The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1892-11-30
STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA,

Dictated-A.
STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
EXECUTIVE CHAMBER.
Columbia, S. c.. February 18th, lSSZ.
W: II. Lyles, Esq, Attorney, Columbia. :; e.:
asking whether or not Mr.. Coulliette had been
Instructed by me to refuse possession OF the
building known as Agricultural Hall TO yon.
reply, yes; he is Instructed to hold posses
the property. And Mr.. Means was also in
structed to revoke the order to the tenants in
the building to recognize you or any one as
owner except the state; E. ,,i Respectfully, aS,or
Columbia, S. c., February 18th, 1892.
To His Exceliency B. r. Tillman, Governor OF
South Carolina:
:: Sir: Your letter OF this date stating that
Mr.. Coulnette and Mr.. NsaEs were acting un-
der yonr instructions in the matter referred
to in my letter OF this date has been handed
tome
On behalf of Mr.. Alexander, desire to no
tify you thar he considers your action pnwar-
slider you Individually i:cole for any damages
that he may suffer t.. oreby, and will proceed
accordingly. Respectfully, VIM. II. Lyles.
STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
EXECUTIVE CHAMBER.
Columbia, S. c., February 17th, lS92.
W. e. LYles Esq, Attorney: '.-
7. Sir: Your letter OF this date informing me
that you consider my action IN refusing to
surrender possession OF Agricultural Hall
will consider me individ uaIly liable for dam
ages" received. I desire TO notify you that /,
as Governor, am chairman OF the Sinking
Fund Commission, and that, acting for the
commission, have refused 10 consummate
my daal capacity.
am resisting an attempt to swinde the
State ont Of $4,000 Of deferred payments and
to prevent litigation. No one knows better
40 -. I, prtN ArtF
which you rendered for the balance due Is
worthless; and If my action in resisting the
ini:iatory step TO bring in question the settle
ment Of the States debt by the Bond Court
oonds on the taxpayers is 'unwarranted by
my official POSITION" I cheerfully assume the
responsibility and all individual liability, and
will leave the question to be decided by the
''0' - B. r. Tiilman, Governor.
On The Goth of February the Commission Of
the Sinking Fund held q special meeting, ap-
proved the action which had been taken. and
Instructed the Secretary OF Slate 10 retain the
custody OF the property.
Suit has heen brought by j. w. Alexander
against me and Mr. Coulliette, as individuals.
in the United States Court. and litigation Is
now pending for the possession OF the proper
~, for damages, and "for the value Of the use
and occupation thereof"
Whatever may be the results Of this suit to
me personally, I am confident that the court
and jury will not award to these conspirators
possession or property that belongs 70 the
State, and OF which am not, and have never
been, in possession, or force the State TO en-
gage in q tedious and vexations controversy
Ia the United States Court to tes: the validity
of the Revenue Bond Scrip" The State is
not party to this suit, and can not be made
q party to any suit without Its consent, and
the Revenue Bond Scrip" has been passed
upon by our own court, which declared inval-
id this debt created by the nfamous Radical
government in South Carolina.
THE DIRECT TAX.
Last Arril there Was paid into the State
treasury S22l I'll 26 OF direct tax collected from
our people just after the war and for the dis
tribution OF which an act was passed at the
last session of the Legislature. I appointed
the Eon. T. ]. kirkland, OF Camden, commits,
to prepare duplicate schedules for the use OF
the masters at Beaufort and Charleston. The
task was difficult and laborious, requiring pa.
tient research and pains-taking care. With
what diligence and accuracy he executed the
work IS shown by the fact that, although there
were more than 600G names, taxes, costs and
p nalties to be copied, but one mistake has
been called to my attedtton thus far. OF this
up to October 81, have been paid. The labor
imposed upon the master in 60 uity OF Charles
ton, Mr.. Miles, has been very heavy, and a
corresponding amount Of work was done by
fees OF the comptroller general and treasurer,
requiring the employment Of extra clerical
assistance, for which have paid out Of the
fund. One per cent. Of the amount returned
to the claimants have been withheld for the
payment of the expenses OF disbursement.
The compensation, $500, authorized TO be paid
10 Mr.. Miles Is totally inadequate, and I rec
omyuend that he be given $500 more.
Mr.. Kirklands research among the records
at Washington disclosed the fact that there
was due an additionalamounto OF nearly So
900 of interest, costs and penalties. But the
authorities declined TO pay it TO him, and I
made = trip to Washington for the purpose
OF inducing the Secretary OF the Treasury to
comply with the law. He refused, and 1t was
Claims, bu. since then the Attorney General
Of the United States has filed an opontop
that the money must be paid. AS soon as
this was known I instructed Mr.. Kirkland to
return 10 Washington aud set about making
up the accounts, and he is now engaged on
tSis work. The sm"unt paid him for his work
last spring was S400 under the act-much less
than 1t was worth-and recommend that he
he given an additional sum, Of $1,000 out OF
the interest, &c, that he shall obtain. The
balance In the treasury to the credit OF this
fund belongs to two classes OF claimants.
Many Of the Items, several thousand In n um-
ber are too small TO make it worth while to
bother with their collection, and there will
likely be considerable amount which will
never be paid out After six years this will
belong TO the State. The other class Is being
subjected 10 an outrageous SCQ6Eue OIL EODUeIy
on behalf Of the heirs Of ]. B. Campbell and a
law firm in Washington, who, under agree
ment made with the claimants more than
twenty years ago for 80 per cent. of all sums
recovered, now step forward and claim this
30 per cent, although directly barred by the
law, gran ting this money which they never
did anything TO earn. Upon the fimsiest
techanicaI grounds an appeal was taken from
the decision of the Master, and the case heard
In the Circuit Court in Charleston, the decision
Of which was declared final by the law pro-
vidipg for the distribution. The judge Of that
court decided that there were no grounds OF
appeal, and now these legal cormorants have
appealed 70 the Supreme Court Of the United
States on some trivial pretext or other, solely
with the view OF wearyiEg the patience OF the
claimants and forcing them to division, and
this they have succeeded in doing in large
number Of cases. The very terms Of the act
under which the State accepted this trust for
bids the payment OF one cent OF this money
to any Of these parties. and strongly recon-
mend that the General Assembly authorize
me TO demand OF the master in Charleston
the names OF and the amounts due to the
parties thus situated, that I may pay them
whaI Is due without awaiting the issues Of the
trivial appeal 10 the United States Supreme
Court.
PENSIONS.
desire to call your attention to the follow
ing extract from my last message:
s.In the report OF the Adjutant and Inspect
or General he suggests that small fund oe