The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-08-08
Wednesday, August 8. 1888.
Instead of Allowing the Blame TO
Rest Where 1t Belongs, 1t is
Sought to Put 1t on Sub.
arIlinafe Officers.

Now as to the Estate Bank bills" Pay.
ments OF these bills were made under two
Acts. The first under the old Radical Act
the second under the Democratic Act re9uir,
deposited with the Clerk Of Court, whose re.
ceipt discharged the County Treasurer for so
much collected. BY the payment Of the bills
State Treasury, and were cancelled and are
counted and inspected every year by the
Committee Of the Assembly, along with mon
eys on hand and other securities held.
AS to the bills paid under the Democratic
Actlooking to suit in the courts TO deter
mine their acceptance in payment Of taxes.
the Act AZ 1t was intended resulted In the
tender OF very little other than current
The Receiver Of the Grsenville Railroad,
however, did pay the taxes due by the road
in these State bills, and the accounts OF the
County Treasurers receiving them were set,
with the County Auditors by the recelpt ol
the Clerk Of Court, as for so much collecteo;
After this settlement the Receiver OF the road
was directed by an order of Court to redeem
the old State bills with current money. In
the case Of the Abbeville County Treasurer
tho money so received In lieu or the deposit
treasurer here for the part Of the tax due the
state. But the county part OF the tax was re-
tained by the County Treasurer, his accounts
having been settled with the County Auditor
previous to the order OF Court. II was ow-
Ing 70 the remissness OF the County Auditor
the hands OF the County Treasurer. The
count of money on hand in the County Treas.
urer's Office. How this was not done Is not
explicable. This irregularity can never nap
pen again, and 1t only occurred from the IN
terruption OF the regular course of payments
by the order Of Court. or course, the tax
payer paying the State bills, took back these
bills when he redeemed them with current
plain for our Abbeville contemporary and oil
other inquiring friends.-Cot'smota Register.
After waiting four weeks our much respect
ed contemporary the Columbia Register makes
the above answer to our enquiry as to what
became Of the bills Of the Bank OF the State
which were rendered for taxes in the differ
ent counties In 1S7.S.
The Register, like the Ne,0s and Courier,
proves conclusively that the Comptroller
General totally and absolutely neglected his
duty as TO the interests Of this people in the
bills.
The Register, like the NeDs and CD,'-ter,
seeks to lay the blame on the County Auditor.
Any excuse for the dereliction Of the Comp
troller-General is perhaps better than none
at all, but this excuse Is SO near to none at
all, that II should not receive moments con-
sideratlon. It was the Comptroller's business
TO see that our settlement was right, and fail
ing in this particular, he failed to discharge
the highest and chief duty entrusted TO his
care.
We have no desire to be persistent, but
since our friend has given US so many par
ticulars as TO Abbeville, will he not 60 lit
tie further, and tell how it is with the other
treasursrs whom 10 were rendered bills Of the
State?
AS matter OF fact, neighbor, do the Comp
troller-Generals books make as full and as
clear an exhibit for any other county, as they
do for Abbeville? II SO, why not name them
Has any other treasurer made a full &C.
counting. II SO, the Register will please be
explicit and State which Of them. We ask
about other counties, not to be personal to
any one, but as to ascertain the mode OF
keeping the aocounte between the officers OF
the State and the taxpayers.
We take the view, that If there has been er
ror, that the high and proper course is to
acknowledge the fact, and set to work to cor.
rect the abuses, II any exists or existed. 1t
will be extremely difficult to smother up er-
ror, II error has been committed.
Half column Of the Register, giving the
dates Of settlements, and the amounts ac
counted for State, county and schools In the
different counties would put the matter at
rest forever. We will doubt no statement Of
fact which the editor Of the Register will
make Then will the Register tell us how
1t Is with the treasurer of Anderson?
or course, no treasurer ever paid money
without getting credit for 1t in his annual set
tlement
To ascertain then if the money has been
accounted for seems the simplest thing in the
world, but yet 1t Is about the hardest thing
for us to find out.