The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-10-29
Letter from E1-Gov, Perry.

y
To the Democratic and Conservative Voters
Of the Fourth Congressional! District Qf'
South Carolina, comprising the Counties
Of Fork. Chester, Fairfield, Union,
Spartan6urg. Laurens, Greenoile, Pick.
ems and Ocor,ee. ~.
FELLOW CITIZENS: desire to address
few words to you on the result of the
late congressional election. So far as
am personally concerned, have no re-
grets to express. When accepted your
nomination, which was unsolicited aud
unexpected, had no strong hopes of
success. knowing, al did, that the Radi-
cal party was in the ascendancy, and
would not acrnple at any fraud and cor
ruption neoeHsary to maintain their
power in the Congressional District My
health, age and disinclination to enter
public life again would have been q rea-
souable justification in refusing the
honor you conferred on me. But I
thought it a duty every good citizen
owed his country. under the present
alarming condition of public affairs, to
accept any position which might be as
signed him by the people.
The canvass through which 1 have
just passed was q very short one, and 1
entered it actively and zeaIously. may
further say. that it was both pleasant
and agreeable, and I enjoyed it exceed
ingly. In passing through the Congress
sional District, met many Of my old
and valued friends, whom had not seen
for years, and I made great many new
friends, whom I shell ever remember
and never cease to value whilst life lasts.
Every where, my reception was most
kind and cordial, and fully compensates
me for all the time and trouble of the
canvass. But although I do not regret
personally, as have said, our dissap.
pointment. yet, as O citizen of South
Carolina, do regret, lament and de-
plore the success of the Radical party
throughout the State, in the recent cleo
ton for Congress and State officers. H.
seems to indicate that there is to be no
change in the present corrupt, oppressive
ment, or hope of representation for the
white people of South Carolina in the
Congress of the United States. 10000
voters, representing nearly 800, 900 per-
sons, owning, in great measure, all the
property of the State, agricultural, COM
mercial and manufacturing, and CON-
prising in the same ratio all the intelli-
gence, education, virtue and patriotism
of the Stnte, are without the semblance
OF representation in government pur-
porting to be republican,
The State Government has, confessed
ly, fallen into the hands of rogues, swim
dlers and corrupt men, who have openly
plundered the public Treasury, robbed
the people, forged State bonds. increased
the Indebtedness of the State $27, 900, 900
in four years, levied and collected into
lerable taxes, and enriched themselves
by the most bare-faced bribery and cor
rnption as well as by arrant roguery and
plunder. And yet the result of the re
cent election shows that these rogues,
| swindlers and robbers are to be rein
stated in authority for two years to come,
with carte blanche to rob, steal and plum
der ad H6itum!
It is sad and melancholy to think that
the honest, patriotic and virtuous white
people of South Carolina are in some
measure responsible for this horrible
and appalling condition of public affairs
In many Counties, they did not turn out
to vote on the day of electionl Can
human weakness and human apathy ex-
ceed this7 The negroes, carpet-baggers
and scalawags turned out, almost, to q
mani Is it not passing strange that the
stupid negroes should feel more interest
and manifest more zeal in sustaining q
corrupt, rotten government, and elect
ing to office rogues and scoundrels, who
do not benefit him in the least, than an
educated, intelligent and patriotic gen.
tleman does in trying to over-turn suoh
government and put honest men in
Office. as Legislators, Governors, Sena.
tors, Judges, &c? He sees the corrup-
tion, feels the hand of the oppressor,
and bears the crushing burden of his
taxes. and yet will not go from his house
to vote for change in rulers or govern
mentl 1t may be we'll said there is no
accounting for human conduct.
In Gresnville, one of the Counties
composing tho Fourth Congressional
District, there are $500 white voters,
and only $500 of them went out to vote
25O of them were scalawags, who voted
with the negroes to continue our present
corrupt regime. 500 staid at home and
did not vote at all! In Chester County,
there were 300 white voters who did not
feel intereat enough in being represented
in Congress to turn out at the election.
Tn Fairfial1 70 dict; CIV