due claims which had
been audited and allowed prior to the
passage OF the joint resolution, were
directed to be paid in full ont Of
the special, tax, without requiring
them. to be re.audited. The pur-
pose Of the present ACT is to ex-
tend and confirm the operation OF the
Act Of December, 1873. by reiterating
that It requires the payment in full of
all claims audited aud allowed by the
County Commissioners, prior to Ooto-
ser. 1874. without further audit. The
deaign Is evidently that these claims
shall not be anbjeotsd to any further
qaeation Or examination, and is oon-
fession that they cannot face any such
re-exsmipatipn.s The Governor very
dissinctly and properly Gays, that in
view 81 tie charges which have been
repeatedly made, that the financial
affairs OF Edgefeld have not been pro-
peFly conducted. he feels restrained
from oonsenting to any legislation
which seems intended to cut off all
further opportunity for questioning
the validity Of any claims allowed by
the County Commissioners. He fur
ther says and repeats that, il the action
OF fjthe ;Oommissioners has been legal
and just. tho claims which they have
allowed and nov propose further to
allow. will not tssuffeg from any exami-
natoh 90 vhiohtthey may be subjected.
1t ID right and eminently proper that
ell suoh. eo-oalled past indebtedness
should be. .earefully aud minutely
scrutinized.. This ought to be
done in every County in the
State. in every one OF which
similar evils prevail as prevail in Edge
field. In every one OF them, the Co.
vernon asserts his belief. money enough
has been collected by taxation to pay
every dollar OF Legitimate expense in
maintaining the government of the
County. Such an Act as the one he
has vetoed, would largely add to the
burden Of injustice under which the
people of many Counties are now
groaning. To these substantial and
strongly expressed objections, another
weighty and conclusive one is added. in
the statement of the fact that judicial
proceedings are now instituted and
pending in the Circuit Court of Edge
field. which have fer their object the
Investigation of the claims which make
up the past due? indebtedness of the
County. nvould be unwise and un-
just, pending eunh judicial investiga-
ton. which, 10 the common right of all
the peeple aoatthe County. to direct
the full payment Ok the alleged claims.
We have thought it appropriate to
reproduce the principal points Of this
excellent veto message, in order that
reading them our citizens OF
Edgefeld and other parts OF the State
may become Satisfied, as we are, that
Governor Chamberlain is doing his
duty by them manfully and fearlessly.
We take occasion. also, to say TO other
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