Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1877-04-12
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A MODEL GOVERNMENT.

A MODEL GOVERNMENT. r'rf
Mr.. E. V. Smalley, one Of the editors Of
the New York Tribune, writes to that paper
from Columbia, under date of the Both ulti-
mo, as follows:
This morning took look at what is left
of the rival State governments, now that their
chiefs are absent in Washington. First to
the State House. At the extremity of the
long hall, which runs from the end of the
building, saw what has been for nearly three
months the only obstacle to an immediate set
tlement of the South Carolina question "a
few stacks of arms and blue-coated soldier
walking to and fro. This sentinel, pacing bis
beat before the door of the Governors room,
represents the vast power of the United States
Government exerted to protect Chamberlain
and his associates against being elected from
their Offices by legal process Of the State
courts. From their Offices, did I say .? From
their ofice-roems would be the correct state
ment, for not one of them exercises any off.
cial functions. All executive powers have
passed into the hands of the Hampton gov
ernment by the force of the popular will and
of judicial decisions.
Leaving the State House and strolling down
the broad, sunny, lonesome main street, was
directed to the second floor of small two
story brick building, for the Offices of the
Hampton Government. On the lower floor
was bank Mounting narrow wooden
staircase, came to a landing on which two
doors fronted. A printed sign of white card
board nailed on the panels of one read, "Lieu-
tenant Governor, Comptroller-General, At.
torney. General )" and on the other like mex.
pensive tablet had this inscription, at once in
structive and hospitable to all who might be
seeking the head of the State, "Governor-
Walk in." This door led into sort of ante
room, furnished with few fifty cent chairs
and a rude table on which stood bucket of
water and tin dipper Beyond was small
er room with table at which clerk was
writing, s,store counter supporting case of
pigeon holes, and dilapidated plush-ined
sofa, suggestive of clearinghouse auction.
Still farther on was smaller room, scarce six
by nine in size, where the Governor works.
An unpaiuted pine table, desk made by pen.
itentiary convicts and four or five chairs were
its outfit. Walls and floors in all these rooms
were bare, and they looked like the quarters
of some poor country lawyer waiting for a
practice. The whole stock of furniture would
not fetch $25 at auction.
In the adjoining Office, occupied jointly by
the three officials whose titles were on the
sign, like Spartan simplicity reigned. To
save money until he should be fully estab.
lished, Gov. Hampton has only commission
ed such of the officials as he cannot get along
Without and he is running the government
with the utmost economy. The Comptroller
General, Mr.. Hagood, told me that the whole
State government only employs one clerk,
who served the different officers by turn.
"When we get behind with our books we 60
out and recruit some volunteers to help us, )"
he added. A gentleman who was writing at
a table on the other side of the room said that
he had been drafted into service to fix up the
returns of the insurance companies. "Here," !"
said Mr.. Hagood, pointing to the pigeon. holes
of the cheap desk at which he sat- "is the
whole mptroller.General's Office" To show
that the business of the Office was actually
carried on by him, and not by his rival in the
three luxuriously furnished rooms in the
State House, he showed his accounts of mon
ey received and paid out, including the re-
ceipts of the superintendent Of the State
charitable and penal institutions.
The Hampton Legislature, not having q
quorum in the Senate, passed no tax bill, but
adopted resolution requesting the people to
pay such person as the Governor might ap-
point, a sum equal to one.fourth of their last
years taxes, and promising that such pay
ments should be credited when the regular
tax levy was made Gov. Hampton thought
he would not need so much money, and ask.
ed, by proclamation, for only 10 per cent. of
last years tax. The people responded with
almost unanimity. Some did not pay, but
they we're few in number, and their refusal to
comply was compensated for by others pay
ing more than their quota, so that Hampton
got, in all, rather more than one-tenth of the
total tax Of 1876. Up to the End of this
month he obtained, from these voluntary pay
ments, $120,141. He has now balance on
hand of nearly $4,000, after paying all de-.
mands except county officers salaries and
the school fund. His Legislature cost only
$4,000. Republican Legislatures have cost
about 100000 annually. All the Judges of
the State courts, except three, have drawn
their salaries from him. The Chamberlain
Government has not collected dollar of
taxes. It's Legislature passed tax bill, but
injunctions from the courts stopped its en-
forcement The officials are, to quote the
words of one of them, "living on faith"
Chamberlain's legislators did not have to 60
away entirely empty handed, however, for
Corbin paid them 5000 a piece when they
elected him to the Senate. He cashed some
sort of warrants to that amount for all the
men who voted for him. 1t is alleged he
used money for this purpose which belonged
70 the State as royalty due from a phosphate
mining company of which he is president.
AT THE WHITE HOUSE.