The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1873-01-30
Guilty, or Not Guilty 7

No one can deny that 1t is an unpleasant
thing for eighteen or twenty members OF q
State Legislature to be accused OF official
corruption and threatened with criminal
prosecution. 1t is much more agreeable to
euioy handsome salary at the Capital than
20 wear ball and chain 10 the Penitentiary.
But it is the truth OF the charge, not the
printing OF 1t, which causes it to sting, and
exposes the accused to condign punishment.
This is a broad and uupalatable fact which
the Charleston delegation wilfully ignore
That delegation is generally believed to have
made a compact with Mr.. ]. ]. Patterson, by
which they bound themselves to vote Tor
him, as United States senator, In considera-
tion of his using bis influence with The Board
OF State Canvassers to secure the defeat OF
the Regular Radicals, who claimed the seats
which the impeached members, the Boiling
Radicals, now hold. The public know that
the Boilers were successful, and that they
voted solidly for Patterson, 80 securing his
election. The public know, moreover, that
common rumor, never denied, charged the
Boilers with making corrupt bargain With
Patterson. Even within the last twenty
four hours letter comes to The NEWS office
from Mr.. W. C. Brown, in which it is dis
tinc,ly stated that the agreement to vote Tor
Patterson was signed In the house OF MIR.
to hoy
Now The NEWS does not pretend to say
that the charge OF corruption against the
Charleston delegation is true or false. That
question must be decided elsewhere But
The NEWS does say that the charge has
been accepted as truth by thousands OF per-
sons, and that it is due to the accused and
to their constituents that they be arraigned
and tried 30 that their guilt or innocence
shall be conclusively established. The
abuse OF The NEWS, in which some members
OF the delegation choose to indulge, counts
for nothing. There is nothing that they can
say, or do, which will swerve this paper a
hair's-breadtn from Its course. They ought
to have come to this conclusion long ago.
The suggestion that the proposed indict-
ment of the Charleston delegation Is intend
ed to lead up to The impeachment OF Cover
nor Moses is rank nonsense. That delega-
ton fought Governor Moses throughout the
campaign, abused him numerically, and
called him every name they could lay their
tongues to. Why should this trial, the trial
OF his sworn foes, be an injury to him, or an
indication that a plot is forming against
bimf
Mr.. James Brennan, it.seems, Joined in the
howl against The NEWS, and gave himself
ana his colleagues from Charleston worse
character than this paper was disposed to
give them. In saving that the Charleston
Water bill would be defeated because The
NEWS advocated its passage, he confessed
that, with him and his friends, personal
spite and malice outweighed the good OF his
constituents and the interests OF the public.
There is 30 use in do6gng. The Charles
ton delegation are charged with corrupt
conduct, and, unless guilty conscience
makes them cautious, they will welcome
that rigid inquiry in the courts which alone
can clear their skirts. It is the thief who
fears the officer. The conscious criminal is
generally the first TO declare himself above
suspicioH. The Charleston delegation, il in
nocent, need not fear an arraignment in the
courts. They can there make q clean breast
OF it, and exonerate themselves from the
foul burden put upon them months ago, and
which sticks to them still. This will satisfy
the public Anything less will not.