The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1871-02-02
Threatened Disruption of tho Re
publican Party Its Causes
A Serious Condition OF Affairs
a Band Of Piunderers- The
Treasury is bmpty "A Dis
covery.
Correspondence Charleston News. !
EoLUMBIA, January %.


COLUMBIA, January 22.
At no mc since its organization
has the Fpublican party of the State
been s9ncar disruption as it is now.
LcadiRg intelligent Republicans, and
the most prominent officials, view
with both alarm and disgust the evi-
dcnccs of dishonesty and demoraliza-
tlon which exist on every hand, be-
cause they sec no means Of relief
The brazen cffrontery Of power has
penetrated all Of the departments,
and the mere weight of combined
impuhcnce is made to carry or con
ccal measures, the only object Of
which is the distribution of public
money among the organized rings.
Certain men, using the influence OBJ
tanned over individuals during the
last two years, have established a
partnership p of crime, and there is
not n member Of the firm who darcs
withdraw or oppose the leader, be-
cause of the threats of cxposurc.-
This is the secret of their success in
biotting out the footprints of the
land commission and in concealirc
the whereabouts of seventy thousand
out of one hundred and thirty-fivc
thousand dollars, appropriated to
pay the expenses of the Legislature.
They control whitewaShing commit
tees, hide the testimony Of facts and
figures, and when nccc >Sary to effect
their purpose, cover official reports
with the garb of palpablc falsehood.
There is no help for it. The Cover
nor Is powcrlesS, and his veto can bc
ovcrriddcn by either House, while
public opinion, even from a Rcpub-
can standpoint, has no more influ-
cncc upon the situation than breath
of air upon IN Egyptian pyramid
These men stand there alone, uncon-
troiiablc and unmovcablc by anv-
thing but-cash. d.
The above are the scntincns cx-
pressed by a leading member of the
Republican party-a man whose
voice was heard in the late canvass
from the mountains to the Scaboard +:
who came into the State in 1863,
and from that hour has zcalouslv
laborcd with all his strength to clc-
vatc the condition of the colorcd pco-
pie, secure recognition Ofthcir civil
and political rights. and made prac-
| teal reconstruction a success. Still
honest and outspoken as a Rcpubli-
cen, he secs, as do many Of his col
leagues, the handwriting Of party
suicide on the wall, and the utter
ruin Of the State, should these dis
graceful things continue. This gen
tlemau added at the close Of his con-
versation, that he hoped God would
cause his tongue to clcavc to the roof
Of his mouth, If he ever again cspous.
ell the election Of such a class Of men
ne now.hold the reins of power. 1t is
A SERIOUS CONDITION OF AFEAIRs.
The battle line is drawn between
honesty and corruption; between in
tclligcnt rule and ignorant suprcma
cy, and with the latter hcdgcd in by
entertainments which seem almos,
imprcgnablc, there is little prospec,
of a change of affairs. True, the
Governor appears determined to weed
out sufficient officials and to appoint
better mon in their places, and as ia,
"a town and county localities arc con
rned, TO remove all causes Of dis
cord between the races hcrctofor,
provoked by inexperienced and in
competent persons, white and color
ed I; but to touch 1.-The heart Of III,
evil, to adopt wise public policy
TO enforce economy, to protect tn
treasury, to develop the resources o
the State, restore confidence, invit,
capital, aud to build up foundation
for future greatness, requires al
) amount of operation on the part o
the Legislature and other official
which he certainly does not nov
command, and which, in the prcscn
temper Of tho men who make on
laws, he cannot hope to obtain. r
add to the difficulties Of the situa
ton
THE TREASURY Is ENTITY?
The State has overdrawn it's a,
count in the bank here, and Pres
dent Solomon, in the bitterness G
his heart and the emptiness of hi
Golfers, is fain TO cxclaim with tn
nsalmist Of old 0rbey uayo mo 90