The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1870-06-15
Nutitifal, .. J.

-. : = - - -.
The Northern Radical Press on
Whittsnore,. =. :
AND THE CORRURT1oNisTs OF SO,
.oAfsOL1rx. ~ i;
The Work OF Reform Urged.
=. ,t5$ = so
In the leading Radical paper Of Phil
adelphia, the Eyenibg Telegraph, of
June 8, We 6nd the following strong and
significant leading editorial article:
THE RETURN OF wHIgTEMoRE.
Sufficient returns have been received
from the special election in the first
Congressional District of South Carolina
to render the return of the notorious
Whittemors certain by decided ma
jority. We need not recapitulate in de-
tail the story of his shame. Worse
than defaulter in Massachusetts,, be-
fore he donned the sacred robes; more
than distrusted for dishonesty as chap
lain Of regiment; charged circum-
stantially with defrauding the freedmen
in various ways; elected to Congress
from a district whore cc!ored men Of the
most ignorant class largely predominate;
bartering his cadebtships fopenly and
shamelessly in the market and finally
fleeing the House to escape an almost
unanimous expulsion, he now returns to
tho same House that drove him out as a
moral leper, with the broad seal Of the
State of South Carolina attesting his
right to represent the First District of
that Commonwealth in the popular
branch OF our National Legislature.
In few days he will again appear at
the bar of the House and ask to be sworn
as member. Will lie be admitted
The nation profoundly sensitive respect.
ing the half developed corruption which
seems to prevade our supreme law ma.
king power, will watch the action of the
House with much solicitude. The case
is without precedent in our history.
Members have heretofore resigned under
resolutions of censure and been returned
and sworn unchallenged, but in no in.
stance, we believe, has a member OF
Congress been expelled or compelled to
resign, to escape expulsion for venality,
and subsequently returned to claim a
seat. MIR. Matteson, Of New York, was
ccnsured by strong vote, some years
ago, for alleged corruption and then
compelled to resign; but resolution
ofexpulsion had failed to command the
constitutional majority of bis case, .and
his legal right to his seat was unques.
toned. At the time of his resignation
he had already been reelected to the
succeeding Congress, and when the new
term commenced he resumed his place.
The propriety of allowing him to serve
without some notice of the disgrace he
had brought upon the previous Congress
was freely discussed in the public jour
nails, and was the subject Of repeated
consultations between some oft lead
ing.members Of the House. But it is due
to Mr. Matteson to say that he stoutly
disputed all the allegations of corrup
tion, and claimed that his explanations
cleared him fall moral turpitude in thu
matter.
1t is clear that the House has the le-
gal right to protect itself from the pros.
ence of any improper person. 1t is the
sole judge of the qualification of its own
members, and it is morally bound to ro
fuse admission to man who has notori.
ously and corrNptly, abused his official
privileges and brought infamy upon
himself and the country. We submit,
therefore, that when Mr.. Whittemore's
credentials are presented for readmis
sion, it 10 the duty Of the House to re-
ject him and declare the seat vacsnt
because the proposed incumbent is ut
terly unworthy, and his admission would
be blistering stain upon our national
character.
Mr.. Whittemore's reelection is but
part Of the. grand scheme Of pack Of
the most uns~upulous adventures to
maintain power in South Carolina. OIL
the four districts in that State, two
elected Republicans s-Whittemore aud
Bowen; and the other two districts
elected Simpson and Reed, Democrats,
by about 1000 each. OF the two Re-
publicans, Mr.. Whittemore is sadly no>
torious, and the antecedents of his
Republican colleague are anything
else than creditable. An adventurer
and campfollower in the rebel army,
and more than once arraigned for crime |
before the rebel military authorities, he
naturally cast his lot with the swarm
OF vampires who have fastened upon
that State, in desocration of the name OF
kcpublicanism, and are eating out its
Vitals and making reconstruction term
OF reeproach among all upright men
10 the two districts which gave very
large Democratic majorities the members
elected were not eligible, and tie mi
nority candidates have both been swom
in in defiance of The popular will express
ed against them in unmistakable tones.
We need not say that tho men, Mcssrs.
Hoge and Wallace, who consent to sit
IN Congress in contempt Of the decision
OF the election returns cannot merit
any high measure Of popular respect.
But for tho combinations Of the cor
rupt State authorities, Whiuemore
would not have had shadow Of chance
ior re election. But ho is neither bot.