The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-12-02
DEsPoILED SOUTH CAROLINA.
from the New York Trlbune.l

/ III
people have not been sufficiently warned that
carpet-baggers and the Ku-Klux are destroy.
| ing the South, 80 far as terrorism and misrule
| can ruin that section Of the republic. We
| have been constant in plain exposition CT the
two evils which afflict many OF the lately re-
bellious States; and trustworthy special cor
respondents have furnished the Tribune the
only impartial and lucid accounts published of
the financial maladmlnstration and partisan
violence which have disgraced several Of the
reconstructed States. In this labor we have
had the hearty, if partial, cooperation of
the Democratic newspapers, which have eager
ly copied and made much OF the evidence
showing the shocking financial condition
of these States, but have been suddenly silent
to light the barbarities aud atrocities Of the
Ku.Rlux. No party can afford to pursue this
policy; and 1t is not creditable to the fairness
or the sagacity Of the Democrats. North and
South, that they have steadily refused to look
on one side OF the truthful picture presented,
while the other has been persstently and I'll
umphantlv held up to public view. The DEM
ocratic Journals have been swift to denounce
carpet-baggers; but have stopped there. NeV-
ertheless, there has been great shaking
among the thieves and murderers. This Is
time for inquisitlon for blood and thefts; aud
if there are men anywhere holding power for
the purpose of stealing, or sheltering robbers
day OF reckoning Is at hand.
We have already helped to bring to light
the misdeeds of some men IN high places IN
Texas, Georgia, North Carolina and elsewhere,
and on yesterday gave the public q sorry pic
ture of the results of carpet-bag rule In South
Carolina. What shameful exhibit It Is BY
Juggling with figures aud manipulating art
fully contrived tables. ring OF adVenlurers
kept the people of South Carolina as COM
pletely in the dark about the finances OF the
State as though their false returns had been
printed in Sanscrit. They prophesied smooth
things while the ship was drifting into the
whirlpool OF bankruptcy. They lied abeut the
Intervals, with all the system of pracliced
mountebanks. Bonds were printed in New
York by the ream and sold in Wall street for
what they would fetch. A. socalled Stale
agent, street broker, handled millions OF
these bonds, without giving shadow OF re-
sponsble security for the integrity OF his deal
ings.- The governor, treasurer and comp
.trOller- general Wed With each other In fabrl-
eating statements intended for the public eye,
while the real facts and figures in the desper-
ate case were Kept IN the secrecy OF their own
offices. There seemed to be no such thing as
sounding bottom In The wild stream which
rushed out Of the State treasury. An investi-
eating committee, appointed by the frightened
Legislature, came up to New York to look
into the finances Of the State, which had no
apparent existence outside OF Wall street; and
these gentlemen turned their tour into toli-
day trip, and relaxed the stern justice OF their
intent into wild junketing at an uptown
hotel.
falsehood has collapsed; the public credit Is
morlbund. The people have be 4 deceived
as long as possible, aud, alter sue statements
as seven mlllen debt A 1870. and nine and a
half millions in September, 1871, we grasp the
astounding fact that on the goth November,
1871, South Carolina owed the enormous sum
OF sl6, ,s06, ,sos. Here is State made financial
ly bankrupt by mere SPECTATORS In politics.
What punishment shall cTertake the plunder-
ers who, within very few days, have been
whItewashing each other? Certain 1t Is that
their guilt is as clearly determinedas as that OF
our own municipal banditti, whose audscity
so much resembles theirs. We are heartily sick
of the sentimental attempts OF parry
ton, dishonesty and extravaganza OF the
carpet-bag governments. The plea that ex-
posure of these frauds will ipjure the Repub-
lican party Is as wicked as 1t Is silly. Better
aIthousand times that the party be rent
asuuder than that any crime for which It can
be Justly held responsible be covered up in Its
own house. Noparty can long live with such
q cancer concealed In Its bosom. But the
party is not responsible for the criminal dis
honesty OF few officials who bear It's name;
though 1t would be justly held to strict &C
count II 1t should be accessory to any attempt
at concealment OF the offences to which we
have called attention. We are glad that 1t is
too late to screen the raRcalities which have
been perpetrated In the Carollnas. We have
fully exposed aud denounced these cunning
thefts, and leave the issue with the courts and
the public, more than ever convinced that this
Is specially time for letting in the light into
dark places, and bringing rcguss everywhere
to righteous punishment. 80