The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-08-22
Mass Meeting In Chester
[rRoM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT
CHESTER CoCRTHoUsE, Angus


CHESTER COURTHOUSE, August 10.
Our party lett Winnsboro' yesterday morn
Ing, and two hours later reached this place.
where we were received BY committee, at
the head of whom was Mayor A. H. DavegaI
(brother Of Dr.. Davega Of Charleston,) and
by them were quartered at the Nicholson
Hotel.
Previous to our arrival some ofthe Radicals,
headed by Senator Lucius Wimbush, request
ed that some OF the Radical speakers should
be permitted to speak at the same time with
the Reform speakers. Wimbush is peculiarly
obnoxious to all good and law-abiding citizens
Of this county. He is the one who, In speech
in Washington, at labor convention, boasted
that he had regiment of colored men at his
back to put down the white people. All Of the
disturbances which have occurred In this
county were attributable to him directly, or
through his pernicious teachings to the color
ed people. with whom he Is very popular. He
hates Willie man, and teaches his adherents
to do the same. However, the gentlemen in
terested in the Reform meeting consented to
treat with him. Messrs. Geo. w. Melton, s. P.
Hamilton and Giles j. Patterson were appoint
ed committee from the Union Reform party,
to meet l.. Wimbush. John Lilley, John Scott,
the Republican party, and, II possible, to draw
up plan for the speaking, which was agreed
to.
The result of the public speaking is an other
evidence OF what little trust Is to be placed in
even the solemn agreements OF the Radicals.
But to
TIE MEETING.
1t was held in Mrs. Woods grove, about
three hundred yards from the depot. Assem-
bled In the grove were fully five thousand peo-
pe, of whom three-f0urths were col0red. The
sneakers announced for the occasion were
Judge Carpenter. General Butler, Rev. Jonas
Byrd and Mr.. John Lee on the side of the
Union Reform party, and Attorney-General
Chamberlain. Reuben Tomlinsbn, State au-
ditor. and Ptlrvis, colored. member from Lex
ington County. for the Radical party.
the speakers. In opening the meeting. he
read the agreement (already published) be-
tween the two parties relative 10 the speaking,
and urged both parties to respect it. That II
ANYTHING was said which was distasteful to
any one. let him be silent. He begged all who
were in favor of free speech to unite with the
police in preserving order. IA police force,
thirty strong, fifteen whites and fifteen blacks,
had been organized to preserve order during
the meeting, and were PRESENT. The Char
lotte brass band were in attendance.
REMARKS OF JONAS BYRD.
After referring to the organization of the
Union Reform movement and impressinS its
PRINCIPLES upon his hearers Rev. Mr. Byrd as
serted that the Scott Ring said that the Re
form party was Democratic scheme ID dis
cuise and stood upon Republican platform,
and told the colored people that they were 10
be put back into slavery. all Of which was
false. He knew that the colOred people were
not the fools the Radical adventures said they
were, and he knew that they would not swal-
low all of the lying pills given them by the
Radicals. The Radical party, said he, has not
fulfilled single promise made TO the colored
people, and charge that those oil the party ia
South Carolina, especially the members OF tue
Legislature, to be the most corrupt set OF men
ever permitted TO curse a people; the General
Assembly was turned into gambling saloon,
and the votes of its members were freely
bought and sold.
THE ATToRHEY-GENERAL
followed Rev. Mr.. Byrd, and spoke over an
hour, In the main conining his remarks to
defence Of the administration relative to the
financial condition of the State. In this con-
nection he read extracts from the Comptrol-
ler's report for the year 1859, and asserted tnat
the expenditures for that year were $50. iooV;
in the wear 1sGe. 81, 500. 900. out OF which there
should be deducted S500.0 900 tor payment OF IN
teresr on the State debt, only one-haf OF Whlcn
was charreable to Scott's administration. III
1859 the tax was paid in gold and therefore
there should be deducIed from that of 1865
thirty per cent of 1851, 900. which would leave
as the actual tax OF 1869 1898, 900. The current
expenses Of 1850. said he, were s549,25l o.; OF
1859. 81, ,l03.372: this last amount was reduced
as above shown to sGl7.67s "a. Two dollars
and two cents were necessary in 1860 TO govern
each free white man in the State; In 1869,
eighty-nine cents per head is the cost
TIE STATE DEBT AS SEEN THROUGH SCOTS
SfECTACLES.
At this stage Of the proceedings the Attor-
ney General concluded to show up the SIate
debt. which he said was, In 1869, q, lSa.54S:
from which was to be deducted the DonGs
passed for the funding of the bills Oh llle 'anh
of the State, amounting to Sl'Z'0,VOo. ine
land commission bonds, which amounted 10
500. 600. were chargeable TO the Scott admin
istration: but the bonds sl,0O0, ,O0O) Tor tile re-
lief of Ihe Treasury. could not be considered
morr nj the pubic debt, as they were issued as
rrnIla,nr,is iIpon which to borrow money for
the treasury. and could be paid by the incom-
inr taxes. Ii was simply transparent dodge
to faik ABOUT the Blue Ridge Railroad bonds:
If was a trick of which he did not complain:
they were not part of the public debt, as
every one knew that an endorsement was not
debt II these bonds We're TO be added TO
the State debt, Of course the bonds issued to
other railroads must also he added. About
this point Mr.. Chamberlain had worked him
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