The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1870-03-04
WHITTEMORE, THE SOUTH
CAROLINA CARPET BAGG-
Err, AND THE SALE OF CA
DETSHIPS.

OOutu ShTOllnh mem OcT, u Oarpel
Dagger, originally from Massachu>
sets, having been convicted of this
offense, sent in his resignation, by
telegraph, TO the Governor ofSouth
Carolina, on the 23,l ultimo, as q
member of the Federal House oil
Representatives, which was imme-
dlately accepted, and saved hlmseli
from being formally expelled. He
was, however, after his resignation,
made the subject of the following
resolution, which passed the House
unanimously
Resolved, That B. F. Whittcmore.
late member from the First District
of South Carolina, did mako ap-
pointments to the Military Acade-
my at West Point, and to the Nav
al Academy at Annapolis, in viola
ton of the law, and that such APP
pointments were Influenced by PEI
euniary considerations, and that
his conduct in the premises has
been such as to show him 10 DO un-
worthy ola seat, in the House OF
Representatives, and, therefore, is
condemned as conduct unworthy a
representative OF the people.
"Mack," in Washington letter OF
the 22d ult., before Whittemore's
resignation, says:
Writing nearly n year ago from
Washington, I charged the sale Of
cadetships, among other corrupt
practices, upon the carpet-bag
members of Congress. I said then,
as l have said since, that these men
came here to make money-that
they ere a set of political advent
urers, with no character or rePuta-
ton either to lose or I o sustain, and
that one Of the worst evils OF Con-
gressional reconstruction was the
creation Of constituencies which
had neither virtue nor intelligence
enough 10 hold their representa-
tives to that degree of responsibili>
ty which alone car keep the halls
of legislation from being converted
into hucksters' stalls for the sale of
votes and influence. For all this /
was denounced as a slanderer, and
one super-eminently loyal journal,
Published down among the darkies
in South Carolina, suggested that
the only way to atop my "Vlle IL
bells" was to call me to personal
account" As if any of the cow
ardly, sneaking, sheep-stealing crew
who constitute the carpet-bag bri g.
gade would call any body to pers :
onal account. l called n ofthem
a scoundrel by name a couple of
weeks ago, and a few days after my
letter came back I really did hear
that he had been inquIring for my
name and residence, as if with hos
tile intent. 1t was a great relief to
learn, however, as I soon did, that
he had no more desperate purpose
in view than to frame a resolution
for my denunsiation II the House
of Representatives. He never Off
cred it, afraid, DC doubt, TO trust
the verdict of the House on the
question as to whether he was or
was not a scoundrel. Well, 1t so
happens that the very man whose
"home organ" denounced me as a
libeler a year ago for charging him
and his carpet bag associates with
the sale of cadetships, IS arraIgned
before the House of Representatives
to-day for that very crime, and
stands as good a chance of expul-
sion as any man ever stood. And
from all parts of the country comes
a chorus of Republican journals de-
mannd.ng that all example be made
of hrm-that the House purify IT.
self by his speedy punishment, etc.
Just SO. But why are these very
journals always the first 10 rush in
and denounce the editor or CORES
pendent who makes the original
charge, and calls public attention 10
the subject: and but for whose per-
sIstent assertions there never would
have been any investigation at all
1t Is very manifest tina. unless there
is an Investigation there can be no
chance for Furnishing any body
and what Republican newspaper
has ever been honest enough to ad.
nit any ground for accusation a.
gainst its partisans in Congress, or
to say one word against them until
their guilt had been officially estab-
lIshed 2
Nh. wHITTEMoRE,
The South Carolina carpet-bagger
whom the House has arraigned for
corruption In this matter, is a Mas
sachusetts Importation. He went
South during the war as chaplain to
one of the negro regiments with
which, according to the promise Of
Governor Andrew, the highways
and byways of Massachusetts, were
to swarm after the Issue of the en-
ancIpation proclamation. Except
that His ExceIIency didn't say any