The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-01-15
THE STATE CAPITAL.
TIE RAD1ca1 Reform cAMPArGM.
Gathering OF the cians-Liveiy Cate
chettcal Course in the Senate-Leslte
vs.. whtttemore-MiscelIa Pro-
ceedinSs.

SSAAe~sS"~~Ss&sS
vs.. Whtttemore-Miscell Pro.
ceedinBs.
rFRoM oUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.
COLUMBIA, g. c., January II.
The campaign of the Reformers in the As
sembly against the Ring appears to have been
interrupted for the time by successful diver
sion that has been made by Leslie. am as
sured, however, that the leaders In the Re
form movement are actively periecting their
arrangements; that their forces are now well
In hand. and are receiving constant acces'
sfons, and that their next blow Will be all the
more effective for this season of apparent
inactivity. Yesterday, in the Senate, the ex-
pected debate upon the frauds OF the Bling
was deferred by mutual consent, the Reform
ers ,ustllylng their action by the argument
that the Senate would, by adopting the
report of the high joint committee, be
preJudging the officials who might yet
be brought before 1t as q high court
of impeachment. This argument is tangible
enough, and apparently satisfied all the sena'
tors but Leslie; but the Reformers had other
reasons that were still more potent White
more had had his say In the report OF his COM
mittee, and knowing that any debate that
might have been had then would be merely
rambling and vindictive discussion, ne pre-
ferred to leave his report before the public,
without being disputed or dlsproven, until the
proper time for argument arrives, Whlcn ne
expects will be upon the triai OF Messrs. sco!s s
and Parker. Then again the Governor mad
been understood to say that he had been IN
favor OF the impeachment proposition, until
ne found that senators were upon the floor OF
the House lobbying for the measure In the
hope of getting him before them and bleeding
him to the amount Of two hundred Thousand
dollars or three hundred thousand dollars, TO
be shared nth the impeachers In the
House: and Wf..emore, while he of course
denied this imputation, stillpreferred not to
furnish the Governor with the additional
charge that the Senate had already argued
and decided his case on er parte testimony. In
the meantime the Reformers are actively but
quietly csnvassing among the members OF Inc
Eouse, and are making many converts eras,s TO tas
doctrine of impeachment. The Charleston
delegation are all: right with the exception OF
Dennis, who has gone over to the enemy, body
and soul, and q few trial justices, who don't
want 10 lose their commissions from the Gov
ernor-f Including the Charlestonians, the Re,
fol 1iers have got majority In the House, and
have got nearly the required two-thirds: AS
soon az they get that number the blow will be
struck and the articles of impeachment order
ed to be drawn. This may be on Monday
afternoon. atwhich time the discussion Of the
Governors last message and the report OF the
high Joint committee Is expected; but it Will
probably not be quite so soon as that. There
will be no postponement OF tnat discussion,
however, as there was In the Senate, and
very lively time may be expected, therefore,
In the House on Monday.
The principal sensation In the Legislature
to-day has been the little tournament IN the
Senate between Leslie and Whittemore upon
the question Of the formers completely 10 the
rascalltIes of the land commission. and 1t
must be admitted that, so far q Leslie him
self Is concerned, the author OF the Joint
special financial report decidedly failed TO
make out case against him. In fact, Whit.
temore appears perfectly willing to have Les
lie escape. He says he is going for big fsh,
and, with q big net and hs doesn't much care
tor the present If the small fry slip through tne
meshes. In fact, he is rather glad OF It, foS
the little sharks get out there will be less
strain on the net, and no can land his whale
the easier. The tournament began by the
reading of that portion Of the commit
tees report that treats Of the land COM
mission. When the reading was con-
eluded, Mr.. Leslie took the hoor ana pro-
temore, to which he tried very hard to get
categorical answers. 1t was sort Of cross
examination or inquisition, and the report
upon which 1t was based, and which Leslie
Gas calling s.primer" yesterday: appeared TO
I've become catechism. MIR. Leslie began
By saying that there we're In the report no d.
rect charges against him, but there were
plenty of hints, innuendoes, insinuatlons and
sarcastic poetry, and he wanted to clear his
skirts by asking question OF Two oil us au'
thor. On page % the report said that zone
Of the land commissioners fs not free from
Speculation, either on his own account or as
an agents. and he desired to ask whether he
was the land commissioner referred to.
Mr.. Whittemora replied rhat he simply de-
sired to be fair and just In the matter OF these
very serious charges, and he; was therefore
free to say that that remark had no reference
to Mr.. Leslie. he did not, however, propose
to back down from the report, and he repeat
ed that the charge was true as applled TO
certain member Of the land commission, as ne
would prove at n future time.ra ~.
MI. Leslie. All right. I am only trying to
defend myself, and If do that, that Is as
much as can expect to do. Now, on page IA
Of your report you say, "This offspring OF an
ordinance of the constitutional convention,
passed to furnish 6srtaln individual with
yisible occupation, and more visible manip-
ulation of the public funds, &C. Iwant to
know II / am the Individual, without visible
occupation, that was to. be taken care Of?
! Mr.Wbittemore. Well, no. I believe you
had. at that time, some visible occupation
dealing out corn 10 freedmen In BarnWe1l
County. The gentleman there referred to is
Colonel Partee. who was, believe, the autnor
and parent of this stupendous swindle.
MI. Leslie. All right, again. My name Isn't
Partee. Now, WON'T you please tell me
whether you have any evidence that ], as
land commissioner, committed any fraud
upon the State?
Mr.. Whittemore replied that that was
broad question and would require good deal
or an answer. The gentlemfn had said ne
would cause the author of that report to back
down from these charges 80 far as he was con-.
cerned, but 1t was apparent that there nad
been frauds, misdemeanors and derelicttons OF
the grossest kind In the transactions Of the
land commission. IT the gentleman, however,
rS6eant to ask If they had found evidence that
he had been In completely with the sellers OF
lands and had enjoyed the benefits Of such
sales, he would reply that they bad not. BE
did believe, however, that he had failed to do
shis whole duty, and had failed to come up to
the requirements Of the law. He had neglect
eed to make report as required by law, and
he had neglected to keep books OF record OF
bis transactions.
Mr.. Leslie. don't care go much about
the.speech as do about the answer. DO you
charge that by my refusal 10 report and my
neglect to keep set OF books am shown TO
be guilty of committing, or attempting, o
fraud upon the State
Mr.. Whittemore. The absence OF a report,
and Of proper records, looks suspicious. IL
Joota lilo an artIf1cA by which facts nave