wealth-the same old State, with a proud record of nearly one hundred years! To-day she proudly leans on that hero-patriot, her own offspring, who has so gloriously "fought the good fight."

She smiles upon all her battle-scarred sons, who proudly love her with all the devotion of “ Auld Lang Syne."

And she clasps to her bosom her rejoicing daughters, who had watched around her couch of suffering with such undying faith, and had scornfully resented all intrusion on the part of her heartless oppressors.

To the world, she once more proudly holds forth her time-honored escutcheon-re-baptized with the blood of some of her bravest and best.

"Animis opibusque parati."
'Dum spiro, spero."

APPENDIX.

To render this faint outline of Reconstruction in South Carolina more distinct, and to show more fully the facts, now clearly established, which have formed the basis of some important statements in the foregoing pages, it is the purpose of the author to cull freely from official investigations already published by legislative authority. A "Joint Investigating Committee on Public Frauds," was appointed by the Senate and House of Representatives, and their labors, protracted through many months in 1877-'78, resulted in the compilation of a formidable "Legislative Document" of 937 pages, a parallel to which can only be imagined in the lost records of Sodom and Gomorrah. As life is too short for every one to read everything, the size of the volume will, doubtless, deter many who are desirous of information; and a condensed statement of the most important topics may be very acceptable to these, and its greatly diminished proportions may attract the attention of the general reader.

The Committee give, very clearly, the beginnings of these frauds, and the facilis descensus is strikingly illustrated under the first head of

SUPPLIES.

Here, the legitimate expenses for stationery, postage stamps, etc., would be some ten dollars for each member for the session. But these improvised statesmen needed other help; and, among the first, are

found, for each member, one Webster's unabridged dictionary, one calendar inkstand ($25), one gold pen ($10), and the privilege of using the Western Union Telegraph at the expense of the State. (The various railroad companies had already granted them free passes, for purposes of their own). Even these comparatively moderate indulgences would swell these accounts out of all proportion, and it was desirable to cover them from the too eager gaze of the taxpayer. It became necessary, therefore, to manipulate the Committee on Contingent Accounts; and, where all were equally implicated, this was easily effected. After their report on some honest claims, would follow the ominous words, "and others," or, "sundries and others," which would cover any amount of fraud. The Clerks of both Houses testified that bills for refreshments for committee rooms, groceries, clocks, horses and carriages, dry goods, furniture of every description, and miscellaneous articles of merchandise, were freely passed in this way. The contest was, which member should appropriate the most to his individual benefit. No wonder that the Committee would find, in the Treasurer's office, vouchers to show that, in a single session, three hundred and fifty thousand dollars were expended under the head of "supplies, sundries, and incidental expenses." Before the war, the whole State Government did not cost four hundred thousand dollars, all told.

(Page 8). Of this $350,000, $125,000 was expended for "refreshments," including the finest wines, liquors and cigars. In fact, this Committee on Contingen

cies had one of the largest committee rooms fitted up as a first-class restaurant, open from 8 o'clock, A. M., till 2 o'clock, A. M. of the following day, Sundays included. To all members, whether Radicals or. Democrats, these refreshments were as free as the air they breathed; and the wonder is, that $125,000 could satisfy these hungering and thirsting statesmen for a whole session, particularly as they had the privilege of inviting State officials, judges, editors, reporters, and citizens generally.

The next highest item under the head of "supplies" is "furniture," and the Committee report (page 14) that not less than $200,000 had been paid out in four years, on this account alone. Dealers in Columbia testified to furnishing every committee room in the State House, and in the city, besides forty bed-rooms, every session. It was thus shown that these articles were taken home, on adjournment, as perquisites of the members. These dealers estimate that all the furniture in the State House, and in all the public offices, would not exceed, at original cost, $17,715; thus leaving $182,285 in four years, or more than $45,000 per annum, unaccounted for. Was it to be wondered at, that members who received $6 per diem, could yet afford elegant furniture for their rooms, Brussels carpets for their floors, and to recline on oriental spring and sponge mattresses-and all these to be renewed each successive session?

To show how readily a taste for luxuries can be cultivated at the expense of principle, the committee give the following contract:

1869-'70.—$5 clocks, 40 cent spittoons, $4 benches, straw beds, $1 chairs, $4 pine tables, 25-cent hat-pegs, $8 desks, $10 office desks, 50-cent coat-hooks, $4 looking-glasses, $2 window-curtains, $5 cornices, clay pipes, cheap whiskey.

1871-'72.—$600 clocks, $8 cuspadors, $200 crimson plush sofas, sponge mattresses and oriental pillows, $60 crimson plush gothic chairs, $80 library tables, $30 hat-racks, $50 desks, $80 to $175 office desks, $100 wardrobes, $600 mirrors, $600 brocaded curtains, lambrequins, etc., $80 walnut and gilt cornices, finest Havana cigars, champagne. (Page 24).

Rents, jewelry and stationery are the remaining items under this head of "supplies," but we will spare the reader the sickening details, simply remarking that the rents would, each year, have more than bought the fee-simple of the property rented; that the jewelry was enough to have decked the wives. of certain sable statesmen like her of "Bambury Cross," even if her rings and bells had been pure gold; and the $68,000 per session for stationery would have abundantly supplied all the un-reconstructed States, for more than a year, in those literary necessities.

A place on this Committee on Contingencies was eagerly sought after, as it was a very sure bonanza.

They required all the bills to be itemized, but not added up; as they had their own rule for “addition, division, and silence." To these items they would prefix figures, whether tens, hundreds, or thousands ; the value of the figure, as well as the number of prefixes, depending on the exigences of the occasion.