The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-07-21

AhLG6 LUZ I'VE W - IL O1t0A
minious identity. repeat, therefore, that If
any gentleman wishes to ask me any question,
I am here to answer 1t frankly and trnthfnlly.
AVoice. Tell us about the Phosphate bill.
Judge Carpenter. l am glad you have aaf-
forded me the opportunity Of doing 30. AS q
shareholder 7 was Interested In phosphate
COMPANY, about which much has been written;
but, understand me, did not sell my vote as
a LEGISLATOR to become shareholder. I did
not Initiate the example Of some of those who
have made these charges. was simply pri-
vate individual, and, using my privilege as
such, made an investment Of my means. It
was a right which belonged to me as much as
to any man in this audience. But when dis
covered that these interests would probably
become matters of litigation, occupying the
official position which did, as man of honor
felt In duty bound to dispose of those inter-
ests, and l accordingly disposed Of them; It
obtained for bona fide business interest, le-
ultimately acquired, Is no mans business but
nav own. moreover emphatically declare
that have never approached member OF the
Legislature and asked him to vote for the
Phosphate bill, or any other bill. The truth Is,
that an honest man could nave doDe very little
with the Legislature, and about that time
was personally anything but popular with the
members of the General Assembly.
A Voice. How about the Orangeburg case !?
Judue CARPENTER. I have simply to say that
decided that case as have every other, ac-
cording to the law; and 1t is not for this au-
dience to impugn the motives of O man who,
until he was nominated as o candidate for
that an honest, upright and 9 just judge might
not do In the performance ofthe sacred func-
tIons nj his Office. wish 1t to be understood
also that make this denial, not because the
charge came from source for which / feel
contempt, but because 1t originates with one
of the peOple-a sovereign whose opinion !. re-
spect and to whose integrity PIN my faith;
which crowned my official labors on retiring
from the bench of this circuit. For two years
I presided over the Office of registrar In bank
ruptcy, and subsequently, for two years, per-
formed the duties Of Judge. And when re-
signed the latter position, the Bar of Charles
ton, as astute, high-toned and discriminating q
body of gentlemen as can be found in America,
presided over by The Nestor OF the Bar ,i Of the q
State-ex-ChIef Justice Dunkin Officially de-
o;ared that I had proved faithful and an up
| riaht Judge. [Appause.l Idesire no higher
| commendation; and If the people OF South
Caroline choose to believe the ISLANDERS of such
Ring as exists in Columbia, with paid agent
| 70 REPRESENT their villihcations In Charleston,
let them do IL. (Great applause.
This Is not my fight. 1t Is not me they are
striking down; 1t is the people OF Sout9 Garo-
| lima against whom their oloWs are aimed. rms
contest Is not merely one OF men, but Of place
and power, It Is a contest, first, to enable ar
| Infamous Ring of plunderers to keep their I'LL
gotten gains; secondly, to enable them to re
tain their places, that they may continue e
| rob and pilfer the treasury and the people; and
| thirdly, Chat they may prevent the laws ffou
being executed, to the end that they may keeI
| their oarcasses ont OF the penltentRry. TIRE
! niendous cheering and some Interruptions ]
IIesire those men Immediately In front o.
me to understand that they MUS eltaer Keel
order or be put out of this meeting. am mo-
here to be bullied, and whatever the results
NAV be. I intend to speak and to be heard
(Great applause and cries of THAT'S so."l
Let lis for O moment examine the condition
| of South Carolina when General Scott assumed
the control of the State. A devastating val
had exhausted the resources OF as gallant
people as ever bore arms. For three years OF
more they struggled hard to obtain bread
with scarcely the means to gather their crops
and fatality attending all OF their exertl0ns
| Misfortune covered the impoverished STATE
ike nall. Under these circumstances wha
did Governor Scott do? Instead OF economic
| ing the resourcesp the State 30 that Its bur
dens should rest but lightly upon the people
yon will find. by the report of his own comp
trOller-general, that, without any good reason
whatever, he added to the then existlng
public debt of the State the enormous sum OF
eight million dollars. Where, fellow-citlzens,
did this money como from 1T came from the
laboring classes. It came from you, every
hour Of whose labor Is divided between the
support you owe your families and the WorK
YOU unconsciously perform for the puDllc.
Every ship that sails upon the ocean; every
railroad In the country; every ediffee that rears
its head In town or city; the property on Wnicn
the wealth of community Is embraced, Is,
more or less, the product OF human laoor.
And yet, these men who pretend 10 love Inc
colored man, to be the especial irlena o. OF tne M
white workingman, load the results Of bis In
dustry with debt Of So, 900, 900, and ask them
to sustain an administration that Is written
all over with inconsistency and extravagance.
honor the poor labortng man who works
day by day, in q hard struggle with fate, to
supply the wants of his family, and tell you,
my countrymen. that If Christianity Is not a
fable, the angels Of God look down with smlie
upon him who dedicates his services 10 MS
wife. who ia his queen, and to his children,
who are his subjects But desire to see that
poor man protected, and when body OF rapa'
cious officials use the power which clrcum.
stances have put in their hands TO Denent
themselyes at his cos, 1. for one, feel like
stepping to the front and using whatever poor
ability may possess, 10 the enu IuaI tHeIi
wrongs may be righted. And they may feel
they have ut least one champion who dares
speak thetruth. GApplause.]
Eight millions OF additional debt! That ls
the first count In the indictment
A Voice. Tell us more about the bribery
Judge Carpenter. Well, gentlemen, by the
charges of their own organ against me, II
those charges are to be believed, not an Inn
nortant bill passed the Legislature without
Bribery. The State Treasurer, with the con-
nivance of other State officers, went to New
York and pawned the bonds of South Carolina
to obtain the money with which to bribe the
General Assembly, and the State Treasurer
telegraphed back, under an assumed name, that
he had cot the funds. Who paid for oil that
The laborlng man.
TAI this point there was some interruption
as If the Ring feared the exposure which was
to follow.]
tn understand that order must be preserved;
and ifthey refuse to yield to reason, other
measures will be employed to enforce order.
I believe In free speech, and free speech am
hound to have; and, If 1t be necessary. / am
ready to test the question now and here.
TThe malcontents subsidized
30 much for the State Treasurer. Who re-
commended the passage of the Gold bill ?
Governor Scott. Who paid the Legislature
for its passage? Governor Scott. Who was
in the Ring that bought State bonds? Gov
ar,nr Scott Why9 10 benefit the State ?