The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1872-10-03
sneech of Hon. D. 7. corbin.

dressed. the citizens of Anderson upon politi-
cal topics, mainly considering the condition Of
affairs in South Carolina. The meeting was
Organized in the Court House by requesting
Zion. John Wilson to. preside, when Mr.. Cor
bin was introduced to the audience, principally
whites. He began by illusions to the division
in the Republican party in this State, and the
causes which led to- it,, saying that it was
misfortune which had befalien that party. He
proposed to candidly and frankly acknowledge
the sins of omission and commission during
the last four years, and to review the prospect
in the event of Moses election as Governor.
IT was great embarrassment for any man to
make confessions as to his own party commit7
ting gross outrages upon the people, but it was
the duty of every honest man to do whatever
he could TO rectify the evil and explain the sit
uation.. He came to South Carolina seven
years ago; was ordered here, and did not come
from choice, but was induced to remain
When the Reconstruction measures were passed
in 1861, the Constitutional Convention was
called, and he was asked to accept the position
of Solicitor of that Convention, the duties of
which he attempted to perform faithfully. The
white people reffained from taking any part
in Reconstruction, and the consequence was
that Northern men became suddenly thrust into
prominence, winning the confidence of the
blacks. This is the reason so many foreigners
got into Office. he did not say this to upbraid
the whites, who doubtless thought they were
right, but that was the opportunity of the
white people, and failure to seize it brought
dire consequences to the State. a
The State officers elected in 1868 were strang-
ers to the colored people. The Legislature
was composed mainly Of negroes and North
erners-ignorant, inexperienced men, and few
of them capable of legislation. AS a general
rule, the legislation had been fair, but portion
of it was ajobs," where all the evil lies, put
through by corrupt men, who came down and
bought the Legislature like sheep. Gov. Orr
left the bonded debt Of the State at five and a
half millions, to which must be added the
floating debt, Bills Receivable, &c. The Act
TO redeem the bills of the Bank of the State
was the first corrupt measure, and inaugurated
the system Of bribery. which had prevailed ever
since. The Land Commission robbed the peo-
pie of 100000 and disgraced the Legislature.
The public debt had been really increased four
and 3 half millions, which was duly authorized.
He knew no difference until last fall, when he
was overwhelmed with the information that the
Financial Board had issued bonds to- the
amount of SIC, 100000, Upon this astounding
Development he was indignant that these men
had betrayed the party and acted SO badly, and
he determined to throw them out Of Office.
The impeachment Of Gov. Scott was almost
unanimously agreed upon by the House OF
Representatives, but within three days that
body voted directly to the contrary. Money
was drawn from the Treasury to kill impeach-
ment. Moses always lad the lions share, and
ont of $4,000 expended for this purpose, he
does not know how much was received by
Moses. He had no hope to better the condition
of affairs after impeachment failed, but relied
upon the next State Convention to remedy the
evils. Scott, Moses, Parker and Neagle were
the active agents in most of the corrupt meas
ures during the last four years, which an hon
est, decent Governor might have prevented.
He explained the whole process of corruption,
not emitting the partial rulings Of Speaker
Moses, by which the "jobs" were put through
ultimately, and declared that he was responsible
for all his utterances concerning Moses. He
reviewed the history of the Legislature and
the recent State Convention. When Franklin
J, Moses was nominated for Governor, he felt
that the last hope of reformation inside the
Republican party was gone, and it was his duty
to break of from the thieves and plunderers.
What had Moses done? He had issued pay
certificates for per diem and mileage to the
amount. of s576, ,541.40, which had been re-
deemed at the Treasury. Pay certificates to
the amount of $SlO, $4,000 had been issued by
the President of the Senate, and for joint ex-
penses of the two Houses, ST. ,441.15, making
a total already redeemed of $959011,55. To
which must be added $250.0O0 now in posses
sion Of the Banks in Columbia, or within the
knowledge of the officers, making grand total
Of s., ,O9,011.55. Hethen went into calcula-
ton Of the legitimate expenses Of the Legisla-
ture, including per diem and mileage, attaches,
printing, SC, estimating everything in the
most liberal manner, reaching only from s175,-
900 to 100000. Here was deliberate fraud
upon the Treasury of more than 81 100000,
which had absorbed all the taxes, and dfor which
Moses was mainly responsible. The first ex-
cuse which had been made for this conduct OF
Moses was that he had issued them to Ku Klux
fugitives, which was an outrageous lie, as there
were mo- such men in Columbia at the time
The next was an invention Of Daddy Cain,
that he had given them all to Republicans, and
not one to Democrats. He did give them to
Republicans, with the express understanding
Il