The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1872-09-21
Mass Meeting in Charleston.
NMVEgE-k - -

"usand persous were present, Gen.
M1ses, Jdda / Mellon mud Gsn II B..
Llotc were The principal speakers.
judge Melton made an extended
speech, beainnipg with the history of
this State during ahd;sincest The Sar, and
vindcution of his reusons for becoming
u Republican. He d:scInimcd any feel
ing of hostility to that vust majority OF
the aS sits people of the State who
differed with him in politics, and paid a
high tribute tothe werth and character
of the people Of his native State. He
believed that the reason the colored men
had been compelled to turu to the car
pet bagger for leadership and advice was
because the native South Carolnians
had refused to lead them. The coIored
people, in their ignorance and inexpcr-
fence, had to have white men to lead
them there was a demand foi white
men, and, as is always the case, that
demand found its supply. He had no
words Of opprobrium for honest RepCb
licans coming to the South, but for
those men who had come with their
shrunken et,bags, intending only to
swindle u t'rtune for themselves out Of
this State aud then return to their
native North, he had the most utter con-
tempt. The result of carpet baggism had
been that the State was bank rup' in
funds, in resources and iu credit, and
was left standing before the civilized
world burning disgrace to Republicans
institutions. There was 10 use mucin=
words about the inatter, aud the State
had been -iuu clear into The ground by
unb"unded and unprecedented rascaiities
The white men from the North came
goumd the colured men ducile, ottcdent
and anxious to discharge. their new
sagtiss ef,Sei'issnseiRs in az hapest aed
cfeditable tiianperfy Amen. them came
his esteemed friend, hir Reuben ,fom.
Ins"n, hiso,her highly respected friend,
'he Hon. ID. L. Cnrbin, and many others
"hom it was unnecessary to. men,luu.
One oi those Inch was now the Boilers
capdiiste Tor Governor, aud he had one
or tw little remarks To make about him.
lie caine down here in 1862, landed
y aulur' aud 'en'saSed III tue occpputlun
81 school err. That war very
iaudabie Illus far, aud ii H. had stuck
to teaching school he would prvbabi,
not have had to say these things against
nlm. But he .ouly pursued that pro-
tession until reconstruction came, when
he was. elected a representative in the
General Assembly. At that time the
"oored people had no idea OF bribery
and corruptioo, and, but TO. the teach
'nSs hey s"on received, they would $: III
-. puro aud uucorrup'cd nut b..bery
VAS brought 10 them, ana tlcy were
hardly to be blamed for begipning it,
The State then had bauk, OF the bills
OF which a large amount had been issued
before the war. Those bills were bought
up III 1867, and 1868 by a few sharp
men, and one Of the first statutes enacted
in this State by the new Legislature was
an act to issue bonds to redeem those
bills. That act Was passed through the
Legislature by means of bribery He
would not name the bribers, but he had
alrc:,ay;' ;:s:.::o::si;. t;,u;i, iiud viicy still
hail from Charleston County. Next his
esteemed friend, Mr.. Reuben 'romlinson,
was elected auditor, aud in 1868, while
he was auditor, bill was passed creating
the shaking faad and sinking fund com
mission. The direct object of that bill
was to enuble the Grecnvilie Railroad
Ring to obtain for themselves, for
mere song, the shares of stock of the
Grcenvillc and Columbia Railroad then
owned Ivy the State, aud he charged
directly that bill was passed by means
o! bribery, and that Ton,linson was con-
nected with the passing of that bill, and
was Il prominent member of that RIM
In that transaction he prostitutcd his
office, betrayed his trust, debauched the
Legislature, and pilicred the property Of
the State In carrying out the conspir-
"cy lie got James l.. Orr, who tn n ha,i
the confidence Of the white peopl, oi the
up.c"unty, TO induce them 10 sell their
shares i'll the Greenviie Road for d,
mere pittance, and for that service
James l.. Orr was well rewarded The
Ring got possession of the road, and the
company was reorganized. A Pennsyl-
vania man was made its president