The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-11-22
Card from General Gordon.

Base and malignant envy turneth pale
And sickcns; even If friend prevail,
And merit and success plrSue5 Win naJe,
And damns the worth II cannot initiate.
The attacks OF Northern companies and journals
rpon the Pioneer Life Insurance Company OF the
South, arc so persistent and virulent as to leave
no doubt with every fair-minded man OF the base
motives which prompt them.
As might have been predicted, the Southern
Life was assailed as soon as its success became
assurcd-as soon as lis assets became so lorml-
dabe as TO challenge the confidence OF the people,
aud It's immense business began to check tie
drain Of money from our section. Success cllclted
what the want OF 1t never woud-tRc howl Of al
most the entire pack-'.littc dogs and all-Tray,
Blanche and Sweetheart" but thanks to its enc
mics. the very absurdity and grossness OF their
false representations have quadrupled its business.
The Times, OF New York, opened with an article
of sixteen lines, which were shown TO contain
twelve falschoods.
1t followed with pueriic attack upon the
honesty OF the officers OF this company, and the
capacity of the Southern people.
1t now publishes al article from the OCTOBER
number Of the Baltimore Underwater, which, for
the credit of that paper, am sorry to say, con-
tains to speak in English, no less than eight
lies. And they are so palpabe as TO be positively
laughabe.
Tie article says the Southern Life is "emulous
Of the recklcssness of the Albert OF London"
and jlstines this assumption by the assertion that
the officers of this department are selected Ito
act as military ngure-heads, and enjoy high sala-
riesn &c: that General Gordon's salary Is $1,000,
General Hills salary $4,000, Colonel Aston's $500
pcr month, and some OF the sub-agentS $4,000 per
annum.
Suppose these to be facts. Suppose the South
ern Life pays a president $1,000, and secretary
$4,000, Is it therefore more reckless than the much
lauded Northern companies, sene OF Which, by
their own reports, pay salaries to the amount OF
$40 OOo others to the amount OF $4,000, and even
as high as sl92, 900 per annun. Suppose the
Southern Life has half dozen officers ON sala-
ries from $4,000 to $1,000, it would still not ap-
proach the sum expended by the Northern cOmpa-
nies for salaries But suppose uleSe assertions 0e
6llSe What then Inu2t be the opinion entertained
by an honest public OF sheets That would publish
them as facts, or OF agents VINO would circulate
them IL such:
| assert and hold myself responsible to an in
interested public for the truth OF the assertion,
that the representations OF these Journals are
false -,cholly JitlSe-in part and particular.
1t ia not pleasant to discuss ones private af-
fairs through the press; but my duty to the
people, who are interested in knowing, compels
me to say that General Gordon's salary Is not
$1,000, but that his pay and that OF his secretary
is commission on the amount OF business done
by their office and their efforts; and that commits
sion is less by 10 to 20 per cent than Is paid by
Northern companies to the general agents. Deny
this who will.
1t is painful to thus convict men OF wilful false
hood; but duty to this company and its insured
c0mpels me to continue.
As to General Hills $4,000, have to say, no such
person is connected with this company. II refer
ence is made to Hon. B. II. Hill, one of the vice
presidents, reply that he is stocsholder and an
efficient aid to the company but receives not one
dollar of salary. How painful this exposure
Again So far from our suo-agents having sala'