The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-10-10
Our Standard Bearers.

take place ten days hence, the people o
South Carolina will owe to Judge Carpenter
and General Butler heavy debt Of graft
tude. With generous unselhshness only
too rare in political history, they consented
to become the champions Of the honest citi
zens OF the State Abandoning position
OF honorable ease, the candidates OF the Re
form party plunged into the thick of the
fight And from the day of their nomina
ton to this present moment, toiling inces
sanity and with unexampled zeal, they have
enjoyed no relief and sought no repose
Morn, noon and night they have labored un.
tiringly to rescue the State from an abyss Of
misfortune and shame, They have staked
personal honor, and public reputation, in a
contest in which the people have everything
to gain. and they have much to lose. Theirs
would be the pain and modification of defeat
while the people alone will reap the rich re-
wards OF victory.
When the Reform Convention assembled
in Columbia, Judge Carpenter was on the
high road to prefermenf, and had already
the respect and regard of the people. Re-
publican and comparative stranger though
he was, the whole State had confidence in
his judicial purity, no less than in his pro-
fessional ability. The dominant party re-
garded him as one whose conduct on the
bench did honor to their choice. A charge
Of official misconduct, investigated at his
own urgent request, gave the Senate OF the
State an opportunity Of expressing their ex
allied opinion OF his impartiality as judge,
and his worth as citizen. 1t was not ex-
pected that he should enter the political
arena The Scott Radicals were ready to
bestow upon him well nigh any office in their
gift, upon the single condition that he would
wink at rascality and be silent partner in
corruption. This he could not and would
not do, and before the Reform movement
was thought of, Judge Carpenter condemned
with honest Indignation the systematic nepo-
tism and fraud which, taking deep root in Co
lumbia, threatened to destroy the growing
wealth of the State. Judge Carpenter, as is
we'll known, made no effort to obtain the Re
form nomination. 1t was certain that the
opponeu. Of the Scott party would be over
whelmed with abuse, that his motives would
be questioned, that his personal and public
conduct would De impeached, that no stone
would be left unturned which could diminish
his influence or paralyze his strength. This
Judge Carpenter knew well enough, but,
when the Reform party demanded that he
should lead them against the common enc
my, he accepted the post OF danger, resign
ed his seat on the bench, and, without delay,
opened the political campaign. The Radi-
Gals opened fire all along the line. No word
OF reproach or bitterness was now too bad
for him whom, a few short weeks before,
they had surfeited with praise. They accus-
ed him of every crime short of murder. The
Radical stinkpols were inexhaustible. But
the public marked the pregnant fact that
there was no word of censure until Judge
Carpenter became the antagonist Of the Scott
party. and that, although affidavits might he
bought at ten dollars dozen, no proof was
ever given that the allegations @: bribery
and corruption had even shadow of foun-
dalton. Judge Carpenter, once and for all,
denied the truth OF the ingenious calumnies
| Vi Ills G'lDu'ttlli II 1uOoC lcpcilcu
stale story with wearying iteration, but OF
substantial proof they gave none. In the
meanwhile judge Carpenter swept through
the State, aruusing the people from their
listless dependency, and organizing wher-
ever he Went sturdy band of the soldiers oil
Reform. What he has accomplished is shown
in the public prints. In brief, he and Gene
raj Butler have made the people realize the
whole extent G; their danger, and that it is
in their power to. hurl down the barrier
which divides them from security, plenteous-
ness and peace.
Genera! Butler, gallant soldier and courte-
Gus gentleman that he is, has had his full
share o. cuniumely and Misrepresentation.
, The Radical rcyilers discovered blots even