The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-05-30
AN HONEST RADICAL.
IMPORTANT LETTER FROM THE
Hoy. z. 0DELL DUNCAN.
WHAT HE THINKS OF THE POLITICAL CON-
DITION OF THE STATE.
He Arraigns Scott and the Ring.
"WINCRESTER RIFLE Law"
MIR. DUNCAN HEARTILY SUPPORTS
THE REFORM MOVEMENT.

nix. OUNCAN
THE REFORM MOVEMENT.
The following interesting and pregnant let
ter is addressed by the Hon. B. Odell Duncan
the United States Consul at Naples, to Re-
pxblcau citizen OF Charleston. 1t is proper to
say that Mr.. Duncan, native Of Newberry
District in this State, is well known in and out
of the Republican party as a gentleman of cul-
t,lre and unimpeachable integrity. The high
estimation in which he was held was, we may
say, the cause of his appointment BY President
Grant to the important position which he now
holds:
NAPLES, April %, 1870.
My Dear Sir-It was certainly not my in
tention to have delayed writing to you so long.
ing the winter, as to be compelled to neglect
many friends and much writing that intend
ed to have done before now. The position
hold has not been sinecure thus far, but on
the contrary, much labor and poor pay.
Isee, however, the political contest is be-
ginning to grow warm in South Carolina, and,
as good Carolinian, I feel most deeply IN
terested in the result. A desire to exchange
ideas with my political as well as person
al friends in whom 1 have confidence, pre-
vents me from longer silence with you. have
followed with great interest, and as carefully as
possible at this great distance, the course Of
events in our State. The result has generally
been disappointment and grief. Now and
then could see ray Of hope, when an up.
right and able Judge was put on the bench, or
when those swindling railroad schemes were
our Legislature, and of the Legislation
fps- Columbia during the winter has
certainly not been such as to inspire
one with confidence in the wisdom, pa
triotism, or, even ordinary honesty OF those
at present controlling the State government
and the Radical" party In South Carolina
Their action has been such that I do not see
what reason any class of our people can have
for sustaining them. Every property-owner,
ofcourse, has most just reason for complaint
of the heavy expenditures and consequently
high taxes, unless he be in some way connect
ed with the government SO as TO regain cor
ruptly more than he has to pay. Our good
Governor, for instance, and some of the other
State officials, will not complain of their taxes
while they have such control of the Legisla-
ture as to be able to make or unmake the
market for State or railroad bonds at pleasure,
and thus gain many times over the amount of
their taxes. At time when it should have been
the prime object of any party to reduce the
expenses of the government to the very low
est figures possible, our Radical" friends have
made them far above what they were at any
former period, when the State was in most
prosperous condition, and our legislators most
nnreasonably lavish. Nor do see that any
thing has been done to alleviate the condition
Of our laboring classes. Our legislators seem
to have been tooignorant to know that when
the Industry and prosperity of a country is dis
turbed, it is always the poorer classes who
suffer most. Their action has generally been
such as to prevent a return to state of peace
and quiet, and to foment the bitter feelings
hitherto existing. This course may prove
beneficial to certain corrupt demagogue politi-
clans, who can hope to remain above the sur
face only in times Of excitement, but 1t will
certainly prove most calamitous to our poorer
classes, whom they pretend specially to repre-
sent. -
When some of US united with the newly
formed Republican party in South Carolina, it
Was because we were convinced that bothjus-
tice and good policy required the. civil and po-
litcal equality of all classes. Justice required
1t, to enable the colored people to defend their
rights at the ballotbox. Good policy required
1t, to put an end to the conflict with the Ma
tionalsGovernment This idea of civil and po-
itical equality was, and is still, the fundamen:
tai principle of the Republican party, and is as
fully endorsed by me to-day as when I first
united with the party in South Carolina But
while have seen no reason to change my
views on this fundamental principle, admit
that have been at least more wildly i'm
pressed at the. facility with which corrupt, ig |
norant, self.seeking adventurers can control a |
mass Of ignorant voters unaccustomed to po-
lltical life.
No one can regret more sincerely than do
that the Republican party and the State Gov
ernment have fallen into such hands as they
have. No one can regret more than do the
frequent violations Of law by our executive
officers while pretending to defend the law.
No one could be more shocked than was at
heaHng Of our Chief Magistrate publicly pro-
claiming Winchester rifles the best law for
great commonwealth. And no one would
more heartily unite with any honest effort to
rescue both our party and our State Govern
ment from the clutches Of those who now con-
troll them.
am very well aware that in SO doing I
should be violently assailed for desertior OF
party. But while admit the necessity Of par.
ties in free governments, do not admit that
my first allegiance is due to any party 1t
should be the prime duty of any government
or any party to promote the general welfare of
the people. And whenever a party or govern
ment becomes too corrupt, or from other
causes fails to do this, it is high time that good
citizens should unite to substitute something
better. The Radical party in South Carolina
has clearly shown that, with its present orgsni-
zation and leaders, it does not govern for the
good of the people and the general prosperity
of the State Then it should be abandoned or