The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1870-06-16

The annexed slgnlhcanC comneuts uPol 'ne
above political event are copied from the Phll-
adelphia Evening Telegraph, Republlcan pa
per-
Sufficient returns have been received from
the special election in the First Congressional
District of South Carolina to render the return
of the notorious Whittemore certain by deci-
ded majority. We need not recapitulate In de-
tail the story of shame. Worse than defaul-
ter in Massachusetts, before he donned the sa-
cred robes more than distrusted for dishonesty
as chaplain of a regiment; charged circumstan-
tally with defrauding the freedmen in various
ways; elected to Congress from district where
colored men Of the most Ignorant class largely
predominate; bartering his caGetships openly
and shamelessly in the market; and finally
fleeing the House to escape an almost unanl-
NOUS expulsion, he now returns to the same
House that drove him out as a moral leper, with
the broad seal of the State of South Carolina
attesting his right to represent the First Dis
trict of that Commonwealth in the popular
branch of our National Legislature.
In a few days he will again appear at the bar
of the House and ask to be sworn as member.
Will he be admitted? The nation, profoundly
sensitive respecting the half developed corrup-
ton which seems to pervade our supreme law
making power, will watch the action OF the
House with much solicitude The case is with
out precedent in our history. Members have
heretofore resigned under resolutions OF censure
and been returned and sworn unchallenged, but
in no instance, we believe, has member OF
Congress been expelled or compelled to resign,
TO escape expulsion for yenality, and subse-
onentlv returned to claim seat Mr.. Matte
son. of New York, was censured by strong
vote, some years ago. for alleged corruption and
then compelled to resign; but resolution OF
expulsion had failed to command the constltu-
tional majority in his case, and his legal right
to his seat was unquestioned. At the time OF
his resignation he had already been reelected
to the succeeding Congress, and when the new
term commenced he resumed his place. Inc
propriety of allowing him to serve without
some notice of the disgrace he had brought up
on the previous Congress was freely discussed
in the public journals, and was the subject OF
repeated consultations between some OF the
leading members of the House. But it is due to
Mr.. Matteson to say that he stoutly disputed all
the alterations of corruption, and claimed that
his explanations cleared him OF all moral tur-
pitude in the matter.
1t is clear that the House has the legal right
to protect itself from the presence OF any i'm
proper person. 1t is the sole judge of thequall-
fication of its own members, and it Is morally
bound to refuse admission to man who has
notoriously and corruptly abused his officia!
privileges and brought infamy upon himself
and the country. We submit, therefore, that
when Mr.. Whittemore's credentials are presen-
ted for readmission, it is the duty of the House
to reject him and declare the seat vacant be-
cause the proposed incumbent is utterly un-
worthy, and his admission would be blister
ing stain upon our national character.
Mr.. Whittemore's reelection is but part of
the grand scheme of a pack of the most un-
scrupulous adventures to maintain power IN
South Carolina. Of the four districts in that
State, two elected Republicans Whittemore
and Bowen; and the other two districts elected
Simpson and Reed, Democrats, by about 1000
each. Of the two Republicans, Mr.. White
more is sadly notorious, and the antecedents OF
his Republican colleague are anything else than
creditable. An adventurer and camp-follower
in the rebel army, and more than once arralgn-
ed for crime before the rebel military authorl,
ties he naturally cast his lot with the swarm OF
vampires who have fastened upon that State, IN
desecration of the name Of Republicanlsm, and
are eating out its vitals and making reconstruc-
tion term of reproach among all upright men.
In the two districts which gave very large Dem
ocratic maiorities the members elected were not
eligible, and the minority candidates have both
been sworn in in defiance of the popular will
expressed against them in unmistakable tones.
We need not say that the men, Messrs. Hoge
and Wallace who consent to sit IN Congress IN
contempt of the decision of the election re-
turns cannot merit any high measure OF popu-
lar respect.
But for the combinations of the corrupt State
au horities, Whittemore would not have had a
shadow of chance for reelection. But ne Is
neither better nor worse than the average OF his
fellow official plunderers, and they did not dare
to overthrow him. They would have done SO,
but Whittemore would have risen like the ghost
of "Banquo" to confuse them. Governor Scott
Is q candidate for reelection next fall, and he
dare not break link in the circle OF Swiss
mercenaries, who now control the State by ap-
peals to the passions and prejudices of the ig-
norant, and by the official patronage they COM
mand. They profess to purchase homes for the
homeless freedmen, issue the bonds of the State
to paw The lands, and then what they fail to
plumber directly from the State they plunder
from the negro The reelection of White
more is but the act of desperation of these men,
to perpetuatc their power, and our National
Legislature is presented with hypocrite and
renegade to save junta of petty thieves in
their uneasy and uncertain positions at home.
The Republican party must wash its hands
of these political abortions called State officials
in the reconstructed States, or it must cease to
rule in single commonwealth of the South.
When reconstruction began it was impossible
to place competent and honest men in power in
the Southern States but reconstruction IS set,
tied, and the Republican party must demand
ability and integrity in its representative men,
or it must die. II Whittemore shall be admit
ted, and thus the high sanction OF the keePubl-
can national administration be given to the po-
litical adventures who have blotted the history
of the constitution and now hangas mlll-stones
about the necks of the struggling States of the
south, they will all follow Virginia and Ten
nessee, and Republican power in the South will
have no future. Its history will be but a con-
tinued chapter of shame and misfortune, and it
will pass away speedily amidst the reocings of
all hoeest men. Already the Citizens party is
making headway in South Carolina, and en-