Orangeburg times. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1872-1875, 1872-03-13

De ralsed' ana 1t wlh}be boldly proclaim
cd, "thcre is nothing in it; nothing but
political persecution" poor oppressed
martyr.l i,
i1oes ut ever occur to your readers
that thereneyer was n charge made against
a Republican that has any foundation,
that every insinuation ofguilt is but the
sugg estion of political persecution? !?
Taken as whole there never was prob.
ably in the history ofthe world people
more maligncd, slandered, oppressed and
unJustly suspected and dealt with than
these same Republicans in South Caro-
lima, beginning with Scott and coming
downtothe poor, oppressed, miserable vic
tim in Orangeburg Jail. Had Sturgeon
been Democrat, it is barely possible
the kind admonition rs to newspaper
propriety would Tot have been offered
gratis. 1t is barely possible that the
Republican would even have gone far
enough to express its own decided opinion
'ot his guilt proclaimed from every hill
top long before his trial, and with much
fewer lights than "The Times had,
when itannounced its individual opinion
otthe guilt of Sturgeon Republican.
The fact is this Radical ring deserves
credit, they stick togethcrjust as close as
all thieves do. They are honest in this
alone, that they hold on faithfully to each
other. When one is caught the rest are
IN a furry, because each one knows his
time may come, and will come too, unless
ne keeps his brethren up, and beyond be-
trayal. The whole principle of the Rad
ical ring in their rascality, is mutual pro
lection. For this they are banded to-
gether. GA fellow feeling makes us won
drous kind" The charge against one is
felt by all--whcn one is caught all are
nervous, and the cry Of political perse-
cution," is raised at once. This was the
principle which stopped scott's impeach-
mcnt ttruc money was brought to help).
This was the principle which spoke out
in open court by the lips of the officer of
the Safe, When he denounced as frivo-
lous, based OF insufiicicnttcstimony and
born ofpoiIical persecution entirely"
eight indictments drawn uuaar his own
supervision and for which he alone was
responsible. This WAS the principle,
which latter days Of fcareful examination
of testimony, after announcing but few
hours before trial his determination to
put an end to the robbery in the County
us shown by the testimony induced the
officer of the law to move to "nol pros"
every indictment because of the convic-
ton forced on him suddenly that each
was but the creature of political pcrsc-
cution"
lti about time this miserable orv was
endcd-wc are all tired of it. | believe
"The Times" would have made the same
assertion had Sturgeon been of''yc fierce
Dcmocracie."
myself believe some Radicals will
steal, and ifI believe it and say it, it
does not follow that 1 say it because they
are Radicals; that may believe it for
that reason is entirely another matter.
But seriously this Indignation on the
part ofthe Republicans" is something
new in the State. Indignant because a
Radical is called in plain English a
tlief! | never heard before that thcv
ever denied stealing. They acknowledge
it openly. never heard ofonc taking
offence at any charge with thcft-why
should then the Republican," be sud
denly so sensitive? What a neat and
charming little bit of irony was that of
Tim Hurley! AT a dinner party com
posed of Radicals not long since inst os