The daily phoenix. (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, June 26, 1875, Image 2
COLUMBIA, S. C.
Saturday Horning, Jnne 26, 1875.
We Are an Organ.'
The question has been asked by the
Anderson Intelligencer, referring to the
Phcenix, "Is it an organ?" and confesses
to some annoyance us to the position of
this "thrifty nnd enterprising newspa?
per." The Intelligencer has just learned
that articles from prominent and influ?
ential Republicans muke their first ap?
pearance in the Pucenix, .having refer?
ence to the letters of ex-Gov. Scott and
others,) and wants to know if this paper
"is the recognized organ of the defunct
ex-ofiicials, who are striving to regain
power, position and plunder." We first
saw the inquiries of the Anderson paper
in the Union-Herald, and appended
thoreto Ls a gratuitous and grossly incor?
rect reply, inasmuch as the U.-II. states
that the Phcknix is the "official organ of
the Suite." Wo have, ever since the pass
ago of the odious and oppressive official
publication law, used our best endea?
vors to procure its repeal, and wo feel no
hesitation in asserting our belief that the
Phcenix?tho organ of tho public?ac?
complished much in that direction. The
repeal of that law, and the publication
of State, County and other official notices
in tho U.-II., which do not appear in the
Phcenix, proves the glaring falsity of the
assertion that we are tho official organ of
tho State. It is true that many State of?
ficers bring their official publications to
tho public notice through tho medium of
our columns, but they are actuated solely
by a desire to give their advertisements
a wider circulation among the readers of
the State and elsewhere than can bo ob?
tained by their publication in other
journals we have seen announced as "the
official organ of the State, County and
city." Tho other statement, that the
Phcenix is tho official organ of this city,
embraces tho whole truth. In accord?
ance with the terms of an advertisement
for proposals to publish tho advertise?
ments and proceedings of the City Coun?
cil, we submitted the lowest bid, which
was accepted, and wo are now fulfilling
our contract with tho city at a fair price.
Aside from that, we are not the organ of
even the city authorities.
In reply to tho Intelligencer, wo would
state that we are an organ. An organ
of the public, in which all matters of
public interest receive attention, with an
eyo single to the welfare and prosperity
of tho State. If we do injustice to any
person or party, he or their representa?
tives are entitled to and do receive
access to this organ for replication.
We were tho organ of the public interest
when we advocated the election of Gov.
Chamberlain; and the other papers of
the State who were so much "annoyed"
by our position as to hurl maledictions
and denunciations at our devoted head,
have, since tho election of Gov. Cham?
berlain, been loudest in their praises,
and, in some instances, have even swal?
lowed their own bitter poison, concocted
for the destruction of others. We are
the organ of those who wish to purchase
a space in our columns, over their own
signature, to advance their material or
political affairs. In fine, wo arc the
organ of all parties and creeds, all trades
and professions, which furnish their
own music und pay for their publication,
without committing ourselves to singing
it for them, or even admiring the tune.
We publish a newspaper for tho benefit
of ourselves as well as the good of the
public, and have few regrets to express
for our course in the past.
The letters of C. P. Leslie may have
made their first appearance in the Puck
nix.?but they have been copied ,by so
called red-hot Democratic organs. Did
that commit them to the support or de
fenco of Leslie?
Tho letter of ex-Gov. Scott has been
copied and favorably commented upon
by nearly all tho other organs in this
State, and met an equally favorable re?
ception by the leading journals of other
States; but because it made its first ap?
pearance in the columns of tho Phcenix,
tho inquiry must be raised, "Is it an
organ of defunct ox-oiheials, who are
striving to regain power and plunder?"
If tho Phcknix is a criminal organ, we
feel proud in having such able and
numerous aiders and abettors. Surely
these second-hand organs did not con?
sider the gravity of their offence when
re-publishing a letter which made its
first appearanoo in these columns. It
seems that its original publication in
this organ should havo been enough to
damn it. To all tho papers which
copied ex-Gov. Scott's letter we extend
the inquiry of tho Intelligencer, - Is it an
organ?" Wo, however, shall continue
tho even tenor of our way, regardless of
inquiries or threats, and "Let our just
censures attend the true event."
We respectfully invite the Intelligencer
and all papers which copy letters making
their first appearance in the Phcknix, to
nttend the centennial of this organ in
1965, when they will perceive that it re?
quires no tuning, its notes being full,
and its music as fresh and lively as a |
hundred years ago. In the meantime,
our rates aro the same as usual?one
square, one insertion, ?1; each subse?
quent insertion, 50 cents; liberal dis?
counts to contract advertisers and letter |
writers.
Not Guilty.
Our Georgetown correspondent writes,
in another column, that C. C. Bowen has
been acquitted of the crime of murder- J
ing Col. W. P. White, on James' Island,
in 18G4. Our readers aro familiar with
the unnatural deed, from its inception
to its foul consummation, and it is,
therefore, needless to repeat any portion
of the details here. The verdict is not a
surprise, and the trial, no doubt, has had
the effect of increasing Bowen's hitherto
great popularity in the circle of hb
friends and admirers. There arc other I
charges, however, being given to the
world in tho Charleston News and Cou?
rier, from which we opino Mr. Bowen
will not so readily escape. He has a foe
in the paper referred to which will not |
cease in its expositions and damning
charges until justice has been done and
tho charge for prisoner's diet hns been
made by and for other parties.
To the Eurron Phcenix: Upon my re?
turn to Columbia, after an1 absence of aj
few days, I find in the Phcenix of tho
16th inst, a letter from W. B. Gulick,
Esq., in reply to tho few remarks made
by mo at Parker's Hall, in relation to the
administration "of city affairs, to which I
desire to submit a few words in reply,
inasmuch as Mr. Guliok seems to be
laboring under the impression that Gen.
Stolbrand's report and my former spoech
contained about all the points that can
be presented by the Com mil.
In my remarks at Parker's Hall,
confined myself almost exclusively to
the figures presented by tho report of |
tho Citizens Committee, and made no
effort whatever to group those figures to
Sether to make them mean anything elso
ut what they did mean, nor wero they
adroitly used to mystify or mislead the
public. I showed conclusively, I think,
to any fair-minded man, that a large
portion of the expenditures of the twe
Republican Councils were not of their
own creation, but were debts handed
down to them as a Democratic legacy
from their predecessors. But these I
points Mr. Gulick does not think of suf?
ficient importance to notice in his reply,
but satisfies himself with another display
of figures, arranged to suit his fancy,
and doubtless the fancy of all those who
build castles of figures, only to have
them knocked down with stubborn facts.
There can be no objection to any gentle?
man's fixing up the city debt in just
such figures as he likes best to see, but
there is objection to his including in
such indebtedness only such items as In
thinks ought to go there, and leaving out ]
all those which do not seem to suit his
purpose to include. Let me illustrate:
A person borrows $10,000 upon his noti
of hand, for one year, agreeing to paj
therefor interest at the rate of seven pc-i
cent. The year passes and the borrower j
fails to pay his interest as agreed. Now '
1 would like to ask how much that per?
son's indebtedness was at the end of the
year? Was it not the $10,000 he bor?
rowed with the interest included? To
an ordinary mind this would seem to be '
tho case, but Mr. Gulick thinks not, if I
we may draw our deductions from lib
last statement.*Mr. Gulick figures up the
city debt May 31, 1K70, as follows:
Five percent, bonds.-..$ 15,600 on'
Six per cent, bonds. 167,900 00
Seven percent, bonds. 161,450 00
Past due bonds. 30,250 00
Bills paysblc. 8,900 00
City currency outstanding. .. 16,20-1 10
Total.$399,324 10
j I desire to ask all those persons who
are honestly looking after light in the
matter of city finances, if they regard
the foregoing as a fair statement of the
case? Now it seems to me that a fairer
and more just statement is as follows:
Cilg Debt Mag 31, 1870.
I Bonds bearing interest at
five per cent. $15,500 00
j Bonds bearing interest at
six percent. loT.KOO 00
I Bonds bearing interest at
j seven per cent.,. 161,450 00
I Past due bonds. 30,250 00
j Seven years past due
j iuterst.$154,672
I Amount paid as per
report. 65,106
\ Due. 89,476 00
j City currency outstanding... 31,877 35
' Bills payable. 10,900 00
Total debt.$506,453 35
It will bo observed that the forogoint
statement differs "slightly" from that of
Mr. Gulick, in that it makes the actual
debt at that time $107,129.25 more than
his statement,-and yet I am confident
that this statement is several thousand
dollars less than the actual debt of the
city was at tho time mentioned above.
I appeal to the business men of Colum?
bia to scrutinize this table carefully, and
find, if they can, wherein anything is
mis-stated, or items included which do
not properly belong thero. No one will
deny that tho interest upon the then
outstanding city bonds had been but
partially paid fojr upwards of seven
years, and yet this unpaid interest is
carefully excluded from Mr. Gulick's
statement of the city debt, and for what
reason wo are left only to conjecture. '
City currency, too, forms an item of
considerable difference in tho two state?
ments. Mr. Gulick includes only $10,
201.10, while I include $31,877.55, for
tho reason that, during the first year of
Mayor Alexonder's administration, $11,
503.75 more of tbis currency was re?
deemed and destroyed than Mr. Gulick's
table shows was then outstanding, and
in tho two succeeding years upwards of
$4,000 more of this old currency was de?
stroyed; making a total of $31,877.35, in?
stead of $10,20-1.10, as stated by Mr.
Gulick. But, then, $15,000 is a "small"
amount, and perhaps we ought not to
go behind the records as kept by a
Democratic Council. Those records,
according to the committee's report,
show only $16,204.10 outstanding in
May 31, 1870, while the facts prove
clearly and conclusively that nearly
double that amount was redeemed and
destroyed during that same year by a
Republican Council. Now, I contend
that this latter amount of citv currency
formed a part of the city debt at that
time, whether the records show its ex?
istence or otherwise.
Now let us examine Mr. Gulick's se?
cond statement of the city debt, which
is as follows:
DM Movl, 31, 1872.
Five per cent, bonds.$ 15,50(1 00
Six per cent, bonds. 1(57.000 00
Seven percent, bonds. 161,450 00
Bills payable. 81,000 00
Total.$125,850 00
Bv comparing this with the last pre?
ceding table, it will be found that, in?
stead of the debt being increased at all,
it was really decreased by upwards of
$70,000?which decrease was brought
about in this way: The city currency,
to the amount of $31,877.35, was re?
deemed, and interest past due, to the
amount of $35,031, was paid; which two
items alone come within $4,000 of the
full amount of the decrease; and in ad?
dition to these amounts, "bills payable"
were paid?enough to more than make
up the difference. It will be observed,
upon scanning this last table, that it dif?
fers from the first in two items, viz: Past
duo bonds $30,250, and city currency
$10,204.10. Both these items disappear
from the second table, because both were
redeemed by the first Alexander Council.
And here I might just as well mention
tho Charlotte, Columbia and Augusta
Railroad stock, of which Mr. Gulick
treats in a subsequent paragraph. This
stock was sold to satisfy a judgment of
court for these identical "past due
bonds," which appear in Mr. Gulick's
first table. Not only were the bonds and
coupons paid, but interest upon the past
duo coupons also, or compound interest.
Because these bonds were paid by sale
of city property, I do not mention them
among the items which made up the de?
crease of the city debt.
Mr. Gulick desires "to eat his cake
and bake it, too," for he classes these
bonds as a debt against the city, and
finally proceeds to put the railroad stock
which paid the bonds in the same cate?
gory among city debts. In plainer terms,
he puts the assets of the eity among its
liabilities. There may bo no "cross en?
tries" in this instance of Mr. Gulick's
book-keeping, but it savors very strongly
of "double entry" upon only one side of
the. account.
This brings us down to the period
when the new city bonds were issued for
the purpose of constructing the City
Hall, new market, etc. It must be borne
in mind, that when these bonds were au?
thorized by the Legislature,a debt to the
amount of $75,000 had already been cre?
ated, by borrowing that sum from J. L.
Neaglc, Esq., for tin* purpose of con?
structing a new City Hall and market.
When the Council which had control of
these bonds came into power, it found
this debt outstanding, in the shape of
indes held by sundry persons. Upon
consulting eminent legal authority, it
was found that the Legislature intended,
when these bonds were issued, that the
proceeds should go to liquidate the debt
already contracted with Dr. Neagle, and
to this purpose they were applied. Upon
consulting Mr. Gulick's second table, it
will be found that "bills payable" are
put down at $81,000. These bills con?
sisted of three notes of $25,000 each to
Dr. Neagle, and one of $6,000 to one of
the city banks. The three former notes
wen- for money borrowed to build the
new City Hull and market, and sufficient
of the proceeds of the bonds were used
to pay them, and the balance applied to
the construction of the hall. Now let us
sum up the bond question, and see how
it stands:
Amount bonds sold.$213,750 00
From which was realized.. .$137,095
Paid Neagle, notes
and interest. S3,000
Paid on City Hid! and
market,less amount
paid from Neagle
money. 50,000
- 133,000 00
To be accounted for.$ 4,605 83
If the foregoing statement is not true
and correct, then let the committee
show wherein it is faulty. If the pay?
ment of the Neagle notes and interest on
the same, with the proceeds of the bonds,
was a "diversion" in the meaning of the
law, then the proceeds were "diverted"
to just that extent; nor can any gentle?
man show where they have been "divert?
ed" otherwise. I again repeat, that no
man is more responsible for the action
of the Council in this bond "diversion,"
if it bo one, and I hold that it is not,
than Mr Gulick. Bis mild disclaimer
will not suffice. My recollection is quite
vivid upon tIiis point, at least, for I re?
member distinctly that in many instances
tho President of the Carolina National
Bank was at fault in his explanation,
and Mr. Gulick was called in to make
the crooked paths straight. I am quite
free to admit that he did what he could
for tho interest of the bank which he
represented, and in obedience to the
wishes and instructions of tho Board of
Directors; but I am not yet willing to be?
lieve that he would do anything in an
official capacity, at the command of any
corporation or man, which Ik would not
have done in his own individual capacity,
and because he believed it to be right.
I will assume my share of the responsi?
bility, and shall never attempt to shirk
it by throwing it oil* upon any one else.
Others ahull do the same. I have no
fault to find with the action of the bunk,
for I still believe that action was just
and right; but I do find fault with the
effort now beine; made to throw the en?
tire responsibility for tho increase of
the city debt upon a Republican Coun?
cil, which simply took up the lines
where a Democratic Council laid them
down, and paid what it believed to be
honest debts, but some of which now
seem to have been little less than swin
It is true, that the city debt has been
increased by a large amount since 1870,
but it is us unfair as it is unjust to
throw all the blame for this increase
upon the Council which paid the debts
created by their predecessors. As well
hold an executor of an estate to an ac?
count for the payment of the debts
created by the deceased proprietor, as to
bold one Council guilty of increasing
the city debt by paying bills contracted
by its predecessors. All persons would
be glad to believe there was no partisan?
ship in this movement, and might have
done so, bad there been any attempt to
hold the Councils prior to 1870 respon?
sible for the mismanagement which cha?
racterized that period. Could the com?
mittee not discover something wrong in
?the issue of thousands of dollars more of
city currency than was allowed by law?
And was there no diversion of city funds
from 18GG to 1870?
I an: quite well aware that the rate of
taxation has been increased nearly double
what it was in 1870, but this was by no
option of the Councils, but was monda- I
tory and could not be escaped. The |
Legislature compelled the Council to
levy a special tax to pay the interest upon
the city debt, and that special tax has
been religiously applied to that ve?ry j
purpose, as the boohs show. Not only
was all the money realized from the spe?
cial tax paid for the purposes for which
it was levied, but hundreds of dollars in
addition, so that not a dollar of special
interest was ever used for any other pur?
pose; but, on the contrnry, more was
paid out each year than the levy pro?
duced, and where did it go? It went to
tho bondholders, those who purchased
bonds for about half price, but always
clamored for interest upon the par value
of the bonds. Hud the Council paid less
heed to the bondholders and expended
] the money received from taxes for the
improvement of the city, the new City
Hall would long since have been com?
pleted, the streets would be in much
better condition, the laborers would not
be without their pay for months, but the
bondholders would be several thousand
dollars poorer than they are to-day, but
no more clamorous. These are facts
which the working men, the mechanics
and men of small means, should ponder
upon. Nearly half the revenue from
taxes each year goes into tho pockets of
' the bondholders, the wealthy classes,
those who hold city bonds, but pay no
I taxes on them. These men never fail to
I push the city to the very verge in order
I to get their money. It matters not to
j them how many poor workmen go with
j out their scanty earnings for months so
that the city pay them their interest
i when dm-. They care nothing for im
| provements or anything else when it
! comes to wailing beyond the allotted
1 time for their interest money.
There has been waste, extravagance,
I mismanagement and other kindred evils
accompanying the administration of city
affairs, but it is by no means confined
to the nve years since 1870. We need a
K U r and more economical city govern?
ment than we have, oi'have had, but I
submit that tho proper way to secure it
I has not been suggested by the report of
the Citizens'Committee, with the subse?
quent action of the meeting at Irwins
Ball.
That this is a business transaction,
I no one will deny, when it is conducted
on business principles; but to abuse and
hold up to scorn the official who pays
the honest debts created by those who
went ahead of him, savors very much of
j political pnrsecution. It is just this and
' nothing less.
j I am glad to find that a discussion of
I this character can be carried on as this
has been in the public prints without re?
sort to abuse and villiucation. I make
I no doubt whatever that many men in?
terested in the investigation arc earnest
I jy seeking for the truth, without regard
j to who may be hurt, and it is to be re
: gretted that such is not the case with
i all. Open discussion can barm no one,
j so long as it is conducted within decent
limits. I believe my figures can be
fully substantiated by a thorough cx
Ianimation of the city books, and, be
I lieving this, and knowing that my ac
Ition, while a member of the Council,
; was based upon a desire to do every
' thing in my power to advance the into
1 rests of the citv, I am content to abide
I the result. L. CASS CARPENTER.
I Coll'mma, S. C, June 24, 1875.
The ca?el of Henry Seegar, indicted
for the murder of Miss Catharine Tucker,
in Anderson County, last summer,
which was transferred to Greenville, was
ended by a verdict of not guilty. The
prisoner owes his life to the excellent
management of his case by bis counsel
and the eloquence displayed by these
gentlemen. Upon the return of the
verdict, the Judge recommitted the pri?
soner, probably with a view of ensuring
his .safety.
Thero is even a happiness that makes
i the heart afraid.
dies.
Cine Items.?Tho weather confines
extremely warm.
Bunch and Hardec were lump in
Charleston, yesterday.
Verdict in the Boccher-Tilton case?
Up to the hour of going to press, tho
jury hud declined to furnish us with it.
A letter from L. Cass Carpenter, Esq.,
on city affairs, occupies considerable of
our limited space to-day.
Rev. Bishop Wightman, D. D., will
preach the commencement sermon of tho
Columbia Female College at the Wash?
ington Street M. E. Church to-morrow.
Somebody got their head punched by
somebody else, yesterday, but as the ?
wounded did not report at this office,
we considered it too warm to hunt him
up.
State Treasurer Curdozo gives notice
that the interest on the South Carolina
consolidation debt, due July 1, will bo
paid on that day in Charleston, Columbia
ami New York.
A light but refreshing shower of rain
fell here, yesterday afternoon. A good
rain would be of incalculable benefit to
the gardens in this vicinity, but excuse
us from any more tornadoes.
Mr. S. Younginer, of Lexington, has
placed a cotton stalk, raised from the
famous Dixon seed, on our desk. It has
a dozen or more blooms, which would
have been a good contribution to a bale
of cotton.
The editor and proprietor of tho
Phcenix is now in Gotham, to look up
the clerk of the weather, find the man
who has all the money locked up, who
lias caused this stagnation in business,
and attend to several other trivial mat?
ters.
Mr. Eugene Cramer, on behalf of the
Columbia Comedy Company, respectfully
returns thanks to the citizens generally
for the liberal patronage bestowed upon
their efforts on Wednesday evening last.
Also to Mr. LyBrnnd and the members
of his fine silver cornet band for their
gratuitous services upon that occasion.
A Noni-E Act.?On Thursday after?
noon, Dr. Gibbes had just stepped out
ot his buggy to speak to a person within
a gtdc on Senate street, leaving a small
boy to stand by the buggy, in which his
daughter, fourteen years old, was seated,
with her infant sister asleep in her lap.
While his back was turned, the horse,
although a gentle one, was suddenly
frightened by the abominable music of
some children, rattling upon tin pans,
thirty or forty yards behind him, and
ran up the hill South of t\\c State House
at full gallop, turned North into Assem?
bly Ktreet, one of the wheels grazing a
large tree, and continued at full speed
to the corner of Gervais street, wdiere,
fortunately, the powerful hands of Mr.
Matt. Hearne, by a fearless act of intre?
pidity, seizing the reins close to the bit.
arrested him, and in all probability
saved the lives of both children by risk?
ing his own. Words can but feebly ex?
press the feelings of the grateful parent.
Hotel AnniVALs, Juno 25. ? Mansion
7/om.vc-J. G. Lykes, H. D. Haunter,
Bichland:J. S. Bowers, Newberry;J. D.
Smith, J. Turner, Union; J. S. Cathcart,
Winusboro; J. W. Simkins, J. L. Black.
C. K. Morrison, S. C.; W. E. Peasdall,
Florence; W. L. Grier, Doko; F. H. Barn
hart, U. S. A.
lfondrix lfo>>se?B. S. Beckham. Low
ranceville; Be v. L. G. Barrett, wife and
child, lloston; Jas. H. Fowls, Orange
burg; B. E. Knight, J. T. Burks, S. 0.;
T. B. Campbell, Bichland; T. F. Wesson
and wife, N. Y.; T. A. Gilbert, Suinter;
B. J. W. English, Mayesville.
List of New Advertisements.
I John M. Long?For Sale.
1 Printing Press for Sale.
E. H. Heinitsh?Rose Cordial.
Ditson A Co.?Ne w Music.
W. B. Stanley?Refrigerators, Ac.
Organ for Sale.
Feuilleton Manufacturing Co. Stock.
Meeting Typographical Union.
C. F. Jackson--Bargain Counter.
Georgetown, S. C, June 22, 1875.
Mu. Editor: The case of the State vs.
C. C. Bowen, charged with being acces?
sory to the murder of Col. W. P. White
in 18(14, was called here to-day. Grimes
told the same old story of guilt on
Bowen's part, and in his narrative he was
sometimes very dramatic. Bowon was
calm and collected, as though tho terri?
ble charge under which ho was arraigned
did not exist. Some half dozen unscru?
pulous witnesses appeared for him from
Georgia, who literally swore poor Grimes
away. At 5.50 P. M. the case went to
the jury, and tho dense audienco of
blacks a'waited the result. When "not
guilty" was announced, tho hyenas
yelled, whooped and squalled as I never
heard them before. Bowen was caught
upon the shoulders of many of the ne?
groes and carried about town. Uproar
ous demonstrations continued until a
late hour to-night. Bowen is said to bo
proud of the demomUration made by tho
Idacks. He is wolcIUno to the honor.
Chamberlain is still pVmlar in the beBt
circles here. \ WINYAW.
The grand jury of Sparenburg County
have indicted the Solicitors!' tho Circuit,
Fleming, for drunkenness.\