The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1870-06-09
AN HONEST RADICAL.
Important Letter from the Hon.
d, Odell Duncan.
~RAr aE THINKS or THE POLITICAL
CONDITION OF THE srATE.
'IIE ARRAlGNS SCOTT AND TIE
RING.
"Uinchcstcr Rifle LdW."
MIR. Duncan Heartily Supports
the Reform Movement.

'hS hSioiio"iS ihlcrcsthip anu preS
nant letter is addressed by the Hon
Il. Odell Duncan, the United State,
NousuT ~ I>apIes, 20 Republican
citizen of Charleston. 1t is prone,
to say that Mr.. Duncan, a native OF
Ncwberry District in this State is
we'll known In and out of the Rcpub
llcan party as gentleman Of culture
and unimpeachcable integrity. The
high estimation in which he was
held was, VIC may say, the cause OF
his appointment by President Grant
TO the important position which he
now holds: .
NAPLES, April %, 1870.
Ny Dear .ST 1t was certainly
not my intention to have dclaved
writing to you so long. But ! have
been kept so exceedingly busy dur
ing the winter, as to be compelled
TO neglect many friends and much
writing that I intended to have done
before now. The position I hold
has not been sinecure thus far, but
on the contrary, much labor and
poor pay.
] sec, however, the political con
test is beginning 10 grow warm in
South Carolina, and, as good Car
Gilman, feel most deeply interested
III the result. a desire to exchange
ideas with my political as we'll as
personal friends in whom haze con-
iidcnce, prevents me from longer ST.
lcncc with you. ! have followed
with great interest, and as carefully
rs possible ut this great distance, the
course of events in our State. The
result has generally been disappoint-
mrnt 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 swindlinp rail
road schemes were defeated. But
the general character Of our Lcgisla-
tnrc, and of the legislation in Col.
mmbia during the winter has certain
ly not been such rs TO inspire one
with confidence in the wisdom. pa
trIotism, or even ordinary honesty
OF those Mt present controlling the
State government and the "Radical'
party in South Carolina. Their ac-
tion has been such that do not see
what reason any class of our people
can have for sustaining them. Eve
ry propcrty-owncr, Of course, has
most just reason for complaint Of the
heavy expenditures and consequently
high taxes, unless he be in some way
connected with the government so
as to regain corruptly 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 n control
of the Legislature 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 il
should have been the prime object of
any party to reduce the expenses of
the government to the very lowest
figures possible, our Radical" friends
have made them far above what they
were at any former period, when the
State was in most prosperous con-
dition, and our legislators mos: un.
reasonably lavish. Nor do 400
that anything has been done to alle-
viate the condition Of our laboring
classes. Our Legislators seem to
have boen too ignorant to know that
when the industry and prosperity OF
q country is disturbed, il is always
the poorer classes who suffer most.
Their action has generally been such
as to prevent a return to state oi
peace and quiet, and to foment tho
bitter feelings hitherto existing
This course may prove beneficial to
certain corrupt demagogue politici
ans, who can hope to remain above
the surface only in times of excl te
mcnt, hut IL will certainly prov,
most calamitous to our poorer classes
whom they pretend specially to rep
resent.
When some Of us united with tn,
ncwly-formed Republican party il
South Carolina, il was because w,
were convinced that both justice ano
good policy required the civil anc