GEORGIA. 



8. In the negotiation of $542,000 of bonds under tho 



act of 1878, to tuko up matured coupons on the Macon 



and Brunswick Kuilroud l>n.N, l>y which a premium 



M) was realized to the State, and all or this at 



un expense of $591.15. 



4. in tin- in-tf,ti:itii>n of tho $2,298,000 of bonds, 



uiiilrr tl .7, to take up the Macon and Bruns- 



.'ailroa.l |K.M.I>, lit pur, ut an expense of $665.45. 



6. In tho detorminiition, so successfully executed, 

 to pay no commissions for the sale of State bonds. _ 



6. In tho economical management of the question 

 Hinge on New York, making the banks sell to 

 him upon nearly every occasion at par. 



The excellent management of the Treasurer in the 

 negotiation of bonds can bo scon at a glance, by com- 

 paring it with tho expense of disposing of the $1,200- 

 000 of the Nutting oonds, which cost the State in 

 commissions, etc., $8,000. The present Treasurer 

 itod $2,840,000 at an expense to the State of 

 $1,256.65. 



I am well aware of the fact that public sentiment is 

 against the reception of any intercut, fees, or perqui- 

 sites by officers beyond their salaries, and this Legis- 

 lature is taking such measures as will prevent such 

 action in the future. But whatever suins the Trea- 

 surer has received came into his hands before Novem- 

 ber, 1878. It is manifest that the State suffered no 

 injury. Her credit is perfect; her securities rank 

 with the best in every market ; her Treasury is in 

 easy condition- her taxes are lower; and no effort 

 has been spared by the Treasurer to bring about these 

 advantageous results. 



While the resolution to impeach was pend- 

 ing in the House, the Treasurer sent to that 

 body a communication in which he tendered 

 all the fees he had received, and also append- 

 ed his resignation of the office, addressed to the 

 Governor. It was now urged against the reso- 

 lution to impeach, that the effect of impeach- 

 ment was to vacate the office and disqualify 

 the incumbent for the future. But a resigna- 

 tion had been made, and a tender of the fees ; 

 why, therefore, incur the expense of impeach- 

 ment merely to disqualify the incumbent? It 

 was further urged that the House should ex- 

 press its unqualified condemnation of the acts 

 of the Treasurer, accept the resignation and 

 tender, and instruct the Governor to proceed 

 against him for all moneys improperly used. 

 This last proposition received yeas 43, nays 

 109. The vote was then taken on the resolu- 

 tion to impeach, and it was adopted yeas 126, 

 nays 13. 



Six articles containing specific charges against 

 the Treasurer were brought forward by the 

 House, and they were tried before the Senate. 

 The first article of tho list, and reply of the 

 Treasurer, were as follows : 



ARTICLE 1. That on July 8, 1878, respondent re- 

 ceived through the hands of V. R. Tommev, from the 

 Georgia Banking and Trust Company of Atlanta, tho 

 sum of $250, and did appropriate tho same to his own 

 use ; the inducement for the payment of this sum by 

 the bank to the sureties upon respondent's official 

 bond being the deposit of funds ot the State in that 

 bank. But the respondent denies that in receiving 

 this money ho acted corruptly, or was unmindful of 

 the duties of his office or of his oath of office, or knew 

 that such receipt was contrary to the laws or the Con- 

 stitution of the State, and now pleads not guilty of tho 

 charge of high misdemeanor contained in the same. 



The vote of the Court on this article was, 

 on the question of guilty, yeas 25, nays 17. A 



two-thirds vote being required for conviction, 

 he wan declared " Not guilty." The second and 

 third articles contained similar charges with 

 the first, and the result of the vote was the 

 same. The fourth article contained the charge 

 of corruptly collecting fees to the amount of 

 $247 to which he was not legally entitled, for 

 signing the coupons attached to the bonds of 

 the Northeastern Railroad Company. On the 

 question of guilty, the vote was, yeas 24, nays 

 18. On article five, the vote on the question 

 of guilty was, yeas 7, nays 85. On article six 

 the vote was, yeas 18, nays 24. So the Trea- 

 surer was acquitted of the respective charges 

 as contained in the several articles. 



On the same day on which the verdict of 

 acquittal was given, the Legislature passed a 

 resolution instructing Governor Colquitt to is- 

 sue a fi. fa. against Treasurer Renfroe and his 

 sureties for the amount of interest taken by 

 him for the use of the public funds, and for the 

 fines and forfeitures that had accrued under the 

 law by his course. The resolution requested 

 the Governor to do this as he " is authorized 

 and required by law." The process indicated 

 was that laid down in the act of 1876, in which 

 it is provided that if the Treasurer misapplies 

 any funds in his hands, etc., the Governor need 

 not proceed against him and his sureties by 

 regular process of suit, but executions shall be 

 issued against him and his sureties, and they 

 shall have no more defense against these fi. 

 fas. than is allowed to tax-collectors when the 

 fi. fas. of the Comptroller-General are issued 

 against them. This means that there is no 

 defense at all. The^/f. fas. were issued for over 

 $26,000, but resistance was anticipated on the 

 part of the defendant. This is as far as the 

 matter had proceeded at the end of the year. 



The committee of nine appointed by the 

 House to investigate the office of the principal 

 keeper of the penitentiary of the State pre- 

 sented three reports, two of which were signed 

 by four members of the committee and one by 

 one member. The first report declared that 

 the keeper had " grossly abused the authority 

 and powers of his office by prostituting the 

 same for his private gain." The second report 

 states that, having discovered what they believe 

 to be the true state of affairs, the undersigned 

 "suggest that the principal keeper is guilty of 

 nothing more than following a reprehensible 

 precedent, and we conclude with expressing 

 the opinion that, beyond censuring such con- 

 duct, further action is unnecessary." The third 

 report concluded with recommending the adop- 

 tion of the following resolution : 



Jtetolred, That the testimony taken by the special 

 committee of nine, appointed by tho Speaker, on tho 

 office of the principal keeper of the penitentiary, bo 

 certified as correct, and by the chairman of the com- 

 mittee kid before his Excellency the Governor ; and 

 that his Excellency the Governor be, and is hereby, 

 requested to take such action in tho matter as tho facts . 

 therein justify. 



The charge that the keeper used his office to 

 oppress the lessees of the convicts led to the 



