The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-09-20

4orafathers. and in comparing the
,3sr with the present we are apt to
conclude that conditions Of today are
in a state of degeneracy. But cOndi-
lions during the Revolution were far
from being ideal. Although the pub
lie morals of the present time are
far below the standard which they
should measure up to- it might be
said with a reasonable degree OF safe
ty. that they were worse during the
wa for Independence. Graft and
~maffeasance were cOmmO on the part
of public officials and nc worse set of
grey wolves and bloOdsuckers ever ex-
listed than that class of human vul-
lures. which plucked at the vitals of
the government Of the Confederation
during the period from 1875 to 1888.
There were several causes which
operated to bring abou his state of
affairs. One of the most potential
factors which produced this condition
was the general administrative inef-
fcieucy which prevailed in all the de-
partments of government, both State
and Federal. In North Carolina there
We're numerous instances of fraud and
maIicasanCe long before the Revolu-
ton. The eXactionS of the public Off
GERS was one of the causes which led
to the war of the Regulation. In 1858
Governor TryOn, in an attempt to eff
feet 4 settlement with the Regulators
and to TemOVe the cause of irritation,
issued a proclamation strictly pro-
hIbiting public officials from collecting
any fees except those which were al
lowed by the provincial laws. Gov
ernOT Martini, in a communication to
the General Assembly in 1771, earn
estly recommended that immediate
steps be taken to collect the large
amount of money which the tax col
~lcctors had failed to turn Over to the
pTa-irnA VIn nnpcjJnrnI tho+ this
money should be recovered immedi-
atelE IN order that the credit of the
Colony might be preserved. In the
following year, he estimates his 81
Tearage at SIS, 600.
The Provincial Congress attempted
to correct these evils, but in some in
stances it was defied by the very de-
f~aulters, whom 1T had appointed. In
liS-. matters do not seem to have
been much improved. IN a message
to the Assembly, Governor Burke says,
The collection of taxes and supplies
nav" been irregular and unreasonable
anu the expenditure waSteful and dis
orderly. The Public Collectors are
under no particular control, nor are
they bound by any Law now in force,
either to make returns Of their col
iectionS or account for their eXpendl-
lures, except possibly to the General
Assembly, who never have leisure for
such Inquiries. This naturally occa-
6ionS great negligence and confusion
ana renders it impossible to know
what can be supplied either in guam
uty or kind. and as the public wants
are often pressing and indispensable,
me powers of government must be
ihteFposed in q manner u~nfavorable
and unequal and to the
genius Of Freedom"
hen the new State constitution was
60DDIbU in 177S If uyoo nrnvj6n6 s'Thaf
no persons who heretofore have been
Vf hereafter may be Receivers Of Pub
~ MONIES, shall AVE a seat in either
mousse Of General Assembly, or be eli
6iDIe TO any Office in this State, until
Such persons shall have fully account
u LOT and paid into the Treasury all
sums Tor which they may be account
able and liable"
At divers times money was appro-
pt'dted and an order drawn OF the
nedaury for he Of providing
9uppHes for the State troops, but In
many cases it was either m~isapphed
~ ~SqGandered by the persons who re-
oelVeo It. The Legislature itself was
5uIity Of misapplying funds which
aeie originally intended for h re-
uehplon of bills of credit In addition
~ nus orders were issued on the
uedSury to persons who had lost any
VI ihelr money, and could make it &P-
pS5f by witnesses that the money Was
equally lost or burned as the case
might be. There were also instances
: persons being exempted from taxa
IN some cases this might be
H9adered AS a humanitarian act. but
vas a mighty poor policy from a
'u91heSs standpoint.
HFlofe the close OF the war, the
oft,""eIai Assembly required the various
cutters handling the public funds to