The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-10-09
Letter from Hon. II. b. Carpenter toiPre-
eident G.=.e.
CHERAw, s. O., September z, 1870.


sident Grant.
CHEnAw, s.. g., September z, 1870.
TO the President-DEAR SIR: Enclosed
please find published copy of correspon.
dence purportipg to have taken place
between your Excellenoy and D. H.
Chamberlain, Esq. Knowing your love
OF truth and justice, I feel confident that
your note was written under misappre-
hension of the facts, and without ac-
quaintance with the characters of the
men who arc now ruling South Carolina;
men |h: ere bringing iniamy upon the
party of which you are the honored
head and to which belong.
Two years ago, when Governor:Scott
went into Office, the people of this State
we're bankrupt; the planter had neither
stock nor agricultural implements, nor
even seed, and the laborer was without
food. The liabilities of the State were
S9. OOO, 600; they hare been increased more
than $40, 900, 600.
The executive officers and prominent
members of the Legislature we're all
poor, ana now, with one or two excep-
tions, they are rich; bribery has been
the ordinary inducement to make laws,
and open and shameless corruption has
stalked unrebuked through the State
Capital.
TO perpetuate this state OF things,
Governor Scott. in violation of the State
and national Constitutions, and of IN
Act to organize the militia, has raised on
army OF $4,000 colored men, quartered
them in the various Counties. armed
them at vast expense, and distributed
ammunition, as if on the eve of battle.
Under an Infamous law passed by the
last Assembly, the Governor has appoint
ed three Election Commissioners in each
County; they appoint the Managers of
Elections to receive the votes, tx the
places for voting and receive from the
Managers all the votes cast at the differ
ent places. count and destroy them; and
Meir certificate is the only proof of the
number of votes and for whom thew
were given; and they are aNo,ced ten, davs
to make their returns.
Governor Scott was applied to officially
by the Union Reform Executive Com
mlttee to appoint one of our party in
each County. He declined. OF the nine
ty-three appointed, twenty-four are
members of the present infamous Lepis-
lature; large majority of them are can
didates, and they are all, with insignifi-
can't exceptions, the corrupt tools Of the
present disgraceful administration.
The Convention that renominated Co.
vernon Scott was packed with his crea-
tnres, and where this process did not
succeed, the regular delegates were ex-
Guided and his friends admitted, as in
the case Of Senator Sawyer and his CO.
delegates from Charleston. The Chair
man of the Committee on Credentials
and Platform, the prime mover in these
outrages upon party organization and
usage, was tho Rev. B. +. Whittemore,
who having been ignominiously' rejected
oy Congress, found congenial spirits and
labor in the State Convention, and who
Is now candidate for the State Senate
from the County of Darlington. In
brief, the nomination was fraud upon
the party, as the administration had
been upon the people.
I have the honor to be the standard
bearer of the Union Reform Party: its
platform is the equality of oil men be-
lore the law, without regard to color or
previous condition. It is union of
good men against bad, of the honest
against the dishonest, and its object is
to reform the State -.sonly
this and nothing more"
have canvassed, in conjunction with
representative men, n large portion of
the State, and I have yet to hear from
any one on the stump or in private con
versation, any attack made upon your
administration or yourself. If this
movement bad been directed against the
Republican party, neither my name nor
influence would have given it the slight
est support. On the contrary, I have
everywhere announced myself member
OF the National Republican party. and
that had labored for your election, and
sustained your administration. A large
majority of our candidates for the Gene.
raj Assembly are Republicans; under the
circumstances, it is difficult to discover
how onr success would tend to give "the
control Of the State to the enemies of
the party which supported our armies
and maintained tho Union" Am
wrong in denouncing on the stump the
concealment of facts, and fraudulent
transactions by which your Excellency
was induced to write to Mr.. Chamber
lain. have the honor to remain. vonr
most obedient servant,