Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1871-08-03
Bowen ,4l q and his I" Rights

Now that the Hon. C. C. Bowen
has had his political and moral gar
ments purified by the Presidents par
don, several very nice questions arine
| as to his future status asa statesman
South Carolina, through her leading
Republican politicians, repudiated
Bowen some time ago, because, as
Mrs. Susan Pettigru King naively ex-
pressed it, Z" his character was notori-
ously bad" At the head OF these repu-
diators was the Hon. T. j. Mackey,
of. Charleston, whose quarrel with
Bowen overfa distribution Of Grants
patronage in Charleston was the
cause Of the latter's arrest. = ~;
This fight began last summer.
Mackey atIfrst endeavored to- pre-.
yent Bowen from getting theiregnlar
denomination for Congress. Failing
in that, he pnt ap against him as ain
Independent candidate, Robert G. De-
Large, a colored barber, and Preai-
dent Of the thieving Land Commits:
sion of South Carolina. The Second
District is the Sea Island District.
1t includes. Charleston. The colored
vote is very heavy, ontnumbering the
White ten to one. DeLarge was de-
clared elected and took his seat.
Bowen and his friends at once
raised the cry Of fraud, and set them
selves TO work to ferret out the ras-
eality. Unfortunately the election
laws of South Carolina which were
passed by the carpet-bag Legislature,
leave a door vile open to fraud and.
corruption, and the colored Commis-
sioners of Election in the Beaufort
District, being candidates for office.
themselves, tampered with the ballot.
boxes. Bowen and his friends found
it out and prosecuted them. The.
Commissioners were indicted; tried,
convicted, and sentenced to two years
each in the Penitehtiary.
Further efforts to oust DeLarge
were interrupted by the little un-
pleasantness in Bowen's domestic az
fairs. Now that is over, the pardon
ed Ligamist proposes to renew opera
tions, and for that purpose he has
gone to Charleston. In this he can
scarcely fail of success. DeLarge
was unquestionably elected through
stuGng the ballot boxes Oh this
there is abundant proof in the record
of the trial of the three Beaufort
Commissioners, and therefore there
can be no doubt but. that Bowen
bv law is entitled to the seat in Con-
gress.
But will Congress admit him 1? Can
it keep him out because OF his infa-
nous marital record? He has been
pardoned by the President and his.
former crimes are freely forgiven.
(" The distinguished services which
Mr.. Bowen gave the Union during
and Immediately after the rebellion,
the record Of which is officially at
tested by the President Of the Unit.
ed States, entitle him to Oongression-
al favor. The House rejected Whit
temore on the mere ground that his
character was not good. 1t must
admit Bowen or stufJify tho Piosi-
dent.
Another question arises. Mrs. Su-
san Pettigru King announces that in
defiance of the world and the world 8
opinion, she will live with Bowen as
his wife. All this in face of the fact
that a jury of twelve men have dis
tinctly said that she is not his wife.
Therefore, next winter, if Bowen gets
his seat, we shall have the spectacle
of member of Congress living in
open violation of the law through the
favor of President Grant.